Dirt, mud and grime are not welcome in the workplace, and in some environments like hospitals and schools, tracked-in grit is more than an annoyance – it’s a health concern. The sanitation team cannot be everywhere at once, sweeping up after every person who walks through the door. So, what is the solution? It’s Boot-Boy, an affordable, compact device saving property owners and managers time, stress and money.
Boot-Boy ensures employees and customers enter the building with clean shoes. All they have to do is gently rest their shod foot in Boot-Boy and it gently and quickly cleans the shoes. Boot-Boy units are easy to assemble, plug into a standard outlet, and (depending on the model chosen) are suitable for wet and dry use. Boot-Boy is easy to clean and requires very low maintenance. All the models have warranty, are CSA approved and are made in Canada with reliable North American and global parts.
Boot-Boy can be utilized in various settings including building entrances, oil and mining facilities, food processing plants, health centres, construction sites, recreational centres, municipal offices, apartment complexes, golf courses and farms. It’s a small product making a big difference. How did this all come about here in Edmonton?
Sheldon Schreiber, CEO of Boot-Boy Industries Inc., explains. “The history of Boot-Boy is definitely a unique one. The machine itself dates back to the 1960s but the rights to the Boot-Boy machine and manufacturing did not come to be until the 1980s.”
As he and his team developed and refined the product, they found a ready market in the mining industry.
“However,” Schreiber adds, “fast forward to the present day and Boot-Boy is used anywhere and everywhere requiring clean floors.”
Schreiber reflects on two important milestones for Boot-Boy Industries.
“While we value all customers, small or large, there have been two customers and periods of significant growth for Boot-Boy Industries. In the early 2000s, we entered into an exclusivity agreement with a partner in Quebec, Les Produits Sanitaires Lépine. Over a period of 10 years, this partnership, along with Boot-Boy’s growing customer brand awareness, doubled our production and sales volumes.
“More recently, a new partnership was formed with Uline in 2021. What started as a sample unit and small initial order has quickly flourished into one of our largest Canadian distributors and Boot-Boy’s exclusive distributorship for the USA and Mexico. This partnership allowed us to double our full-time staff and initiated the ordering of raw material production runs within Canada in order to meet growing customer demands.”
He smiles as he discloses a fun fact, “Initially Boot-Boy was targeted towards one market only: curling clubs. The idea was to use the machine prior to going on the ice surface to remove dirt from the bottom of curling boots. Given the machine’s longevity, we can now count on one hand how many we still sell to curling clubs… and it’s not many!”
He describes the units as “workhorses.”
“In what seems like a disposable world these days, our machine is built to last. We have seen machines from all decades still in operation. Some obviously require normal wear and tear replacement parts but other than that, and with a little regular TLC, they are good to go. The Boot-Boy machine is CSA approved, which gives us an advantage in the market as many clients require this standard for their products. In addition, the electrical components required to complete our assembly process are North American based and we are proud to be able to say the Boot-Boy is made in Canada.”
At Boot-Boy Industries, the corporate culture is just as high-quality as the products produced.
“We pride ourselves on our high level of customer service,” says Schreiber. “In doing so, we have gained many long-term, loyal customers. We are also fortunate to have a very low level of turnover in staff, which is critical to our success.”
The established work culture and hardworking team ensure Boot-Boy Industries can work together to overcome industry challenges.
“Like so many companies during the pandemic, our greatest challenge was supply chain related,” says Schreiber. “In fact, we were experiencing fabrication delays dating back to 2019 that were obviously magnified once the pandemic hit. Although these delays were unfortunate at the time, in the end it could not have worked out better. We have since established new fabricating partnerships, both internationally and domestically, that have been beneficial to our company in all aspects.”
He continues, “The long-term relationships we have built over the years are what I personally find the most rewarding. Business is business but when I can pick up the phone and chat with our distributors or suppliers about their family vacations or if their child is still playing hockey, it feels much more personal and less like a business transaction.”
Schreiber is proud to be headquartered in Sherwood Park and call the Capital City area home base as Boot-Boy Industries continues to grow into markets across North America and into Mexico.
“Edmonton has always proven its ability to band together and rise above any challenges,” he smiles. “The city and its people are very resilient.”
In support of the city and the communities in which the company serves, Boot-Boy Industries supports a variety of charitable and non-profit interests.
Boot-Boy Industries is a local company producing a made-in-Canada solution. It’s the humble workhorse unit that makes a big difference to the cleanliness of the workplace environment, to savings on janitorial costs and to the well-being of those working or visiting an establishment.
“Give the Boot-Boy machine a chance!” Schreiber concludes. “We are very proud of the fact that customers are always satisfied with our product. We are extremely excited about the growth potential in the USA. The Boot-Boy machine is well recognized within Canada as it has been around for over 50 years. In the USA however, our machine is just now gaining in recognition. We are confident that the quality of our product along with the partnership we have established with Uline will be key factors in achieving the next level of growth for Boot-Boy Industries. For us, word of mouth still remains one of the key avenues to obtaining new customers. This speaks volumes to the Boot-Boy product and its quality.”
1-800-661-2492 • Sales@Boot-Boy.com
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