Curb to Curb Service

When municipalities, state agencies, large corporations such as automobile manufacturers, airports, police and fire agencies, property management companies, and just about any other entity that needs the services of a top-class sweeping company in the state of Michigan, they often call on Curbco, operating out of Swartz Creek, Michigan. At present, Curbco is one of the largest and most successful Sweeper/Property Maintenance companies in the entire state. Curbco is not just a sweeping company, however. They are a truly full-service company, incorporating sweeping/power washing; paving and construction; landscaping and horticulture; and snow/ice removal divisions all under one roof.

Starting Out in the Business
Mr. Keith Kirby, president and present managing owner of the company says that “even though we now have millions of dollars invested in the best equipment money can buy it wasn’t always this way; far from it. We started out in 1985 with a vision to be the biggest and best “curb to curb” full service company we could be, but our initial startup was very modest.” “Our construction division was where we got our first taste of how difficult the industry could be, and so we knew we had a long road ahead of us if we wanted to fulfill our dream,” Keith says, continuing “now, we are deeply engaged with every major market involved in property and road management in the State of Michigan. It’s the depth of our management, labor, and equipment that allows us to service such a wide variety of demands each of these markets presents.” Curbco is fully equipped with the best machinery and some of the most experienced managers and workers coming from a wide range of related occupations and professions, and can take on the smallest or biggest contracts, offering everything from full asphalt and concrete work, to seal coating, to catch basin installation and repairs, to sewer repair, video inspection, retaining walls and soil erosion, and large-scale wetlands projects.

Business Model
“We designed our business model in the 1980s but our vision is still being completed because we keep adding more services as our profits grow and markets opened up “says Keith. He is right about that. “Curbco has been designed, equipped, and staffed to mirror a municipal department of public works,” he tells us. “Many of our contracts are, to be honest, huge. Over the last few decades we have proudly served numerous Fortune 500 companies, large developers and home builders, schools and churches, road builders, industrial manufacturers and suppliers, and state, county, and local municipalities, you name it we have done it” Keith proudly announces. One of our greatest investments was hiring Kirk Cowley to run our sweeping division” Keith says, “and now thanks to Kirk’s hard work and determination, it is one of our most successful divisions.”

The Sweeping Division Trucks and Equipment
“Our fleet of sweepers consists of 6 Elgin Eagles, 3 “F” series, 3 waterless, 2 Schwarze Gale Force models, 1 Schwarze 348-1, and 3 Mascos on Chevy cabs and chassis. All of the sweepers are pretty much standard, with tilt brooms, and dust control systems. All company vehicles are equipped with real time GPS tracking units, with supporting software that will eventually move us into a totally paperless operation in the near future” Kirk reports. “Kirk is the consummate professional” Keith proudly says, “with an immense base of knowledge and expertise about the sweeping industry, and we are truly blessed to have him directing one of our largest and most successful divisions.”
“Our sweeper crews have serviced all of the big three automotive suppliers, a few airports, police and fire agencies, numerous cities and villages, and MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation)” Kirk says, continuing “and all of my sweepers run seven days a week with full routes of 10-12 stops per night. “Currently we provide street sweeping services for MDOT, (11) counties, (8) Cities/Villages, as well as a number of home developers, police/ fire agencies and rubbish companies” Kirk says. “We dispose of roughly 50 yards of debris per week in normal seasons, with our sweepers most productive in the spring and fall, and thousands of yards per year with our municipal contracts.”

Employee Base
“ In the sweeping division I have a full staff of (3) full time mechanics, and (1) wash bay guy as well as office support from in house CPA, and project managers with the various divisions.” Altogether the company employs 50+ drivers, technicians, mechanics, horticulturalists and office staff in the summer months and ramp up to 100+ during the winter months,” says Kirk.
“All of our drivers receive no less than 30 days of on the job training to ensure everyone understands their core job functions. Work orders are provided on a daily basis for every job with site maps and a full description of requested service.” Kirk is the division supervisor and all day to day operations, bidding/estimating and scheduling runs through him, “I do have the assistance and great support from our dispatch office” Kirk says, “and both street and parking lot sweeping have their own foreman in the field working along with the crews on a day to day basis and report directly back to me on any issues encountered in the field no matter the time if the need is there.” Curbco also provides great living wages to all our employees, benefits, profit sharing, paid for schooling opportunities (One just received her (2)year bachelor degree in business management), uniforms, coats/winter parkas/insulated bibs, etc.

For more information on Curbco, visit their website at: www.curbco2121.com