Water Well Journal

October 2015

Water Well Journal

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M ark Reeder, director of innovation and field market- ing, North America water systems at Franklin Elec- tric in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has spent more than 20 years in the groundwater industry. Reeder is responsible for its team of field service engineers and inside technical support engineers in the United States and Canada who work with contractors and distributors on troubleshooting and training. Reeder recently sat down with Water Well Journal to discuss the major trends in the groundwater industry he sees and how these present major opportunities for water systems contractors. Water Well Journal: You work closely with field service engineers and inside technical support teams. What question are you hearing most often from contractors? Mark Reeder: We get a lot of questions on variable frequency drives. Contractors aren't running into major issues, though. It's usually the first time they've installed one and they need someone to walk them through it. It's a little bit different than putting in a standard 4-inch pump and motor assembly in a residence. The most common question I get is simply, "How do I do this?" It's especially common with our new products that have more advanced technology. They're not having an issue per se, but they need someone to walk them through it just to make sure they're getting it right. This is why I think it's very important to align yourself with someone who can answer those questions. This is espe- cially my recommendation for contractors just starting in water systems or anyone in the groundwater industry. I don't want to make it sound complicated because all of this technology is within reach for a water systems contractor. Sometimes they need someone to give them a hand with the first couple to make sure they've got it right. After that, they're off and running. WWJ: What is the most critical issue facing the ground- water industry today? Mark: I don't think there's just one critical thing. It's a con- fluence of things. All of it spells change. Change is obviously a part of all business and the groundwater industry is no different. For a very long time there was not much change in the groundwater industry, but I think we're starting to see more and more. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I think it represents opportunities for the water systems contractor. I think the drought in California has been a huge issue for the industry. One of the things that has come out of that is a heightened awareness of groundwater from the public, where before it was somewhat invisible. You've got leading news organizations on a national level doing feature stories on groundwater, and that's something we've never seen before. In California, you've got newspa- pers talking about groundwater and aquifer levels. I think there's a much greater awareness of groundwater as a result of the drought. I think this has also created a larger demand for technology in terms of monitoring aquifer levels, especially remote monitoring. WWJ: You are presenting an educational session at the Groundwater Expo on trends and opportunities affecting our industry. Can you tell us what attendees will learn at your session? Mark: I picked seven trends that I've been seeing in the industry over the last couple of years. They're things like weather events, technology, green initiatives, and energy man- dates. None of them are going to be a big surprise to anyone, but my thought is most people have not seen them all in the same place at the same time, and they've never really had a chance to think about how these trends affect our industry. These trends offer an opportunity for our industry and the contractor base. What I've tried to do is build on these trends a bit by presenting how to leverage these opportunities in your business. I think it's going to be a good time to sit back and review what these trends are and think about them in terms of our industry. WWJ: What is a major trend in the industry you're most excited about? Mark: Out of all the trends going on, I think technology is the most exciting for our industry. The water systems industry is not alone here, but there are all kinds of new technologies showing up in our industry. Obviously you've got the variable frequency drives. Also a lot of connectivity that didn't exist a couple of years ago, including Android and iPhone apps and wireless monitoring. I think it's going to be very incumbent on manufacturers to get this right because our contractors need tools that will help them in their daily business. They don't need gimmicks or Mark Reeder GROUNDWATER EXPO Q&A Trends in the Groundwater Industry Session at Groundwater Expo will highlight seven major trends and opportunities. By Jennifer Strawn 46 October 2015 WWJ waterwelljournal.com

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