When debris starts moving faster than doubt

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Showing how a smaller machine can move debris faster, keep crews safer and turn efficiency from an idea into something contractors can watch happen in real time.     

On The Coffee Shops™ Sound Stage sponsored by SRS Distribution, at the International Roofing Expo (IRE), Karen Edwards spoke with Rob Thorson of Rocket Equipment. Nearby, the Trash Rocket rose toward the hall’s ceiling, not as spectacle but as a working idea made visible. A first customer, Fixed Roofing, had already put the new model to use. The moment felt less like a launch and more like a field report arriving on the show floor. 

What changes when the machine gets smaller but the work does not 

The company’s newest machine is the result of  refining the 5000 model. This shorter, narrower version is designed for jobs that still demand reach without demanding space. Rob explained, “At the show this year, we rolled out our new model, the 3600. It’s a single-axle trailer that’s about eight feet shorter and not quite as wide. It has a smaller footprint and one less trough section, but it will still reach 36 feet and is more geared toward smaller commercial or higher-end residential work.” This change reframes how crews approach tear-off, not by replacing labor but by redirecting it, allowing material to move forward and keeping hands working without stepping closer to the edge. 

How one job in Florida turned motion into proof 

The first 3600 went to Florida on a tile tear-off where crews typically had to throw debris over the roof edge into a dumpster below, making the real test not whether the machine worked but whether it could change the way material was moved off the roof. Rob noted, “They moved about eight dumpster loads of debris in a day and it kept their guys away from the edge of the house. No property damage, no landscaping to work around or tarp up.” In that shift, safety and efficiency become visible at the same time, as material moves directly from roof to container and crews finish the job sooner with less risk and less wasted motion. 

As Rocket Equipment expanded demonstrations across regions, contractors responded less to explanations and more to seeing the unit operate on real jobsites. Rob said, “Just being able to sit and talk with customers one-on-one with the unit in front of you is key. Nothing like seeing it and seeing it in action.” He added that the response to the 3600 has been encouraging, especially from crews looking for a smaller machine that still delivers the same reach and performance. 

Watch the full interview to learn more about Rocket Equipment and the Trash Rocket!