The pumps have drives that range from 1/35 horsepower electric motors up to much larger electric motors or internal combustion engines capable of producing several thousand horsepower. Many of the larger units comprise encased, fully-integrated water and wastewater pumping stations. In certain cases, units are designed for the inclusion of customer-supplied drives.
The Company’s larger pumps are sold principally for use in the construction, industrial, water and wastewater handling fields; for flood control; for boosting low residential water pressure; for pumping refined petroleum products, including the ground refueling of aircraft; for fluid control in HVAC applications; and for various agricultural purposes.
The Company’s pumps are also utilized for dewatering purposes. Additionally, pumps manufactured for fire protection are used for sprinklerback-up systems, fire hydrants, stand pipes, fog systems and deluge systems at hotels, banks, factories, airports, schools, public buildings and hundreds of other types of facilities throughout the world.
Many of the Company’s smallest pumps are sold to customers for incorporation into such products as food processing, chemical processing, photo processing, medical applications, waste treatment, HVAC equipment, appliances and solar heating.
MARKETING
The Company’s pumps are marketed in the United States and worldwide through a broad network of distributors, through manufacturers’ representatives (for sales to many original equipment manufacturers), through third-party distributor catalogs, direct sales, and by ecommerce. The Company regularly seeks alliances with distributors and other partners to further enhance marketing opportunities. Export sales are made primarily through foreign distributors and representatives. The Company has long-standing relationships with many of the leading independent distributors in the markets it serves and provides specialized training programs to distributors on a regular basis with a focus on meeting the world’s water and wastewater pumping needs.
During 2019, 2018 and 2017, there were no shipments to any single customer that exceeded 10% of total net sales. Gorman-Rupp continued to actively pursue international business opportunities and, in 2019, shipped its pumps to approximately 140 countries around the world. No sales made to customers in any one foreign country amounted to more than 5% of total net sales for 2019, 2018 or 2017.
COMPETITION
The pump industry is highly fragmented and therefore Gorman-Rupp competes with a large number of businesses. Numerous pump competitors exist as subsidiaries, divisions or departments within significantly larger corporations. The Company also faces increased competition from foreign-sourced pumps in most of the Company’s domestic markets.
Most commercial and industrial pumps are specifically designed and engineered for a particular customer’s application. The Company believes that proper application, product performance, and quality of delivery and service are its principal methods of competition, and attributes its success to its continued emphasis in these areas. In the sale of products and services, the Company benefits from its large base of previously installed products, which periodically require replacement parts due to the critical application and nature of the products and the conditions under which they operate.
PURCHASING AND PRODUCTION
Substantially all of the materials, supplies, components and accessories used by the Company in the fabrication of its products, including all castings (for which most patterns are made and owned by
2