Mike Loveless loved his coal and wood burning fireplace, but there was one problem, he hated cleaning it. His background as a diesel mechanic and entrepreneurial spirit led him to believe there must be a more efficient way to make this household chore task easier.
Loveless started with a modest design of an ash vacuum to remove ash from wood stoves. That first vacuum, developed in the family home in Price, Utah, was a 55-gallon drum with fiberglass filters. Now, the design that started around a kitchen table has evolved into a company that designs, develops and manufactures a wide variety of products sold internationally to contractors and do-it-yourselfers.
The Dustless Technologies product line includes wet and dry vacuums, as well as an assortment of dust collection accessories designed for collecting drywall and concrete dust.
In 2008, Loveless was returning from a trade show in Denver, Colorado when the Cessna airplane he was flying went down in the mountains. He was killed in the accident, and it left an enormous void in the company. Today, his wife and son, Spencer, are continuing the family legacy while keeping his memory alive.
“I learned the tools of the trade from my father working side-by-side with him inventing dust covers that many of the big tool manufacturers use today for drilling, grinding, cutting and sanding,” says Spencer Loveless, president of Dustless Technologies.
The Loveless family enjoys living in rural Utah away from the hustle and bustle of a big city. “I am spoiled by waking up in the morning and knowing I can be anywhere in five minutes. The convenience of being in the outdoors and having that accessibility is a huge benefit I could not live without,” says Loveless.
Dustless Technologies has 35 employees and utilized the Rural Fast Track program. “The Rural Fast Track program has been incredibly beneficial for our company and has allowed us to grow and expand so we can best meet the needs of our continually growing customer base,” says Loveless.
The company continues to innovate and be a global market leader. It has built products for and worked with almost all of the major tool manufacturers such as Bosch, DeWalt, Hilti, Milwaukee, and many others.