Hydro President George Harris Speaks on IoT, Workforce Trends Entering 2018

The Pumps & Systems staff spoke with Hydro president George Harris on the state of the industry entering 2018.

What should end users know to be up to date on IoT/cyber security? If you did a SWOT analysis, how would you describe the industry’s readiness to deal with this issue?

To best answer this question: A brief understanding of what IoT represents will provide a foundation for the SWOT considerations and comprehension. Without belaboring the point, IoT changes the traditional model of Internet communications from Machine-to-Machine to Machine-to-Object. In IoT, anything living or inanimate can be an “object." IoT enables the control, monitoring and access to the “object”. Today, IoT can monitor your blood sugar levels, heart rate, steps taken and the quality of your sleep. The Industrial applications of IoT have established its own branch known as IIoT, or the Industrial internet of Things. Here, we find IoT concepts opening new opportunities for environmental control and monitoring, infrastructure management, condition monitoring, and improvements in automation and efficiency control. IoT is a developing technology that will become a reality in our society soon. Moving forward, this will be used in preventative maintenance, diagnosing pumping issues, and help save plants millions of dollars in repairs and plant outages.

What are you doing to attract millennials and younger workers to the field/your company?

We believe the Hydraulic Institute has made a significant contribution in explaining the importance of the pump industry and how it effects virtually all of our lives on a daily basis. We have collaborated on a short video, which the HI presented at the 100th anniversary, and believe that this is an important way to explain to millennials, the importance of pump industry and how their involvement in it effects the lives of many people. Recently one of the speakers at the HI explained that there are many millennials who are very dedicated and committed to improving many of the areas they are involved in. The key is to give them meaningful opportunities and encourage them to use their initiatives–and we’ve found that millennials are making a very significant contribution, and not at all following the typical stereotype that we’ve often heard. Millennials are excited to get involved in such a diverse industry, and innovate ways to improve pump efficiency. Our millennials are engineering ways to cut costs and save energy by utilizing innovative technology, such as 3D printing and exploring different materials.

How can pump professionals help with infrastructure issues? What aspects of infrastructure in the U.S. need the most attention?

It’s amazing how our society depends upon pumps and pumping systems and with an aging infrastructure, much work is needed to continue to update and expand the existing infrastructure for water, pipelines, gas transmission, and other needs.

What should we expect from the oil and gas industry in 2018?

We expect the oil and gas industry to continue a normal pace.

What keeps you up at night?

Recently I read an article about quantum computer development–and that whichever country harnesses and develops this technology, will have the ability to influence almost all aspects of our society through the control of the new technology. Whereas the US, in that developmental process compared to other countries, in the world.

What are you most optimistic about in 2018?

I believe the industry will continue in a positive way throughout 2018, and believe that the reduction or elimination of excessive regulations can have a very positive impact on our society as a whole and improve the GDP of the US.

What should Pumps & Systems readers know about the year ahead?

We believe that IoT will have a very significant impact on our society moving forward, and will require continuous involvement from the pump industry to improve the monitoring and integration of Pumps and Pump Systems, to improve their reliability and operation.