On Oct. 4, Echo held its first media preview event at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Lake Zurich, Ill. LM Editor-in-Chief Seth Jones and Editor Christina Herrick attended the event, along with Echo’s user advisory group and council members.

During the event, the company launched its #20for2020 campaign, introducing 20 products for both the professional market and for homeowners for next year. Here are some of the highlights for the commercial market:

Echo introduced five new hedge trimmers:

• A 22-inch hedge trimmer, HC-2210, features RazorEdge blades. This nonshafted hedge trimmer has a full spring suspension system to minimize vibration and features the i-30 starting system, which reduces starting effort by 30 percent. It has a front-facing exhaust.
• A 28-inch nonshafted hedge trimmer, the HC-2810 has a front-facing exhaust to push exhaust away from the user.
• The HCS-3180 is a 38-inch straight shaft trimmer. This hedge trimmer is suited for all branch types and comes equipped with a commercial-duty air filtration system that protects the engine and extends maintenance intervals.
• The SHC-2620S is a lightweight shafted trimmer, featuring RazorEdge blades with three sharpened sides per cutting tooth so the blades start cutting before the tooth engages to give an efficient cut.
• The HCS-2810 is a 28-inch straight shaft trimmer with RazorEdge blades, and a debris shield sweeps away the trimmings.

A straight-shaft trimmer, SRM-2320T, was also introduced. It’s designed for light to medium trimming. The trimmer has a two-stage air filtration system to protect the engine from dust and dirt, and the chrome cylinder plating minimizes overall wear. It also boasts a 2:1 gear ratio, which gives 28 percent more torque than the SRM-225 and has a 17-inch cutting swath.

Echo introduced two spreaders: the RB-60 broadcast spreader and RB-100W winter spreader.

• The RB-60 broadcast spreader has a 60-pound hopper capacity and is designed for fertilizer, seed, pesticide and herbicide applications. This easy-to-use broadcast spreader is easy to assemble, taking less than one minute, and has a commercial t-handle for comfort and control.
• The RB-100W winter spreader includes features that are intended for bulk rock salt and ice melts. Features include a spiked auger that breaks up clumps, an adjustable spread pattern and a 100-pound hopper capacity

Three pressure washers were introduced for the professional market:

• The PW-3200 is a midrange pressure washer that is designed for professionals. It’s suited for cleaning dirty equipment, stripping finishes, flushing built-up debris from aggregate patios and more.
• The PW-3600 is another midrange model and is comparable to the PW-3200, but with more psi. It features an easy start pump system and low-oil shutdown.
• The PW-4200 is powered by a Honda GX390 engine. It is Echo’s most powerful pressure washer available.

Echo also introduced two Shindaiwa backpack blowers: EB810 and EB770RT.

• The EB810/RT backpack blower has a 79.9 cc two-stroke engine to deliver power, while the carbon frame makes it lightweight, lessening fatigue for the user.
• The E8770RT is a midrange back blower and built to handle heavy usage. The heavy-duty, wide, cushioned straps provide comfort to the user, and a fan intake helps to cool the user’s back in hot weather.