In 1998, Randy and his wife had a problem. Their son was an avid hockey player and as every parent of a hockey player understands, with the stick and puck comes bruises, cuts and incredibly odorous gear.

The stench that coursed from this equipment would pollute the household. With small and limited washing machines on the market, few other options existed.

“We spoke to other parents and we tried all their tricks,” said Randy. “We tried soaking the equipment in the bathtub or hosing it down in the back yard. Neither were practical solutions that offered a thorough clean.”

Despite their best efforts, every week Randy’s son skated onto the rink in equipment that was coated with bacteria. Regardless of attempts to banish the smell with deep cleans in the bathtub and hosing down in the backyard, their house remained a victim of the stench from this equipment.

Motivated by a desire for a fresh smelling house and son, Randy’s wife had an idea. What if there was a washing machine for hockey gear? A washing machine that could be used by all parents on a team to ensure their kid’s gear was clean?

It was this idea that kicked off Esporta; a multi-billion dollar business based in the Okanagan that spans across the globe. Esporta sells products to clients in multiple industries across North America, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Australia and England in over four industries.

From Smelly Gear to Global Enterprise

So, how did odorous equipment turn into a multi-billion dollar business? For starters, they needed a washing machine. After much trial and error, Randy and his team of engineers and welders created a machine that was commercially viable. Using a specially designed tumble patented by Esporta, it cleaned the sports equipment effectively and thoroughly.  

Photo Credit: Esporta

But a specifically designed tumble simply wasn’t good enough for Randy. Always in search of a cleaner clean, he started to look into what was meant by ‘squeaky clean’.

“I wasn’t satisfied with something just looking clean. In my eyes, this meant nothing. I wanted items to be food grade safe clean. Basically, I wanted my family to be able to eat off it. So, I sent off our ‘clean’ items to the university lab where they conducted tests to see how clean they really were.”

Committed to achieving a level of clean that you could literally eat off, Randy developed a detergent that would perfectly compliment the washing machine to ensure optimum results. Armed with the perfect combination of Randy’s machine and detergent, lab results consistently showed that Esporta’s clean really was food grade safe.

Esporta’s commitment to genuine cleanliness lead to contracts within the sports industry such as the Kelowna Rockets and the West Kelowna Warriors. However, Randy quickly found out that most hockey parents weren’t interested in having squeaky clean clothes. Afterall, you can’t wash the lucky jersey.

With his market share diminished, Esporta’s business model crumbled.

“If parents didn’t want to clean their kid’s equipment, we didn’t have enough demand to sustain our business model,” said Randy. “If we were going to sell our machines, we needed to increase our market. That’s when we thought of Firemen.”

To sell his washing machines in this fire fighting industry, Randy established CES; certified ensemble services. CES cleaned the equipment in addition to fixing any repairs. CES quickly spread across B.C. and was soon recognized as the premier cleaning service in the Alberta fire fighting industry. Turns out, unlike hockey players, firemen liked clean clothes.

“With our machines successfully catering to the needs of semi-professional and professional hockey players, in addition to firemen, we had one question: What else can these machines do?”

Esporta moved into the Insurance Restoration Industry to assist in rebuilding homes after fire damage. The machines and detergent were used to clean smoke, bacteria and all other damages. This branch of Esporta was called ‘Winmar Property Restoration Services.' Property Casualty 360 named the Esporta Wash System as one of the seven new technologies that are changing the insurance business.

Up and Outwards

Five years ago, Esporta also started catering to various international militaries. Since this point, Esporta has been the cleaning and repairing company for many sectors of the US Military. With it’s eyes on mining and hospitality, Esporta shows no signs of stopping. Especially considering their innovative use of technology to reach yet another level.

“Two years ago, we re-invented the washing machine once again. Our newest model is connected to the Internet and comes with a computer. This means that we can show users every step to clean items, including the best detergent recipe. If the machine isn’t working for some reason, users can also give us a Skype call from the computer so we can troubleshoot together.”

Photo Credit: Esporta

When asked how Esporta achieved such tremendous success, Randy credits the Kelowna people.

“Regardless of how innovative or amazing your idea is or your technology is, it all comes down to having tremendous staff. From staff members who have been with us a year to those who have stuck around for 18, they’ve all played a vital role in making Esporta the company it is today.”

This installment of Okanagan Innovators is brought to you by Better It Systems. Better IT Systems is a passionate IT solutions provider based in Kelowna, BC.  They offer 100% CLOUD based technology solutions, cloud backup and local support. 

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