Perfecting performance: More reliable and user-friendly pumps

Pump manufacturers are producing more reliable, environmentally-friendly and easier to use models. Becca Wilkins reports on the latest developments in this specialist but essential equipment sector.

Manufacturers are focused on producing more efficient, robust and environmentally friendly pumps to meet increasing contractor demands in a challenging market. New models are also more reliable, easier to service and operate, with many now fitted with automatic control devices limiting the need for manual intervention.

Pump control

John Miller, managing director for Godwin Pumps in the UK said, "The cost of fuel and the carbon footprint is a big thing that we are looking at and we are continuously developing new products to add to the pump set and standard diesel engine, like float switch control."

He explained float switches control the engine and therefore the operation of the pump. As water levels move up and down, so too does the float which in turn either automatically starts or stops the engine.

"Five or ten years ago it wouldn't have been so important, people started the pump set in the morning and left it running all day. Now it's about controlling the pump set in a different way to conserve energy and fuel costs," Mr Miller said.

An example is Godwin's PrimeGuard, a fully programmable microprocessor engine control system using input from level, flow, pressure transducers or standard floats to start or stop the pump automatically with no operator intervention required.

"It's quite a sophisticated piece of equipment but it's simple enough to operate for the construction market that we are working in," Mr Miller stated.

Introduced five years ago, Godwin's PrimeGuard is now becoming more widely accepted across the globe.

Mr Miller said, "We're finding that now throughout the world, no matter where you go, whether it is in Africa, Australia or the Middle East - people are looking to save money in whatever way they can."

Market

Pump manufacturers agree that the current market, albeit at a lower level than last year, is showing an indication of improvement.

Jonas Bladh, global product manager for dewatering at the ABS Group said, "The pump rental business is more stable and in some areas there is increased business. Availability will be a key driver when market increases again."

Before the economic crisis hit the construction equipment sector there had been an increasing demand for pumps in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and in North and South America, Mr Bladh added.

"I do not expect a bounce back, more like a slow stable increase," he told iC.

He added ABS sees Eastern Europe, Russia and South America as the developing regions.

Elsewhere, Per Forsberg, international sales manager, for Pumpex said of the current market, "Compared with a year ago it is slower but there are clear signs of more activities on the market then was the case a few months ago, but again at much lower level then a year ago."

He added central and Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America are regions that will grow faster than others over the next couple of years.

Reliability

Continuing to produce reliable pumps will remain a goal for manufacturers as they develop new products in readiness for when market stability returns.

John Paz, president of Godwin Pumps told iC the reliability of pumps has improved in the past 20 years. He explained historically the biggest problem with pumps has been the priming process and when the business started up in the US in the late 1970s the pump market was manual wet self priming.

"We changed how contractors look at the reliability of pumps 360° with the advent of automatic priming or ‘Dri-Prime', which is our trademark. When you automatically prime it you don't pour in any water - you have to have a dry-running mechanical seal," he said.

The demand for reliable pumps has increased in the developed regions of the world and as new pump technologies are more widely accepted this trend should filter through to the emerging markets.

Mr Paz added, "We changed the face of the industry with the Godwin Dri-Prime and we are still exposing automatic self priming construction pumps with dry running capabilities to the balance of the world. In Africa, South America and in many places they are still using less reliable less high-quality pumps."

Future focus

Despite difficult market conditions pump manufacturers are continuing to develop new products in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Mr Bladh told iC pump manufacturers must advance the development of robust and wear resistant models and make pump use and installation as easy as possible.

Elsewhere, Mr Forsberg said continuing to reduce costs and minimise the impact pumps have on the environment are among the biggest challenges the sector currently faces.

Echoing this sentiment, export sales manager for Godwin, Colin Baker, said, "One of the things that we tend to find with these environmental issues now is that they are spreading further afield than Europe. People didn't think these issues really affected parts of Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and India but all these places are now starting to ask questions about carbon footprint and fuel usage, so it is a far wider reaching issue now than it ever used to be."