PUMP It Up

task,” Zitzka says.

An increase in rentals has spurred some rental companies to start specialty pump divisions.

The pump category has come a long way, according to Don Looyer, director of sales and marketing for Koshin America.

“Before, it was just pumping water, but now, there’s much more to it,” Looyer says. “Every company has such a wide variety of pumps, and the types of pumps and fuel sources have expanded. I see the category growing.”

Looyer and other industry experts pump out their knowledge of current trends and share what’s coming down the pipeline for the segment in the rental market.

WHAT’S TRENDING

1. Increased rentals

As infrastructure needs have increased, more contractors have tended toward renting pumps instead of buying them, according to Bobby Zitzka, vice president of sales at Thompson Pump.

“Contractors know they can rely on renting pumps wherever they are, and it’s convenient—it doesn’t make sense for them to buy a new pump every time they do a different

“That all requires specialized knowledge and equipment, so there’s more demand from the few people who are able to do that type of work,” Zitzka says.

2. Automation

To make users and rental companies more efficient, many pumps now come with telematics and automated features.

“Pumps are often running 24 hours a day and over weekends and holidays when no one is on-site,” Zitzka says. “Having that connection to the machine and the ability to send out warning signals, rental companies can check in on pumps remotely without having to drive to the job.”

Zitzka adds that the pumps will notify users whenever they run out of fuel or if there is a maintenance requirement.

3. Electric submersible pumps

The rental market has also recently seen a shift from dieselpowered trailer-mounted pumps to electric submersible pumps, says Mike Grant, Tsurumi Pump’s portable product and rental market manager.

“Electric submersible pumps in certain applications can do the same job for lower operating costs and lower maintenance costs,” Grant says. “There is also less oversight and monitoring involved.”

Grant adds that while a Tsurumi electric submersible pump will include a maintenance list with six-month and yearly checks, a diesel-driven pump will most likely require service checks or servicing daily, at 250 hours, at 500 hours and at 1,000 hours continually.

Matt Olivieri, product manager, construction, mining and rental products at Gorman Rupp, adds that the trend toward electrification is also due to the sporadic cost of fuel.

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“Electric may have a higher initial cost, but it has the potential to save the company and the customer money over the duration of the job,” Olivieri says. However, Grant cautions that a generator or direct power source would be needed and that end users should take into consideration space restrictions, too. Looyer adds that some users have anxieties over range concerns.

“We will see more manufacturers that have battery-powered equipment, and as the technology improves, I see that being a viable option,” Looyer says.

4. Engine efficiency features

Applications:

> Auto Glass

> Seam Sealers

> Graphics & Decals

> Hail Dents

> Suspension Parts

> Spray-in bedliners

To gain the biggest return on investment with pumps, many rental companies are becoming more aware of run times and efficiency features on them.

“We’re finding a lot of municipalities with stricter EPA guidelines, so a lot of manufacturers are trying to be more up to date and be more efficient overall,” Looyer says.

Incorporating fuel injection features for gas engines and increasing the tier requirements for diesel engines are among the efficiency updates.

“These engines run a lot cleaner and more efficiently, giving users more run time,” Looyer says. “They’re a bit more expensive upfront, but users will get longevity out of it and will get a return on their investment on it.”

Olivieri says working knowledge of higher-tiered engines is essential.

“Understand the changes and requirements of these engines to properly apply them to pumping jobs to minimize your maintenance costs,” Olivieri says.

What To Consider

To help customers decide what type of pump to rent, rental companies should ask a variety of questions.

“You really want to understand all of the equipment it’s going to take to do the job and make sure you’re providing that equipment as well,” Zitzka says. “We provide a checklist to our customers because you really want to understand the full picture of what the customer is trying to accomplish.”

The experts recommend asking these questions:

■ What’s the application?

■ What are you trying to accomplish?

■ What is the size, length and type of pipe?

■ What’s the water temperature?

■ What material will be pumped?

■ Does the application involve clean or dirty water?

■ What’s the suction lift?

■ How far are you pumping?

■ Does the site include a power source?

■ What is the duty point?

■ What percentage of solids will be pumped through?

■ How high is the highest point where you’re pumping?

■ What hoses are you using?

■ Is the ground elevated or level?

Finally, if it’s practical, Zitzka recommends accompanying customers to walk the job to see other factors that weren’t previously described, such as the spacing of the job.

Maintenance Musts

If used properly, pumps will last a long time, according to Zitzka, but if users select the wrong pump for an application, damage such as cavitation can occur, which happens when there isn’t enough pressure at the suction end of the pump.

Other maintenance items include inspecting pumps regularly for damages, changing oil and filters on additional gas and diesel pumps and making sure the inspector has a working knowledge on pumps.

“Have a good process to check out the pumps, so you can test them properly before they’re sent out for rent,” Zitzka says.

Looyer adds that rental companies should clean pumps before renting them out again.

“When you’re renting out a pump, customers know they’re going to return it, so they’re not going to take care of it as if it is their own,” Looyer says. “They could even be using a clear water pump to pump cement. It’s common sense to make sure the pump gets rinsed out thoroughly on a regular basis.”

Be Wary

In an effort to cut corners, there are manufacturers that will put an inexpensive imported pump (wet end) on to an engine and sell it as a quality pump, according to Don Looyer, director of sales and marketing at Koshin America.

“The only advantage is that it lowers the initial cost, but because the pump is lower in quality, you will have many more repair issues, causing downtime and loss of revenue,” Looyer says. “We have seen this more in the marketplace. It goes back to the old saying, ‘you get what you pay for.’”

Q. WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE MARKET, AND WHAT SOLUTIONS DO YOU OFFER TO ADDRESS THOSE TRENDS?

A. An important trend in the industry is the development of environmentally sustainable products. As part of the recent show season, most manufacturers featured products that offered reduced emissions, lower fuel consumption, and advanced telematics capabilities.

ANA has introduced Energy Boss, which is a hybrid power system that utilizes very high cycle life batteries and innovative technology to provide a solution that minimizes fuel usage and emissions by up to 75% for low load and long run applications. The Energy boss reduces service requirements, operating hours, and hours on the unit, extending the life and lowering the cost of ownership. The BOSS25-15 is the first model in an extended family of products which will be introduced over the next few years. With this game-changing technology, millions of gallons of fuel will be saved, and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced substantially.

Q. WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU HEARING FROM RENTAL COMPANY CUSTOMERS, AND HOW CAN YOUR COMPANY HELP SOLVE THOSE CHALLENGES?

A. Since the recent pandemic, rental companies face several challenges; supply chain challenges reduced availability of new inventory in high demand markets, increasing costs, and finding and retaining workers, especially in service and support areas.

ANA provides some of the highest quality and most reliable units in the market. We offer 24/7 technical support and have increased our online and in-person training resources to provide support