Sewer Equipment Co. of America Founder Passes

Jim O’Brien Sr., founder of Sewer Equipment Co. of America, passed away on Sept. 5 at the age of 82.O’Brien’s first job in the industry was as a salesman for his father’s company, O’Brien Manufacturing, in 1953. This Chicago-based company spent the 1950s and 60s manufacturing cable, bucket and rodding machines for municipalities and contractors for the purpose of cleaning sewers.Before the arrival of these machines, sewer lines were typically dug up or flushed with a fire hose when cleaning was attempted – neither practice was effective or economical.The innovative cable and rodding machines revolutionized municipal sewer cleaning. O’Brien and