WEG's William Livoti Discusses Industry Trends for 2017

Pumps & Systems staff spoke with William C. Livoti, Power Generation Business Development Manager & Energy Efficiency Specialist for WEG, about the major trends to anticipate in 2017 for the pump-related market.

How is the skills gap affecting your company, and what steps are you taking to fill the gap?

We are challenged with maintaining key skill sets. To address this issue, we have expanded in-house training.

What are the most important innovations for 2017 in instrumentation, controls and monitoring?

Without question, wireless technology.

How do you see governmental regulations impacting the market in the coming year?

Government regulations may well drive the U.S. economy into a deep recession. I’m speaking specifically on EPA regulations as they apply to the power industry.

What are your predictions for oil & gas in 2017?

I believe oil and gas has a chance to bounce back if the government backs off on their regulations. We need oil and gas to drive our economy.

What trends/activity are you seeing in mining, desalination, chemical processing, pulp & paper, etc.?

All of these industries seem to be active. Pulp and paper is a good business for us, as well as chemical and mining.

What kind of year will this be for water/wastewater—both in existing and emerging markets?

The water/wastewater industry is a huge growth area and will continue as long as our population continues to grow. The biggest growth area will be energy efficiency.

What general trends/challenges do you foresee for the future?

I see power generation and water/wastewater to be the two most active industrial sectors, assuming the EPA doesn’t add any regulations. If the Keystone pipeline is approved, I see oil and gas coming back. I would also expect advancements in desalination as aquifers are depleted.

What can end users expect to see in 2017, and what should they do to prepare?

Higher electric prices. Industrial end users should focus on energy efficiency and life-cycle costing. To read more Q&As from industry leaders, click here.