Distributor Feature: Using High-Pressure Expertise to Build Whole-System Solutions

As a leading manufacturer of high-pressure gas and liquid handling equipment, Haskel is deeply committed to the highest quality in all facets of their business. Haskel's rich network of distributors is key to upholding these standards. Haskel recognizes the hard work their distributors put in and the important role they play in the company's success. To show appreciation for these partnerships, we're proud to highlight the work these distributors do.

As a small, family-owned business, FLW takes pride in knowing the product lines they sell inside and out by keeping in-depth product knowledge experts on staff to ensure customers receive the best service. Last year, FLW was Haskel’s largest distributor in the Western United States, building on the expertise they have been providing to customers for years.

We caught up with FLW president Andrew Peek and Ray Schnell, former Haskel team member and current FLW Product Specialist, to learn more about the distributor partnership. 

How does being a Haskel distributor benefit FLW’s business opportunities?

Haskel products are a big part of our business, as they are the largest product line we sell at FLW. Being local is an advantage for us too, we’re able to meet with Haskel team members on a regular basis and have developed a good relationship while working closely with them.

Because Haskel is a well-recognized name there is a lot of existing customer opportunity. The products are backed by a strong reputation and identifiable name. We can see a lot of opportunity for growth within our relationship with Haskel and hope we’re able to expand on that.

Is the structure of your Haskel distribution model different from others?

We think of Haskel as the hub to our spokes. The Haskel line opens doors for other FLW products and services. Because Haskel is such an important part of our overall business, we invest a lot of time and money ensuring that we know the products and applications well.

When Haskel expanded its equipment servicing by designating Authorized Repair Centers—FLW being one of the centers—we saw the opportunity to bring that maintenance and service work to our facility. Haskel was open to the idea and helped us extend our partnership beyond just selling. We’ve grown the high-pressure system building and servicing portion of the business significantly since then.

What kind of advantage does it provide customers to have sales and service experience at one distributor?

We’re not just helping them find a product, we’re helping them find the right solution for their application. We try to drive them in the right direction. Even when the customer comes to us with a defined idea, we can make instrumentation recommendations on gauges, valves, controls. However, if the customer comes to us asking for a specific pump or valve but we know that there is another product that will serve them better, we will share that knowledge with them. If a customer’s needs go beyond just a single pump, we have solutions for that too.

Because we have been able to grow the systems building portion of our business, we recently invested in a brand new production facility exclusively for building around Haskel products. We used to do all of this in our stock warehouse, but the new facility offers 5,000 square feet and more flexibility to design and build solutions around Haskel pumps, gas boosters and air amplifiers.

Are there any interesting projects you’re currently working on with Haskel’s high-pressure pumps?

We have been working on aerospace applications lately. We worked on a gas booster project recently for high-pressure nitrogen that will be added to a cart and then loaded onto an aircraft. Our team recently completed a whole-system build too; we constructed it right at our facility. This was a type of charge tank for a propulsion system. It incorporated a Haskel hydraulic-driven gas booster within a much larger system. That project was a challenge and included several unique needs. The customer needed a specific gas pressure at a certain flow rate and because of the end-use there was a need for a cooling system and PLC.

With Haskel’s wide range of products, our team is able to build entire systems starting with a single product as a key element. This gives customers a much more complete experience and allows us to better serve their needs.

Want to find a Haskel distributor near you to help you improve your high-pressure application performance? Find a representative in your area!