See more of our State of the Industry 2016 coverage.Pumps & Systems staff spoke with Henry Peck, president of Geiger Pump & Equipment Company, about the challenges for the industry in 2016 and what technologies may emerge.
Q. What workforce challenges are companies facing, and what is the industry doing to meet these challenges?
A. I believe that the pace that companies need to replace an aging workforce is increasing. And, it is unfortunate that our high schools and colleges are not embracing the ambitions of working in the business communities that the pump community participates in, and attracting the strongest candidates is more difficult than we would like. However, I believe that we are making some progress in gaining visibility in our excellent career choices all the way back to where those life decisions are made: at high schools and in college programs.
Q. What new technologies will have the most dramatic effect on process industries?
A. We have enjoyed much progress in executing predictive maintenance and monitoring technology to pumps. However, the cost and expertise for providing those technologies to most pumps has been limited and difficult to adopt for many pump users and for the most common process and utility pumps. However, going forward, there is much optimism for that to change. Manufacturers are stepping up with apps that provide simple and affordable state-of-the-art machinery health. Those apps are becoming available and will eventually be included in all pumps.