For many portable sanitation contractors, these past few years have been hard on the basic restroom inventory. When the economy was tough, you might not have rotated the older units out of your yard like you had in the past. Instead, like any successful conservative small business owner, you took parts from idle units to keep your active stock in good repair and kept serving your customers.
That’s just sometimes the reality of business when revenues aren’t on the rise.
Now that a recovery is under way in many parts of the country, it’s time to take stock in your restroom inventory and make an honest assessment. Are units faded and brittle from sitting in the sun? Are maybe 20, 30 or 40 percent of your units getting a little wobbly or rough around the edges from years of tough service?
A slow degrading of your inventory can happen after a few years of slumping sales. But you can only go on so long before those borderline restrooms start to have an impact on your reputation for quality products and service. Maybe it’s time to recycle some of your oldest stock and bring in new restrooms, especially if you can put them to use at some of your high-value special events or at the construction sites of your more loyal customers this summer.
The good news is that while you’ve been making do with an aging inventory, restroom manufacturers have been tweaking their standard restroom offerings to improve usability, reliability and durability. It might be something as simple and subtle as an improved door hinge or better placement of a handle or latch. Or it might be the introduction of new and interesting restroom designs that made a splash over the past few years.
In any case, if you think it’s time to put a few new image-builders on your busy routes, check out these latest standard restroom offerings from manufacturers:
PolyJohn Legacy & PJN3
PolyJohn Enterprises Corp. offers the PJN3 and Legacy models as its most popular standard restrooms. The Legacy offers strength and rigidity in a unit that can be assembled easily with a few tools and the fewest possible fasteners. Most of the components can be snapped together: The unit has only two rivets, used to attach the toilet paper dispenser. The Legacy offers a newly engineered poly skid. The roof is rotational molded, the door has a twin-sheet thermoformed design, and smooth interior surfaces make for easy cleaning. Features on the basic PJN3 model include a standard mirror and door handle and a waste tank design with rounded slope top and convenient central sump. Visit www.polyjohn.com or call 800/292-1305.
Satellite Tufway, Maxim 3000, Taurus & Global
Satellite Industries Inc. offers the Tufway, Taurus, Maxim 3000 and Global models for standard restroom service. The Tufway has molded-in vents, a 70-gallon waste tank and the option of three bases. Global restrooms have molded-in vents, corner shelf and a 62-gallon waste tank and optional Dirtbuster base. Taurus has standard corner shelf, three-roll toilet paper holder and an 80-gallon tank. The Maxim 3000 is a double-walled, smooth-sided restroom with recessed double-door springs and 70-gallon waste tank. Visit www.satelliteindustries.com or call 800/328-3332.
Five Peaks Technology
Five Peaks Technology offers the standard Aspen and Glacier units with a 65-gallon drop tank, three-roll tissue holder, hover handles, mirror and coat hooks. The Glacier is a new model patterned on the Aspen, but with smooth, single-wall construction and hair-cell finish for easy cleaning. Both units are available in several colors and with thermoformed or rotomolded skid and tank. The rotomolded tank version is 70 gallons and uses thicker plastic and extra-thick runners. Features in the Aspen include gender signage, cup holder, custom-formed door handle, and offset seat placement to move it away from the urinal. Visit www.fivepeaks.net or call 866/293-1502.
PolyPortables Vantage, Integra & Standard
PolyPortables Inc. offers three models in its lineup of standard restrooms. The Vantage has double walls for strength and a smooth, easy-to-clean interior. The Integra offers a convenient, large door opening. The Standard unit features an aluminum-framed door, riveted-in door edges and a precision-engineered door spring. Units feature easily replaced wear components for greater convenience. All models are offered in many standard and custom color choices. Visit www.polyportables.com or call 800/241-7951.
Imperial Industries Imperial Tradition
Imperial Industries Inc. offers the basic Imperial Tradition restroom for construction sites and special events. Components and panels are constructed with a rotational molding process for durability in a single-wall restroom unit. The unit features a one-piece continuous doorframe, a five-point integral polyethylene door hinge, EZ grip inside latch, a 60-gallon holding tank, three-roll toilet paper holder and a Tri-Poly Skid that adds a third skid under the center of the floor. The unit weighs 173 pounds and is available in a variety of standard or custom colors. Visit www.imperialind.com or call 800/558-2945.
Piccadilly Concepts Piccadilly Poly
Piccadilly Concepts offers the Piccadilly Poly restroom for general use or special events. The unit comes in a red exterior or custom colors on orders of 100 units. The majority of the unit is blow-molded, with a thermoformed roof and rotomolded skid. The unit features an oversized mirror, hover handle, door latch, four hinges embedded in the doorjamb, a corner shelf and a 65-gallon holding tank. The restroom is 44 by 48 inches and weighs 195 pounds. A channel was molded into the upper panel to allow contractors to run standard rope lighting around the inside of the roof. Visit www.piccadillyconcepts.com or call 888/255-8883.
T.S.F. Tuff-Jon
T.S.F. Company Inc. Tuff-Jon portable restrooms are manufactured with a rotational molding process that produces a one-piece polyethylene unit with consistent 3/16-inch thick walls. The process creates restrooms with easy-to-clean smooth surfaces. The process also results in easy-to-handle restroom units that remain on stable footing at the jobsite. The lightweight standard units feature rust-free hardware, poly skids and come in a variety of colors. The tank is mounted toward a back-right corner to provide additional shoulder and foot room. A 15-gallon sink is also offered. Visit www.tuff-jon.com or call 800/843-9286.
Armal Top Line
Armal Inc. offers the Top Line restroom with Scent Box technology that can be upgraded in several ways. Scent Box restrooms are embedded during the manufacturing process with one of five scents and colors: Strawberry Fields, Apple Blossom, Pinewood Trail, Rose Sensations and Vanilla Balm. The unit has curved corners for easy gripping, a three-roll paper holder with integrated shelf, and a urinal with drain cover. The Top Line can be upgraded with a recirulating flush unit, soap dispenser and 7.5-gallon sink. Visit www.armal.biz or call 866/873-7796.
