Having settled into Las Vegas, Samel (Sam) Sem turned his attention to earning a living and starting a business. With a background in chemistry, he had an interest in one particular material that was extremely important to many industries: concrete. It was the most widely used construction material in the world; its use went back over 2000 years, possibly beginning with the Romans who used concrete to build roads, bridges, and aqueducts. More than one cubic meter of concrete for every person on earth is made each year. In the United States, concrete is a $35 billion dollar industry.
Sam saw that companies and individuals had a difficult time keeping concrete surfaces clean. Concrete was a porous substance and thus needed frequent cleaning. The customary way to clean concrete was to sandblast it and / or scrub it with bleach or muriatic acid. These methods, besides being hazardous, would deteriorate concrete over time. Acids in particular would eat into concrete. Sam saw that there was a need for a cleaner that would be safe to use and not damage concrete. This led to the formulation of SEMCO’s first products: Power Cleaner and Nu Lift Cleaner.
Power Cleaner was a remarkably versatile commercial strength cleaner, degreaser, and wax remover. It was comprised of a blend of softening agents and nonionic surfactants. It worked by penetrating, suspending, emulsifying, and dissolving surface contaminants. It was successful at degreasing the dirtiest substrates and removing the toughest grease, oil, and wax stains from industrial and commercial surfaces.
Nu Lift Cleaner was named for its ability to lift out and remove alkalinity, efflorescence, hard water deposits, magnesium, dirt, and stains from surfaces like grout and natural stone. It contained a mineral acid that was environmentally friendly; thus Nu Lift would not cause harm or discoloring to the substrate. It was also a very safe product to use.
Both cleaning products are very popular today with SEMCO customers who use them for maintaining and cleaning floors, decks, walls, and other surfaces. They are also used during the preparation stage of the SEMCO modern seamless surface application system.
SEMCO’s very first customer to purchase and use Power Cleaner and Nu Lift Cleaner was Bally’s Hotel on the famed Las Vegas Strip.
Next: Ahead of the “green” movement, Sam creates environmentally friendly products.
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