Spray Force Manufacturing - President's Corner

June 13 , 2005

Dear Friends,

I have found that some things just simply matter more than others. This past week, while visiting different jobsites of two industry leading swimming pool contractors, I had the chance to make the following observations.

One of the contractors had an Excalibur Hydra while the other had an old style gear box rig. Although they performed the same work, the substantial difference between the two pumps was obvious.

First, I witnessed the crew with the old style gear box. The employee (hoddy) mixing on the truck deck was struggling to keep up with the crews pace inside the pool. He worked under immense pressure while using the older style pool plaster pump because the hopper was too small to hold enough materials to sustain the increased pace of spraying pebble (fourth gear). The nozzle man would empty the hopper before the hoddy could mix another batch and get it dumped, thus creating delays between batches that lasted 2 to 3 minutes, forcing the crew to wait to resume spraying. I watched as my fellow plasterers waited patiently for more material to be dumped. The feelings I had as a hoddy, plasterer, and even as a contractor rushed back. I was frustrated for them. It was obvious that these workers have become accustomed to frequent delays. I then realized that the employees really didn't know the difference, and that they didn't understand what kind of productivity difference it would make if the material flow was uninterrupted. Next, I wondered if the owner knew how long and how often his crew was left standing and waiting. I questioned whether he had considered what kind of difference uninterrupted material flow would make in his bottom line. I walked away wondering if anyone at this company could identify at all with these feelings that I had, or was this problem so routine that they accepted it without question, and were ignorant to the improvements available that could make their lives so much easier.

At the next jobsite, the crew had a new Excalibur Hydra. Their experience was entirely different. The crew enjoyed an uninterrupted flow of pebble materials with precision throughout the completion of the pool. The larger hopper and infinite deck controls allowed the hoddy to stay far ahead of the crew in the pool, finishing the pool in less than half the time of the crew with the old style gear box rig. After watching this difference in productivity, I couldn't help but wonder how anyone could be content using an old style rig. I marveled. Does ignorance betray good choices? I recalled a story I once read:

It was July 4, 1952 , and Florence Chadwick, who had previously swum the English Channel , now attempted the 21 mile swim from the southern California mainland to Catalina Island . The water was freezing, the fog was thick, the distance great, and the visibility almost nil. After 20 and ½ miles, only a half mile from her destination, Florence gave up. People following the swim were shocked. Why go all that way and give up so close to the finish? The next day reporters clamored around her asking why she had quit. Had it been the cold water? Had the distance been too great? It proved to be neither. She responded in a way that shocked everyone. “I was beaten by the fog.” She proceeded to explain by relaying a similar story, but one that ended in triumph. Florence told of her swim of the English Channel . All of the conditions were nearly identical, including the fog. Nearing the end of the swim, she was bewildered and exhausted. Just as she reached out for her fathers hand in the nearby boat, he pointed to the shore. She raised her head out of the water just long enough to see the land ahead for the first time. With this she gained confidence and newfound life, pressing on and becoming the first woman to conquer the English Channel .

With an increased vision comes increased motivation. We are actively engaged in the improvement of our equipment to get your job done faster and safer. The Spray Force obligation to leadership in equipment innovation is taken very seriously. Everything that we do at Spray Force is anchored in the needs of our customers.

I have found that some things just simply matter more than others. I invite you to join with me and Spray Force, in the things that matter most.

Kindest regards,

Bryan Thompson
President
Spray Force MFG, Inc.

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June 13 , 2005 Dear Friends, I have found that some things just simply matter more than others. This past week, while visiting different jobsites of two industry leading swimming pool contractors, I had the chance to make the following observations. One of the contractors had an Excalibur Hydra while the other had an old style gear box rig. Although they performed the same work, the substantial difference between the two pumps was obvious. First, I witnessed the crew with the old style gear box. The employee (hoddy) mixing on the truck deck was struggling to keep up with the crews pace inside the pool. He worked under immense pressure while using the older style pool plaster pump because the hopper was too small to hold enough materials to sustain the increased pace of spraying pebble (fourth gear). The nozzle man would empty the hopper before the hoddy could mix another batch and get it dumped, thus creating delays between batches that lasted 2 to 3 minutes, forcing the crew to wait to resume spraying. I watched as my fellow plasterers waited patiently for more material to be dumped. The feelings I had as a hoddy, plasterer, and even as a contractor rushed back. I was frustrated for them. It was obvious that these workers have become accustomed to frequent delays. I then realized that the employees really didn't know the difference, and that they didn't understand what kind of productivity difference it would make if the material flow was uninterrupted. Next, I wondered if the owner knew how long and how often his crew was left standing and waiting. I questioned whether he had considered what kind of difference uninterrupted material flow would make in his bottom line. I walked away wondering if anyone at this company could identify at all with these feelings that I had, or was this problem so routine that they accepted it without question, and were ignorant to the improvements available that could make their lives so much easier. At the next jobsite, the crew had a new Excalibur Hydra. Their experience was entirely different. The crew enjoyed an uninterrupted flow of pebble materials with precision throughout the completion of the pool. The larger hopper and infinite deck controls allowed the hoddy to stay far ahead of the crew in the pool, finishing the pool in less than half the time of the crew with the old style gear box rig. After watching this difference in productivity, I couldn't help but wonder how anyone could be content using an old style rig. I marveled. Does ignorance betray good choices? I recalled a story I once read: It was July 4, 1952 , and Florence Chadwick, who had previously swum the English Channel , now attempted the 21 mile swim from the southern California mainland to Catalina Island . The water was freezing, the fog was thick, the distance great, and the visibility almost nil. After 20 and ½ miles, only a half mile from her destination, Florence gave up. People following the swim were shocked. Why go all that way and give up so close to the finish? The next day reporters clamored around her asking why she had quit. Had it been the cold water? Had the distance been too great? It proved to be neither. She responded in a way that shocked everyone. “I was beaten by the fog.” She proceeded to explain by relaying a similar story, but one that ended in triumph. Florence told of her swim of the English Channel . All of the conditions were nearly identical, including the fog. Nearing the end of the swim, she was bewildered and exhausted. Just as she reached out for her fathers hand in the nearby boat, he pointed to the shore. She raised her head out of the water just long enough to see the land ahead for the first time. With this she gained confidence and newfound life, pressing on and becoming the first woman to conquer the English Channel . With an increased vision comes increased motivation. We are actively engaged in the improvement of our equipment to get your job done faster and safer. The Spray Force obligation to leadership in equipment innovation is taken very seriously. Everything that we do at Spray Force is anchored in the needs of our customers. I have found that some things just simply matter more than others. I invite you to join with me and Spray Force, in the things that matter most. Kindest regards, Bryan Thompson President Spray Force MFG, Inc. Back to this month's President's Corner