For Cole and Kaleb, the path toward becoming young business co-owners began more than 1,400 miles away from the Upper Ohio Valley.
Kaleb was born in Rawlins, Wyoming, before moving with his family to St. Clairsville in 2013 at the age of seven.
During their years at St. Clairsville schools, Cole and Kaleb became involved in several activities while also competing as members of the Red Devils football team. Kaleb also competed in track, while Cole played basketball. It was through athletics that the two developed a strong work ethic and built a friendship that would continue beyond high school.
Following graduation, Cole and Kaleb weren’t completely certain which direction they wanted their careers to take. Rather than waiting for an opportunity, they entered the workforce and began building experience for what would come next.
Best friends and former teammates, Cole and Kaleb eventually began discussing an idea: A trash bin blasting and pressure washing company.
The idea quickly gained traction, and what started as a conversation between pals soon began developing into Bin Blasting Bros., LLC.
When asked about the business, the two explained operations in detail.
“At Bin Blasting Bros., we don’t just rinse out your trash cans; we give them a serious deep clean. We operate a specialized trash bin cleaning trailer designed specifically to clean and sanitize residential trash bins.”
But how does it work?
“First, we remove all the loose debris and nasty buildup from inside your bin. Then, your bin is flipped upside down and secured in our cleaning system. We use 250°F hot water combined with high-pressure, turbo-spinning nozzle heads to blast away stuck-on grime, grease, bacteria, and foul odors. At those temperatures and pressures, the nasty stuff doesn’t stand a chance.
But what happens to all of that nastiness?
“We don’t simply dump the dirty water and debris onto your driveway, into the street, or down a storm drain. Our specialized system captures the dirty wastewater and debris, keeping that nasty runoff contained. We then properly dispose of the collected wastewater at the Bellaire wastewater treatment facility rather than allowing it to enter the stormwater system or the environment.
“Some bin-cleaning methods leave contaminated wastewater sitting on the ground or allow it to flow into storm drains. That’s not how we do business. We want to keep your bins fresh and make the community a cleaner place for everyone.”
In addition to trash-bin cleaning, Bin Blasting Bros. also offers home exterior cleaning services, including pressure washing and soft washing for houses, driveways, sidewalks, roofs, gutter cleaning, patios and decks, and fences.
For Kaleb Walz and Cole Thoburn, the new venture represents more than simply starting a business.
It is an opportunity for two former teammates to continue working together, only now their goals extend beyond Friday nights and high school athletics. They now serve their community with pride and integrity through this new venture. The duo serves the Upper Ohio Valley and Tri-State Area.
Walz’s journey has already taken him from Wyoming to St. Clairsville, from high school athletics into the workforce, and now into entrepreneurship.
Now, alongside his best friend and former teammate, he is taking the lessons learned through sports and hard work and applying them to building something of their own.
The uniforms may be gone, but Cole and Kaleb are teammates once again, this time in business.
