Flush with pride: dry den rental business stakes its claim.

• Author: Ross, Ian

It may be crap to you, but it's Norm Balla's bread and butter. The Dryden entrepreneur is out to change the public's perception of portable toilets.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

His growing toilet and tent company, Balla Brothers Rentals, has flourished since launching his home-based business with his brother, Kevin, three years ago.

If people at a wedding, corporate gig or festival come away remembering the cleanliness and amenities inside his toilets, then he's done his job.

"It's a shitty business, but it's my business."

The five-employee company supplies construction sites, festivals and special events in a coverage area of northwestern. Ontario that stretches from Red Lake to Ignace.

Balla knows from his ball tournament organizing days that a stinky portable can drive away-patrons, and revenue, from any outdoor event.

He stakes his reputation on providing quality portables and exceptional on-site service.

"The first toilet I ever cleaned, I smelled like a toilet. Now I can clean that toilet in a suit and go to a wedding. Tricks of the trade."

Balla began leasing toilets in 2008 as a way to keep Kevin busy after he lost his mill job at Domtar in Dryden.

It turned out to be a fortuitous move for Balla who was working for Mintech, a local forestry service company. He had an inkling more tough times were coming at the mill.

As the fine paper machines began shutting down, Balla was among a half-dozen employees who were given pink slips.

Years earlier, Balla had started a small storage unit business on his 80-acre spread east of Dryden, but he had the foresight and instincts to see a bigger niche opportunity ahead.

The brothers picked up some portables from another rental company that was going out of business and bought a couple of 24-by-32 foot tents in catering to sports tour: naments and outdoor gatherings.

'The company quickly expanded to 40 toilets and the brothers made extra money by getting into on-site service contracts for customers with regularly-scheduled pump-outs, disinfecting and toilet paper restocking.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

By the fall of 2009, Balla had 86 service contracts, many with highway contractors.

Last year, he called the Vancouver Winter Olympics organizing committee and picked up two truckloads of slightly-used portables to bring his inventory up to 100.

When Dryden staged its 2010 centennial celebrations last year, Balla Brothers...