Top 10 American Manufacturers of Vacuum Excavators

Choosing a vacuum excavator or vacuum truck in the U.S. market is no longer just about tank size and price. Dozens of manufacturers now target very different niches from city sewer crews and DOTs, to refinery contractors, to HDD and fiber installers. Buying “the wrong kind” of vac for your work mix can leave you with an expensive machine that is either under‑built for industrial use or overkill for basic utility potholing.

This guide focuses on 10 leading American brands and looks at them through a practical lens: how well they fit municipal, industrial plant, and utility construction work. Instead of spec sheets, you’ll see typical use‑cases, where each brand tends to shine, and where another manufacturer might be a better choice. Use it as a shortlist tool before you dive into specific models, options, and dealer quotes.

TRUVAC (Federal Signal)

TRUVAC (a Federal Signal brand) focuses on hydro/vacuum excavators for safe digging around utilities, with truck‑mounted and smaller sub‑compact units aimed at municipal, utility and construction work. It shares technology and support infrastructure with sister brands like Vactor and is heavily focused on “safe‑dig” applications rather than industrial waste.

Best for: utility construction, municipal “safe dig” work.

• Municipal: Good when a city wants dedicated hydrovacs for valve box daylighting, water main/repair digs, and catch‑basin work where non‑destructive excavation is mandatory.
• Industrial plant: Less oriented to refinery‑grade industrial vacuum; can still be used for plant utility digs and small civil projects inside plants.
• Utility construction: One of the strongest fits: hydro‑excavation for HDD support (potholing, slurry handling), gas/electric and fiber work along busy corridors where safety and precision matter.

Vactor (Federal Signal)

Vactor is one of the best‑known North American names in combination sewer cleaners and hydro‑excavation trucks, serving municipalities and contractors. Its HXX line covers heavy hydro excavators, while 2100‑series units dominate sewer cleaning and catch‑basin work, often with optional jetting and vacuum configurations for storm and sanitary systems.

Best for: municipal sewer/storm + serious hydrovac fleets.

• Municipal: A top choice for sewer and storm cleaning (2100‑series combos) plus hydrovacs for catch‑basin and utility digs; ideal if you want a single brand for jetter/combos and hydrovacs.
• Industrial plant: Often used via industrial contractors who bring combo units and hydrovacs into plants for line cleaning, pits, and sumps, though there are more “pure industrial” focused brands.
• Utility construction: HXX hydrovacs fit contractors that do both utility excavation and some municipal work; powerful blowers and big tanks suit longer haul, larger jobs.

Vac‑Con

Vac‑Con builds combo sewer cleaners, jet/vac units and hydro‑excavators on truck chassis for sewer, storm, and industrial cleaning markets. The company is known for powerful positive‑displacement blowers and a wide range of water system options, and its product line bridges sewer cleaning, industrial vacuuming and daylighting/potholing work.

Best for: cities and contractors needing rugged combo units plus hydrovac capability.

• Municipal: Very strong option for combo sewer cleaners and jet/vac trucks; popular with public‑works fleets that want durability and straightforward hydraulics.
• Industrial plant: Can be used where an industrial contractor wants a jet/vac style unit that still handles some plant work, but pure industrial loaders from other brands may be better for heavy solids/powders.
• Utility construction: Their hydro‑excavators and jet/vac units suit contractors who do utility digs and sewer/storm work under one roof.

GapVax

GapVax (Pennsylvania) specializes in industrial vacuum trucks and combination units used in refineries, plants, municipalities and environmental services. Its hydro‑excavation trucks and combo sewer units share heavy‑duty vacuum and filtration packages derived from industrial vacuum experience, making them popular for demanding industrial and municipal work.

Best for: heavy industrial vacuum plus some hydro‑excavation.

• Municipal: Used where a city wants industrial‑grade vacs (for sludge, grit, thick debris) or hires industrial contractors with GapVax units.
• Industrial plant: A very strong match: industrial vacuum trucks and air movers designed for refineries, mills, and environmental work (heavy waste streams, long hose runs, high CFM).
• Utility construction: Their hydrovac variants can work well on big utility or pipeline jobs, especially when conditions demand industrial blower performance and long‑reach excavation.

Mud Dogs (Super Products)

Super Products (USA) manufactures industrial vacuum loaders, combo sewer cleaners and hydro‑excavators. Their Mud Dog hydrovac series targets daylighting and utility work, while the Camel line of combination units serves sewer and storm maintenance; they also offer industrial vacuum trucks for plant and environmental contractors.

Best for: industrial contractors and municipalities that also need hydrovacs.

• Municipal: Camel combo units are proven for sewer and storm cleaning, with strong blower and water packages; good for cities that also need some hydro‑excavation support.
• Industrial plant: Mud Dog hydrovacs and industrial loaders are popular with contractors serving refineries, power plants and chemical sites where high‑CFM PD blowers and rugged tanks are important.
• Utility construction: Mud Dog hydrovacs suit large utility, pipeline and energy work where long dig runs, big spoil loads and tough ground conditions are common.

Hi‑Vac / Vacall Industries

Vacall (under the Hi‑Vac group) produces all‑jet / all‑vac combination sewer cleaners, debris loaders and hydro‑excavators. The AllExcavate hydrovac and AllJetVac combination units are widely used by public works departments for sewer cleaning, catch‑basin maintenance and non‑destructive excavation, often in four‑season climates.

Best for: budget‑sensitive municipalities and mixed‑use fleets.

• Municipal: AllJetVac and AllExcavate lines are attractive for cities that want all‑in‑one sewer cleaners or hydrovacs with relatively simple systems, often at competitive prices.
• Industrial plant: Frequently used by contractors who need a dual‑purpose unit that can clean sewers and handle some plant cleaning/debris work, though not always as specialized as full industrial loaders.
• Utility construction: AllExcavate hydrovacs are suited to municipal crews or contractors that need to daylight and trench but don’t run large‑scale pipeline or oilfield operations.

Sewer Equipment

Sewer Equipment of Illinois builds combination sewer cleaners, trailer jetters, truck jetters and hydro‑excavators. Its 900 ECO and 800 series cover combination sewer cleaning, while X‑VACS units address hydro‑excavation and industrial vacuuming; the company also offers smaller trailer jetters popular with municipalities and contractors.

Best for: municipalities and regional contractors who do sewer + hydrovac + jetting.

• Municipal: 800/900 ECO combination cleaners and trailer jetters are widely used by public works for sewer lines, storm drains, catch basins, and culverts.
• Industrial plant: Some fleets bring Sewer Equipment units into plants for line cleaning, but the brand’s core strength is municipal sewer and vacuum excavation, not heavy industrial powders or high‑temperature waste.
• Utility construction: X‑VACS hydrovacs and truck jetters are a good fit when a contractor bids both site utilities and municipal sewer work, wanting similar controls and dealer support across machines.

Ditch Witch

Ditch Witch (U.S. brand under Toro) is a major player in vacuum excavators, especially trailer and truck‑mounted units that pair with horizontal directional drilling and utility construction. The HX‑series and truck‑vac products are designed for potholing, mud management and jobsite cleanup, complementing their trenchers and HDD rigs rather than heavy industrial vacuum service.

Best for: HDD support, telecom/gas distribution, compact urban utility jobs.

• Municipal: Smaller cities or departments often use trailer or truck vacs for potholing, valve box cleanout and small catch‑basin work, especially if they already run Ditch Witch trenchers/HDD.
• Industrial plant: Generally not the go‑to for heavy vacuuming of industrial sludge or long‑distance air conveying; more focused on utility excavation and slurry management.
• Utility construction: A top choice for HDD contractors and utility locators who need compact, maneuverable vacs for potholing, drilling mud control and small excavation in tight rights‑of‑way.

Vermeer Corporation

Vermeer (Iowa) offers vacuum excavation systems in trailer and truck configurations, often branded as VX/HVX units, aimed at utility locating, potholing and HDD support. While best known for trenchers and HDD machines, Vermeer’s vacs are common in utility and telecom work where compact size and mobility matter more than refinery‑grade industrial vacuum performance.

Best for: municipalities and contractors that need trailer / mid‑size vacs, often around HDD.

• Municipal: Vermeer’s trailer and truck vacs are well suited for catch‑basin clean‑out, valve box work, small utility digs, and general cleanup; the brand markets directly into municipal fleets.
• Industrial plant: Similar to Ditch Witch, Vermeer vacs can support light plant work (slurry pickup, sumps) but are not classic industrial air movers.
• Utility construction: Very strong for telecom, fiber and gas/electric HDD projects; many rental fleets carry Vermeer vacs because they pair naturally with Vermeer drills and trenchers.

Ring‑O‑Matic / VACMASTERS

Smaller U.S. builders like Ring‑O‑Matic and VACMASTERS produce trailer and skid vacuum excavators and air/hydro excavation systems. Their machines are widely used by utility locators, municipal crews and contractors that need compact units rather than full‑size industrial vacuum trucks or combination sewer cleaners.

Best for: compact utility and municipal work, especially where full‑size trucks are overkill.

• Municipal: Ideal when a public‑works department wants trailer or skid vacs for small jobs (valve boxes, sign posts, localized repairs) instead of a large truck.
• Industrial plant: Occasionally used for light clean‑up or small excavation inside plants, but not typically for large industrial vacuum operations.
• Utility construction: VACMASTERS (air and hydro systems) and Ring‑O‑Matic units are a strong fit for locating lines, short trench runs, small HDD support, and “keyhole” street repairs where size and low cost matter.

• ✅ = Recognized, mainstream product line for that category
• ⚪ = Limited, indirect, or not a primary focus

Quick Brand‑by‑Use Checklist

1. Mostly municipal (sewer, storm, catch basins): Vactor, Vac‑Con, Sewer Equipment, Vacall, Super Products.
2. Mostly industrial plant / refineries: GapVax, Super Products, some Vacall and Vactor industrial configs.
3. Mostly utility construction / HDD / telecom: TRUVAC, Ditch Witch, Vermeer, Ring‑O‑Matic; plus hydrovacs from Vactor, Vac‑Con, Super Products for larger jobs.