SEEPEX Site Leader and Director of Operations Joey Cherry and Director of Sales John Salyers answered the following questions from Pumps & Systems for our State of the Industry issue.
1. What regulations are you preparing for or watching in the coming year?
Cherry: On a worldwide stage, PFAS regulations are at the forefront for any company that may deal with these substances. The PFAS regulations are continuing to evolve, particularly in the U.S. SEEPEX is monitoring the new regulatory requirements to ensure we can deliver our pumps and parts without interruption. Additionally, we are keeping a close eye on possible changes to tariffs and how that may impact our supply chain. However, we are well positioned to handle changes in tariffs and any impact to incoming material.
2. What key trends have emerged over the past year, and how are they shaping the market?
Salyers: One key trend is we are seeing larger companies and firms purchasing privately-owned distributors and rep firms.
3. How have any price increases of products or materials impacted you or your company?
Salyers: This makes it very challenging to compete and we see many customers looking to non-OEM or private companies for pricing.
Cherry: We continue to see requests to increase prices from many of our different suppliers. Pricing continues to be a challenge as companies try to battle the costs of raw materials. We attempt to offset these with innovation and continued efforts on cost savings.
4. What training or educational initiatives are being implemented to prepare the next generation of professionals?
Cherry: Ingersoll Rand partners with LinkedIn on their LinkedIn Learning program. This program offers a significant amount of training opportunities on just about any subject matter. I require development goals for all our professionals that incorporates the training tools available via LinkedIn Learning.
5. What upcoming technologies or innovations do you foresee having the most significant impact on the industry in the next five years?
Cherry: The IOT and digital transformation in the pump industry continues to come fast and hard. It is the future, so it is important for SEEPEX to continue to innovate and deliver digital products that meet customer needs.
6. How has the global supply chain affected your business in the past year?
Cherry: The most significant impact in our global supply chain were logistics disruptions, largely due to global conflicts. We experienced transit times grow by 50% in some of our key routes.
7. How have customer expectations changed in the past year, particularly regarding service, performance, and sustainability?
Salyers: A lot of our customers are doing more with less and are asking our partners and SEEPEX to assist with managing inventory, repairs, and engineering.
8. What’s on your mind/what are you most concerned about?
Salyers: The economy and how it will impact customers’ budgets for existing equipment and capital projects.
Cherry: As we head into a new political administration, I am concerned about new laws that may pass and how those would impact SEEPEX costs and/or funds our customers must purchase capital goods like ours.
9. What are you most looking forward to in 2025?
Salyers: Continuing to showcase solutions to our customers’ problems and needs by utilizing our pumps and macerators.
Cherry: In 2025, I am most looking forward to SEEPEX Americas continuing to lead the PC pump market in the U.S. and providing excellent service to our customers.
10. What else should end users know about the year ahead?
Salyers: SEEPEX is still a leader in the PC pump industry and services every industry in some way shape or form.