A rocket that transports debris safely and efficiently

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Learn how this machine is changing the way contractors approach debris cleanup on jobsites. 

The CoatingsCoffeeShop soundstage at World of Concrete, sponsored by Tremco, saw many different faces throughout the three-day trade show, one of which was Rob Thorson from Rocket Equipment. He talked with Megan Ellsworth about a machine built for one of the oldest challenges in construction: getting debris safely from high places to the ground. 

Rocket Equipment began six years ago because of this simple irritation in the industry. Rob explains that most debris removal methods feel improvised or aren’t as effective. The Trash Rocket was built to provide an easy solution. 

“The Trash Rocket was invented to fix a pretty common problem of getting debris of any sort from an elevated position to the dumpster quickly,” Rob said. “The current processes can be messy, expensive and dangerous at times.” 

The machine is permanently mounted on a trailer, making it easy to tow from one jobsite to the next. At the jobsite, it telescopes upward to the roofline where material is then put in from the rooftop and it slides cleanly into a dumpster below. 

For three years, Rocket Equipment sold one primary model, the TR 5000, reaching up to 50 feet. This year, a second machine joined their product offerings. The TR 3600 stands shorter, meant for two- and three-story buildings, pulled by a half-ton pickup instead of a larger truck. Rob said, “There has to be a second option that’s better for different size contractors that work with maybe two- and three-story buildings versus four stories.” Both models serve roofing contractors, general contractors and demolition crews.  

Rocket Equipment now works across four regions — West, Central, Northeast and Southeast — making it possible for the team to bring the Trash Rocket directly to contractors for live demonstrations. Rob said they can often reach a shop within a day to show how the machine operates and how it moves debris safely and efficiently. Seeing the machine in action changes how contractors think about cleanup. 

Rob says customers often wish they had bought the Trash Rocket sooner. He shared, “We hear things like, ‘It’s a game changer. It’s their secret weapon.’ And it’s used a lot for their marketing, too, because they’ll wrap it and they’re really proud to put it on the job site and show it off to their customers.” 

With 2026 in full swing, Rocket Equipment is already seeing great momentum and is looking forward to more.  

Watch the full interview to learn more about how Rocket Equipment is shaping cleaner, safer jobsite movement across the roofing industry!