Between his three divisions — portable restrooms, septic pumping and roll-off services — Cliff Wise gets into some pretty dirty stuff and cleans up some big messes.
But he and his father (also Cliff Wise) are fanatics when it comes to cleanliness of the things they can control. “My dad is very picky about how clean our trucks are, our buildings, the equipment — even the parking lots. I am, too. And sometimes it’s really hard, but you try to find a balance between making money, getting work done and still having a clean truck.”
Wise and his father are the owners of C&C Portables with several facilities in Vine Grove, Kentucky, and one in Cloverport, Kentucky. They have 28 employees, 1,000 pieces of sanitation equipment, 200 roll-off containers, and five septic vacuum trucks, including a Super Products’ Camel industrial vacuum truck.
The company has its own onsite washing facilities. “We use a lot of water,” Wise says. “My water bill between all these places is probably about $1,400 or $1,500 a month.”
Trucks are washed often, but not necessarily every day. But if one is especially bad, they at least spray it off before sending it out again. They also hired someone to clean up vehicle interiors.
Portable restrooms are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized every time they come into the shop. Construction and event units are kept separate.
One of his suppliers, James Penner, owner of In The Round Dewatering, has visited several times and is always amazed at how clean everything is, Wise says. “He told me, ‘I go to a lot of places and your place is just super clean.’”
Cleanliness is a source of pride for Wise and his father. “I do like being in the trash and septic business and people come by and they’re like, ‘Wow, it’s so clean here.’ I think most people expect to see just a wreck.”
Read more about C&C Portables in this month’s issue of Pumper magazine.
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