Our founder, Patrick O’Brien, began his journey in the cleaning industry in 1981. Together with his son, Sean O’Brien, they transformed PCE into a trusted supplier of high-quality parts and equipment.

From our Founder, Patrick O’Brien

Beginning in 1979 I had been working in a local grocery store cleaning the floors for a couple of years, I would work as a shift supervisor in a pottery plant in Salem Ohio I would in the afternoon and mornings occupied with a pioneering a Christian school I had been appointed administrator.

But now I was beginning a new life I was soon to be married and there was a wife and soon to be 5 children to support. One day while playing Racquetball with my friend he told me about a propane buffer he purchased and that it would buff 25,000 sq per hr. I began making preparations. I sold my Guild guitar, borrowed a few dollars bought my first buffer and I sold 3 accounts on using me for their buffing service.

Early on a district manager in charge of the drug store, I was in called me and said the CEO of Sherwin Williams was in town and he wanted to talk I entered the store and this powerful executive said ” these floors shine like a baboons butt “I have 864 stores in the state of Ohio how many do you want”. I said how about if we start out with 60. From there it just grew.

Replacing 42 full time employees were laid off with a 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour service other stores and chains jumped on the train. Quickly I began to fulfill the “Peter principle”.
Simply stated he declares that man rises to his own level of self destruction eventually I sold my business and migrated back to my hometown of Winona MN. A small town in SE MN that my great grandfather was a founding member starting D.F.O’brien lumber.

We reemerged in MN serving the area in floor and carpet cleaning.
Whether it is floors, carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, fire/water restoration and more we have done it.

Over the years we have evolved into equipment repair and sales of new and used equipment becoming one of the largest dealers of refurbished equipment in the mid-west shipping from coast to coast.

From a young age, my son Sean has been by my side. The two of us along with our team of technicians, have made us an important resource to the cleaning contractors, retail stores , warehouse managers and business owners throughout the mid-west.
We are ready to expand nationally and broaden our reach to meet the demands of an ever-growing market.