Glenn Wieczorek, managing director-president, Tsurumi America, talks with RER about the importance of working with suppliers to ensure parts flow, new procedures in pump production, the growing demand for electric-driven pumps and more.
RER: What are the latest products and developments in your company’s pump production?
Wieczorek: We have several new products that are currently in different stages of development. Some of the new products are in field testing now and we should begin to see these new products available to the markets in 2023. As for development in pump production, Tsurumi has added new practices and procedures to allow us to rapidly react to the demands of the market. Those new procedures should give us the ability to expand on our commitments to our customers.
RER: Are there any particular trends you expect to see in pump production in the coming years?
Wieczorek: There will be added pressure to meet the ever-changing demands of the customer. This will put a premium on forecasting and working with component suppliers to ensure the flow of parts is not disrupted.
RER: It seems that pump rentals -- as illustrated by the growing “specialty rental” segments of major rental companies – have grown a lot in recent years. Do you have any insight into why this growth has occurred?
Wieczorek: I believe contractors are using more specified type products to complete a job with a specific tool rather than using a more generalized tool to get the job done. This may be due to the cost of labor increasing and the specific tool designed to do a specific task will allow the contractor to use fewer labor hours with the specialized tool.
RER: In many types of construction machinery, especially earthmoving and aerial machines, lead times have increased significantly, as long as 18 months to two years in some cases, often caused by supply chain issues and the difficulty in obtaining certain components and materials. Are you finding the same issues in pump manufacturing?
Wieczorek: There has been some delivery issues of pump components as well. Tsurumi America was fortunate that we ordered heavy in the fall of 2020 when the pandemic was going full speed. We felt the economy would come out of the pandemic with a great deal of demand and the curve would be very steep in the recovery.
RER: There has been a significant growth in electric-driven machines in other product segments the past few years and this trend is likely to continue and accelerate. Is the same trend occurring in pump manufacturing and usage?
Wieczorek: We have seen an increase in demand for electric-powered pumps over engine-driven pumps. Fortunately for Tsurumi this is our specialty. We sell both engine driven and electric pumps however we are better known for our electric pump capabilities.
RER: Do you have any particular tips for pump rental companies to serve their customers better?
Wieczorek: I would tell them to make sure you are providing a quality pump to your rental customers. The cost of downtime is getting more expensive and using a lower quality pump leads to added expenses. Also, I would tell them to make sure their pump provider can adequately support the pump. From engineering support to quick availability of pumps and parts they will need the added support to help in keeping their customer satisfied.
