ProTeam

What ProTeam does

ProTeam, Inc. is a U.S.-based commercial vacuum cleaner manufacturer founded in 1983 by Larry Shideler in Boise, Idaho, and currently headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri at 12969 Manchester Road. The company invented the original lightweight backpack vacuum (the QuarterVac) and remains the category originator, with a product portfolio spanning backpack vacuums (GoFit, Super Coach Pro, GoFree), upright vacuums (ProForce, ProGen), wet/dry vacuums (ProGuard), and air movers (ProBlitz). Core technical differentiators include the proprietary ProLevel Filtration system (capturing 99.9% of particulates down to 1 micron), HEPA filtration options meeting EPA RRP Rule requirements, the FlexFit quick-adjust ergonomic harness, and — most recently — Lithium-Ion battery-powered cordless backpack units with up to 106 minutes runtime.

ProTeam operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR), acquired in 2009, with 51–100 employees. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales priced roughly $360–$942 per unit, plus a large recurring-replacement stream across 50+ filter SKUs and 779 tools/parts items. Go-to-market combines an authorized U.S. distributor network with an interactive dealer-locator map, a direct e-commerce storefront (shipping within the 48 contiguous states), and a field sales team targeting enterprise accounts. End customers span commercial buildings, education (e.g., Michigan State, Kansas State, Canyons School District), healthcare, hospitality, construction, restoration/remediation, and — increasingly — residential users.

The company's value proposition rests on productivity claims (backpack vacuums clean 3x faster than uprights per ISSA Cleaning Times, 52% cleaner than dust mops), indoor air quality leadership (partnership with the American Lung Association since 2002), and ergonomic engineering. ProTeam holds numerous U.S. patents across its product lines, carries UL Listed and CRI Seal of Approval certifications, and pursues LEED-qualifying compliance. Recent strategic activity has centered on converting the corded lineup to cordless, with the GoFit Cordless Series launching in Spring 2024 and the Vac Station ecosystem accessory introduced to support organized facility deployment.

Name

ProTeam

Legal name

ProTeam, Inc.

Website

https://proteam.emerson.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ProTeam is a St. Louis-based commercial vacuum manufacturer and Emerson Electric subsidiary that designs, patents, and sells backpack, upright, wet/dry vacuums, and air movers to commercial cleaning contractors, schools, healthcare facilities, and hospitality operators across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Cleaning Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Vacuum Systems (Wet/Dry, Dust Extraction) (IMAHALAC)

Keywords

• Commercial vacuum cleaners
• Backpack vacuums
• Wet dry vacuums
• Air movers
• Commercial cleaning equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Highlands Ranch

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commercial Vacuum Hardware Sales: Sale of commercial-grade vacuum cleaners including backpack vacuums, upright vacuums, wet/dry vacuums, cordless solutions, and air movers. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales via distributors and direct e-commerce.
2. Replacement Parts and Accessories: Sales of replacement filters, filter bags, brush rolls, wands, tool kits, batteries, chargers, and other accessories. Includes over 50 filter products and 779 tools and parts items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ProTeam designs, manufactures, and sells commercial-grade vacuum cleaners and cleaning equipment including backpack vacuums, upright vacuums, wet/dry vacuums, cordless vacuums, and air movers. The company pioneered the lightweight backpack vacuum concept in 1983 and sells primarily through authorized distributors and direct e-commerce to commercial cleaning professionals across education, healthcare, hospitality, and facility management industries. ProTeam operates as a subsidiary of Emerson Electric Co. following its 2009 acquisition.

Product overview

ProTeam is a commercial vacuum cleaner company offering a diversified portfolio of cleaning equipment. The core product lines include backpack vacuums (GoFit Series with corded and cordless variants, Super Coach Pro Series, GoFree Flex Pro II cordless), upright vacuums (ProForce and ProGen Series), wet/dry vacuums (ProGuard Series), and air movers (ProBlitz Series). The GoFit Series represents the flagship lineup featuring ProLevel Filtration technology and FlexFit ergonomic harness systems. Products are designed for commercial, educational, healthcare, hospitality, and residential markets with a focus on indoor air quality improvement. Supporting products include filters, tools, parts, and the Vac Station storage system. The company operates as a subsidiary of Emerson (acquired in 2009) and maintains partnerships with the American Lung Association for Cleaning for Health initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GoFit: GoFit Series backpack vacuums featuring corded and cordless versions with ProLevel Filtration system and quick-adjust harness for productivity and comfort.
• Super Coach Pro
• ProForce
• ProGen
• ProGuard
• ProBlitz
• GoFree
• QuarterVac
• ProLevel Filtration

Products and services

• GoFit Series (Corded Backpack Vacuums) Comprehensive lineup of corded backpack vacuums featuring ProLevel Filtration system and FlexFit harness, available in 3 qt., 6 qt., 6 PLUS, and 10 qt. models for commercial cleaning professionals.
• GoFit Cordless Series Battery-powered backpack vacuums combining cord-free convenience with Lithium-ion power, available in 3 qt. and 6 qt. models with 4Ah and 8Ah battery options for commercial cleaning crews.
• GoFit 6 HEPA Backpack Vacuum 6-quart HEPA filtration backpack vacuum capturing 99.97% of airborne particulates at 0.3 microns. Meets EPA RRP Rule definition of HEPA vacuum under Lead Safety Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule. Designed for remediation, jobsite cleanup, water damage, and medical settings.
• Super Coach Pro Series Commercial backpack vacuum series available in 6 qt. and 10 qt. capacities featuring Four Level filtration system for effective dirt extraction and indoor air quality improvement.
• GoFree Flex Pro II 6 qt. cordless backpack vacuum offering freedom of movement without power cord constraints, with advanced filtration and ergonomic design for commercial cleaning professionals.
• ProForce Series (Upright Vacuums) Commercial upright vacuum cleaners with ProLevel Filtration and on-board tools for carpets and hard floors, including ProForce 1200XP and ProForce 1500XP models with advanced filtration and shutoff protection.
• ProGen Series (Upright Vacuums) Upright vacuum cleaners with advanced filtration systems, including ProGen 12 and ProGen 15 models designed for commercial cleaning applications.
• ProGuard Series (Wet/Dry Vacuums) Wet/dry vacuum lineup handling liquid spills and dry debris, including models ranging from 4-gallon portable to 20-gallon capacity units, plus ProGuard LI 3 Cordless for cord-free wet/dry cleaning.
• ProBlitz AirMovers Air mover equipment for carpet drying, air circulation, and restoration applications, including ProBlitz and ProBlitz XP models with telescoping handles and daisy chain features.
• GoFit PH (Power Head) Series Residential-focused GoFit models with power head attachments featuring electrically powered beater bar for higher-pile carpet cleaning, available in 3 qt. and 6 qt. sizes with adjustable wands.
• Vac Station Organized storage and charging station for ProTeam vacuums and accessories, available in one-shelf and two-shelf configurations with wand clip, cord holder, and wall mounting hardware. Designed to reduce lifting strain and create an ergonomic cleaning environment.
• Replacement Parts, Filters, and Accessories Comprehensive offering of replacement filters, Intercept Micro Filter Bags, Micro Cloth Filters, Dome Filters with HEPA media, brush rolls, wands, tool kits, batteries, chargers, and other accessories supporting ProTeam vacuum models. Includes over 50 filter products and 779 tools and parts items.

Quantifiable outcome

• Backpack vacuuming cleans 3 times faster than a commercial upright vacuum (ISSA Cleaning Times)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Lung AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Partnership formed in 2002 to educate the public about the importance of healthy indoor air. ProTeam is committed to developing innovative cleaning technologies to address indoor air quality concerns. The partnership continues to endure, with ProTeam being a proud partner of the American Lung Association in the fight for clean indoor air.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NSS Enterprises: NSS Enterprises is a US commercial floor care equipment manufacturer offering vacuums, scrubbers, and sweepers. Targets the same commercial cleaning contractor and building services customers as ProTeam, with overlapping product line coverage.
• Tornado Industries: Tornado Industries specializes in commercial cleaning equipment including vacuums, scrubbers, and restoration tools used by janitorial and restoration services contractors. Direct peer in commercial cleaning hardware with overlapping verticals.
• Eureka (Electrolux): Eureka, owned by Electrolux, makes commercial uprights, canisters, and cordless vacuums used by cleaning contractors. Directly competes with ProTeam's ProGen, ProForce, and GoFit Cordless product lines in facility management and commercial cleaning channels.
• Nacecare Solutions: Nacecare Solutions is a UK/US commercial cleaning equipment manufacturer with a strong backpack vacuum lineup (e.g., RSV series). Directly competes with ProTeam in the commercial backpack vacuum category for janitorial, healthcare, and education end markets.
• Sanitaire: Sanitaire, owned by Electrolux, is a long-standing commercial vacuum brand with backpack and upright models serving the same facility services, education, and hospitality channels as ProTeam. Direct competition in commercial-grade floor care equipment.
• Hoover Commercial: Hoover's commercial division offers a full lineup of upright, backpack, and wide-area vacuums targeting the same contract cleaner, education, and facility management customers as ProTeam. Strong brand authority in commercial cleaning creates direct category overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Tennant Company: Tennant is a NYSE-listed commercial floor cleaning equipment maker with a broad portfolio of scrubbers, sweepers, and coatings technologies. Larger scale than ProTeam, more industrial focus, and broader commercial cleaning equipment category overlap.
• Nilfisk: Nilfisk is a global commercial cleaning equipment manufacturer (vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, pressure washers) serving industrial and institutional customers. Broader portfolio and global footprint than ProTeam, with direct overlap in commercial vacuum category.
• Kärcher: Kärcher is a global cleaning equipment conglomerate with a much broader portfolio spanning pressure washers, vacuums, scrubbers, and steam cleaners across consumer and commercial markets. Larger scale than ProTeam with international reach and broader product breadth.

Emerging players

• Makita: Makita is a major cordless power tool manufacturer that is expanding into commercial cleaning with cordless vacuums backed by its 18V and 40V battery platforms. Represents an emerging competitive threat in the cordless commercial cleaning segment where ProTeam just launched GoFit Cordless.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/proteamvacuum
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProTeamVacuums
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/proteam
• Xx.com/proteamvacuums

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ProTeam