See more of our State of the Industry 2016 coverage.Pumps & Systems staff spoke with John Manna, Vice President of Global Marketing and Business Development at ITT Industrial Process, about the current state of the industry and what we should watch for in the coming year.
Q. We know you all do a lot of work in raising pump awareness and education. Are there any interesting takeaways from the pump quiz you do? Why is it important to celebrate pump day?
A. Raising pump awareness and increasing pump education are important to ITT Goulds Pumps. Like a heart is to a human being, pumps are an integral system in keeping plants running. Yet, they are one of the least understood component despite their important role in powering key global industries. And this is why ITT sponsors the World of Pumps Quiz and Pump Appreciation Day. The quiz is 20 weeks of educational and interesting questions leading up to Pump Appreciation Day. These activities are a celebration of the pumping industry, building public education and awareness of the importance of pumps.
Q. Any thoughts on the 2016 oil and gas market?
A. It is difficult to predict the oil & gas market at this point because of several key factors. One of the most important factors is the performance of the emerging markets and their growth trend. The current trend is lower more stable growth and we do not anticipate a significant pickup next year. Another important factor is the recent decision by OPEC to let member countries manage their own production levels. We think this will have a negative impact on the global price of oil and it will impact production levels in North America. There is a positive effect from lower oil prices; lower energy prices will mean more disposable income for the average consumer. This will result in higher demand for goods and in turn benefit the general industrial and chemical markets.
Q. HI and other groups are emphasizing a systems approach this year. Goulds has done this for a long time. Why is this becoming a trend with others and why are people realizing its importance?
A. We have been teaching customers for several years that it is not only important to have a high efficiency pump, but the complete pumping system is also critical because the location of the operating point on the pump system curve will affect not only the energy cost but also the maintenance cost.