Spray Force Manufacturing - President's Corner

November 28, 2005

Choices And The Freedom They Can Bring

Choices

Upon the conclusion of a recent business trip back east, I had the privilege to see my son Bryce, a sophomore in college. While we visited, we shared some thoughts and experiences of our past week.

I relayed an experience from my recent trip to the International Pool and Spa Expo. A man came by the Spray Force booth who had just bought a new Putzmeister gear-box plaster pump. In insightful conversation with this man, he explained that his gear-box pump was just the same as our new (fully hydraulic) Excalibur Hydra. In fact, he argued that his new pump was fully hydraulic. After all, that's what he had been told. I pointed out that the new Excalibur Hydra was much different than his gear box rig and that for the first time ever, a real pool plaster pump had been created, rather than an inadequately modified stucco pump. I explained that the Hydra was built for him and his peers to simply make life easier. I explained that the Hydra would not bend push rods or blow hoses due its state-of-the-art pressure release valve. I showed him our full spout mixer, the largest hopper in the industry, and our hydraulic motor-driven pump, the only one in the industry. I gave him the guided tour and 15 or more reasons why the Excalibur Hydra would make life better for him. After all the improvements I pointed out, he still had an answer that to him, justified his use of inferior equipment. He said, “Well, I just run the belt loose.”

I've run my belt loose too, but it's not how the machine was intended to run, and it's surely not safe. My first thought was, “Why, as contractors, do we accept having to rig a machine to perform in the way we need it to?” I had to run the belt loose on my plaster pumps for the last 10 years of my contracting life because of the incredible direct-driven horsepower and torque that gear-box rigs produce. Though this “rigging” of the machine allowed me to get the job done, it was the stem of other problems (i.e. more frequent time-consuming hose packs) and luckily, I did not experience any serious accidents from running the machine against the operating instructions. Though the Hydra eliminates “running the belt loose”, my fellow contractor refused to accept reality.

Freedom

Bryce then shared with me a contrasting conversation he had, in which; he had asked a college friend, “What would you call, real, absolute freedom?” His friend's answer came as no surprise, “To do whatever I want, whenever I want.”

The kind of freedom his friend seeks is pursued by many of us, with ultimately; results that we can ill afford. My son's friend, as well as the majority of people, would argue that real freedom comes when there are no laws or constraints. Moreover, there are really only two types of freedoms: one where he is free to do what one wants and the other to do what he ought (to be actively engaged in a good cause). This illusion, much like the mirage in a desert, can disable good people from accomplishing the best our great country has to offer.

I was reminded of the Charles Dickens story, A Christmas Carol:

Scrooge, when seeing his ghost-like friend and business partner Jacob Marley bound with chains, inquired, “You are fettered (bound). Tell me why?” Mr. Marley's answer was sobering. “I wear the chains I forged in life. I made them link by link, and yard by yard. I girded it on of my own free will and of my own free will I wore it.”

The commitment to the acquisition of knowledge will bring each of us an increased capacity for freedom and enhanced wealth. At Spray Force we act, rather then being acted upon. Without Spray Force and its unceasing drive for equipment excellence, industry professionals would be forced to participate in the ‘no advancement' option for plaster and drywall spray equipment. With Spray Force equipment, each new advancement allows you to become the driver, not the driven; the cause, not the effect.

In the New Year, Spray Force will continue as the absolute leader in the drywall and plastering pump market while continuing to design and manufacture the most technically advanced equipment available in our industry and to you, our loyal customers. The equipment you purchase from Spray Force will expand your freedom and open great vistas of opportunity for you and all of us here at Spray Force in 2006 and beyond.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With sincere, warmest regards,

Bryan Thompson
President
Spray Force MFG, Inc.

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November 28, 2005 Choices And The Freedom They Can Bring Choices Upon the conclusion of a recent business trip back east, I had the privilege to see my son Bryce, a sophomore in college. While we visited, we shared some thoughts and experiences of our past week. I relayed an experience from my recent trip to the International Pool and Spa Expo. A man came by the Spray Force booth who had just bought a new Putzmeister gear-box plaster pump. In insightful conversation with this man, he explained that his gear-box pump was just the same as our new (fully hydraulic) Excalibur Hydra. In fact, he argued that his new pump was fully hydraulic. After all, that's what he had been told. I pointed out that the new Excalibur Hydra was much different than his gear box rig and that for the first time ever, a real pool plaster pump had been created, rather than an inadequately modified stucco pump. I explained that the Hydra was built for him and his peers to simply make life easier. I explained that the Hydra would not bend push rods or blow hoses due its state-of-the-art pressure release valve. I showed him our full spout mixer, the largest hopper in the industry, and our hydraulic motor-driven pump, the only one in the industry. I gave him the guided tour and 15 or more reasons why the Excalibur Hydra would make life better for him. After all the improvements I pointed out, he still had an answer that to him, justified his use of inferior equipment. He said, “Well, I just run the belt loose.” I've run my belt loose too, but it's not how the machine was intended to run, and it's surely not safe. My first thought was, “Why, as contractors, do we accept having to rig a machine to perform in the way we need it to?” I had to run the belt loose on my plaster pumps for the last 10 years of my contracting life because of the incredible direct-driven horsepower and torque that gear-box rigs produce. Though this “rigging” of the machine allowed me to get the job done, it was the stem of other problems (i.e. more frequent time-consuming hose packs) and luckily, I did not experience any serious accidents from running the machine against the operating instructions. Though the Hydra eliminates “running the belt loose”, my fellow contractor refused to accept reality. Freedom Bryce then shared with me a contrasting conversation he had, in which; he had asked a college friend, “What would you call, real, absolute freedom?” His friend's answer came as no surprise, “To do whatever I want, whenever I want.” The kind of freedom his friend seeks is pursued by many of us, with ultimately; results that we can ill afford. My son's friend, as well as the majority of people, would argue that real freedom comes when there are no laws or constraints. Moreover, there are really only two types of freedoms: one where he is free to do what one wants and the other to do what he ought (to be actively engaged in a good cause). This illusion, much like the mirage in a desert, can disable good people from accomplishing the best our great country has to offer. I was reminded of the Charles Dickens story, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge, when seeing his ghost-like friend and business partner Jacob Marley bound with chains, inquired, “You are fettered (bound). Tell me why?” Mr. Marley's answer was sobering. “I wear the chains I forged in life. I made them link by link, and yard by yard. I girded it on of my own free will and of my own free will I wore it.” The commitment to the acquisition of knowledge will bring each of us an increased capacity for freedom and enhanced wealth. At Spray Force we act, rather then being acted upon. Without Spray Force and its unceasing drive for equipment excellence, industry professionals would be forced to participate in the ‘no advancement' option for plaster and drywall spray equipment. With Spray Force equipment, each new advancement allows you to become the driver, not the driven; the cause, not the effect. In the New Year, Spray Force will continue as the absolute leader in the drywall and plastering pump market while continuing to design and manufacture the most technically advanced equipment available in our industry and to you, our loyal customers. The equipment you purchase from Spray Force will expand your freedom and open great vistas of opportunity for you and all of us here at Spray Force in 2006 and beyond. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! With sincere, warmest regards, Bryan Thompson President Spray Force MFG, Inc. Back to this month's President's Corner