Industrial pump distributors should take advantage of information provided by manufacturers and provided by the industry. Whether you are a fuel pump distributor, hydraulic pump distributors, an oil pump distributor, submersible pump distributors or water pump wholesalers, staying knowledgeable about the latest news and trends will help you survive in the industry by being competitive in your field.

Industrial pump distributors can also take advantage of affiliations and hints from other pump distributors to learn about tricks of the trade. Reading materials are available along with trade events and continuing education opportunities.

To find out more about pump distributors basics:

1. Take advantage of pump distributor support materials.

2. Use the free resources provided by pump suppliers.

3. Check out news and information for industrial pump distributors.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use pump distributor support materials

Make full use of the marketing, sales, communications and helpful hint information that your pump distributor can offer you. Pump manufacturers are going to be your best reference for information, and they can fill you in on all of the tricks of the product and potential buyers.

I recommend: Contact Versa-Matic to access their distributor resources. Use their marketing support materials, use their sales support materials or use their communications resources. Use the helpful hints from Industrial Pump Sales & Service.

Check out pump distributor provided resources

Take advantage of free resources posted by industrial pump distributors. See what reading materials and training opportunities are offered by various businesses.

I recommend: Use the engineering resources from Viking Pump to help you make the right Viking pump for your application. Their resources include the following: an engineering library, a list of liquids handled by Viking pumps, 3D models and a pump education website. Check out the training opportunities from CPS Distributors.

Keep up with the latest pump distributor news and information

Stay knowledgeable about the most up-to-date information for pump suppliers and distributors. Keep up with the latest trends and educational materials by following the most current news or by pursuing continuing education in the field.

I recommend: Check out the latest water pump distributors' news and information as posted by Springer Pumps. While you are on their site, you can also sign up for their free newsletter. Find out the latest news and information from the Pump Distributors Association.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Joining an affiliation like the Pump Distributors Association can also help you network and offer you the latest information through trade events, seminars and continuing education opportunities. Affiliation dues and rade events will come at a slight cost investment, but they will more than pay off in knowledge learned and applied.
• •  Signing up for a pump distributor newsletter will save you the time of having to look up the news yourself. Sign up once, and let the latest information come straight to your inbox instead.

Pump distributors and pump suppliers bring the world of manufactured products right to your door. For commercial projects, construction projects or industrial projects, industrial pump distributors are the link between you and industrial pump manufacturers.

Many high quality pumps are available on the market, and finding the right pump distributor is key to finding the product and service that is right for you.

To find pump distributors to fit your needs:

1. Look at your applicational use.

2. Ask yourself what your budgetary issues are. Determine if looks are important, or if cost is the only factor.

3. Choose a pump distributor based on their price and overall quality of brand.

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Know the major manufactured brands before you commit to a pump distributor

Be knowledgeable about the industry leaders before you purchase from a pump distributor.

I recommend: Wilden Pump & Engineering Company is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of pumps. Met-Pro Corporation is the manufacturer of industrial pumps including the brands Fybroc, Dean & Sethco pumps. Tri-Rotor, Inc. manufactures positive displacement rotary piston pumps. seepex is an ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturer of progressive cavity pumps used in industrial applications.

Look at your options between major pump distributors

Choose your pump distributor based on their customer service and the brands that they offer. Also consider what applicational industry they target as well. You're not going to find a piston pump for a car at a water supply store.

I recommend: Halsted & Hoggan, Inc. distributes pumps for agricultural, chemical, domestic & industrial applications. They represent over 40 manufacturers. F.W. Webb Company is not only a pump distributor, but they are also a service company. Fred Arms Electric Motor Repair & Sales, Inc. distributes vertical or horizontal sewage and sludge pumps, food, mud, centrifugal, impeller, turbine & booster pumps, circulating, hydraulic, rotary, water works and water treatment industrial pumps. West Coast Pumps, Inc. distributes air operated, gas operated, vertical, magnetic drive, mechanically sealed, metering, sump, electrically actuated and effluent pumps.

Look at pump distributors in your region

A regional search for pump distributors is another route to go.

I recommend: CPS Distributors, Inc. services the Rocky Mountain Region. Great Lakes Pump & Supply Company is a great source in the Great Lakes Region and the Midwest.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Whether you are looking for water pump distributors, an oil pump distributor, a fuel pump distributor or hydraulic pump distributors, work with your supplier on instructional training, videos or webinars before installing your pump system.
• •  Download and print pump distributor online categories for easy price and applicational comparisons. Sometimes having the hard copies in front of you and making notes can make your comparison easier and more efficient.

Operating pumps sold by industrial pump distributors is not for a novice user. To be employed by a pump supplier, water pump distributors or any other type of pump distributor, you must have specialized training on pumps and pump systems.

There are many ways to receive training that would be recognized by a pump distributor. Increase your marketability and further your career in the industry with targeted pump distributors education and training. Below are a few suggestions that can get you started:

1. Enroll in courses recognized and respected by, or perhaps even sponsored by, industrial pump distributors.

2. Gain respect of those who work for pump distributors and industrial pump suppliers with MTAA Certification in Pump & Pump Systems.

3. Read pump suppliers' manuals, or those published by pump manufacturers, to gain a detailed understanding of brand-specific pump operations and user instructions.

4. Keep abreast of the competition among pump distributors by reading or subscribing to industry magazines.

Action Steps
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Enroll in courses recognized by industrial pump distributors

Taking courses run by pump wholesalers or distributors, or by schools that are well-recognized by these same companies, is a great way to learn about brand-specific pumps and can enhance your education on the topic of pumps and pump systems.

I recommend: Those who complete a course in Pump and Pump Systems with American Trainco receive free MTAA testing. ITT Industries' Little Red Schoolhouse offers a select number of three-day courses pertaining to pumps within hydronic and steam systems.

Gain pump distributor respect with MTAA Certification in Pump & Pump Systems

The Maintenance Training Association of the Americas (MTAA) was established to provide consistency in regard to training standards for maintenance and operations of commercial and industrial facility equipment. The MTAA Pumps & Pump Systems Certification Test measures the knowledge of maintenance and repair technicians on pumps and pump systems.

I recommend: MTAA's website explains its rating scale for instructional courses as well as instructors. This rating system is designed to help you evaluate which courses are best when pursuing continuing education. Purchase a copy of the MTAA Pump & Pump Systems Certification Test through Martin Learning, available online and on paper.

Read pump suppliers' manuals to get detailed understanding of pump operations and user instructions

User and operations manuals published by pump suppliers, distributors or manufacturers, are a wonderful resource for those in the industry. They provide brand and model-specific information on maintenance, repair and troubleshooting.

I recommend: Walrus Pump's website includes instruction manuals of its pumping systems in PDF format. Industrial Gas Technology's site has instructional and operational manuals for its various pumps and pump products also in PDF format.

Keep abreast of the competition among pump distributors by reading industry magazines

Keep up with the latest developments involving pump suppliers and pump distributors by getting subscriptions to industry newsletters and magazines. This sort of literature will tell you who is who in the industry and give you an idea of what is happening in the business.

I recommend: Impeller has an online pump magazine that can also be e-mailed to you by clicking on the "subscribe to free newsletter" link in the lower left-hand corner of the page. Cahaba Media Group's Pumps & Systems magazine can be read online or delivered right to your door.

Pumps distributors provide a variety of brands and types of pumps in one facility. This allows you to find the right pump no matter what the brand, and it also allows you to compare brands and prices. When new customers are dealing with pump distributors, they may find themselves in a sea of new or strange terms. Learning the pump distributors key terms will help you to decipher all the information you are given.

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PTFE

PTFE, also known as Polytetrafluoroethylene or Teflon, is a substance used to coat metal to create a slick or stick-free surface. When it's applied to a surface, PTFE is heated and then poured onto the surface. PTFE is used inside pumps to reduce resistance.

I recommend: Tapflo has a detailed definition of PTFE. PTFE Lined Equipment also has more information on Polytetrafluoroethylene.

PVDF

PVDF stands for PolyVinyliDine Fluoride and is also called KYNAR. PVDF is a non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer, often used in pumps that require resistance against acids, heat and resistance. PVDF is also a very pure non-aerated material.

I recommend: Read more about PVDF at the Seemsan Pumps and Equipments website. Discover more information at Plast-O-Matic.

PFA

PFA, or Perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin, is similar to PTFE. PFA is a non-stick polymer used in pipe making. To apply PFA to pipes, conventional injection molding and screw extrusion techniques are used.

I recommend: Visit ITT - Goulds Pumps for more information about PFA. Boedeker Plastics also has information about Perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin.

SSU and cP

SSU and cP, sometimes known together as CPSSU, stand for Saybolt Universal Seconds, CentiPoises or kinematic viscosity, Dynamic or absolute viscosity. SSU measures the viscosity, which is the time petroleum takes to travel trough a set orifice.

I recommend: The Engineering ToolBox has more information about SSU and cP.

Alloy

An alloy is a mixture of two metals. Alloys are used to add properties of one metal to another. Certain alloys can make a metal stronger, rust resistant or more flexible. A common alloy is brass which is a combination of cooper and zinc.

I recommend: The Houghton Mifflin Company has more details about alloys. Visit Beadaholique for more information on alloys.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a metal alloy that does not rust or corrode. Stainless steel is used in a variety of capacities and is stain resistant. Stainless steel is used in many submersible pumps to reduce rust.

I recommend: The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary has a detailed definition on stainless steel. Specialty Steel Supply also has ore on stainless steel.