The Voice of Tom Madden, Vice President/General Manager, Blackmer®, part of Pump Solutions Group (PSG®)
WLPGA: Tom, Welcome to The Voice. Tell us a little about Blackmer and its key activities.
Tom Madden: Blackmer was founded in 1903 by Robert Blackmer and this summer proudly celebrated its 110th anniversary with various activities at its global headquarters in Grand Rapids, MI, USA. The celebration was designed to acknowledge the role that all of our employees and channel partners—both former and current—have played throughout the years in making Blackmer the recognised leader in pumping excellence that it is today. With its standard-setting Sliding Vane Pump, System One® Centrifugal Pump and Reciprocating Gas Compressor technologies available around the world, Blackmer has established itself as a key player and provider of equipment in a wide variety of global industries, including Energy, Process, Transport and Military/Marine. One of the most important markets to Blackmer is liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG. As a founding member of the Dover Corporation’s Pump Solutions Group (PSG®), headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA, Blackmer is housed within the Fluid Solutions platform of Dover’ Engineered Systems™ operating segment. As such, Blackmer is driven to provide the best solutions to the global pump and fluid-handling markets with targeted emphasis on sustainability, product efficiencies and safety, and growth in emerging economies.
WLPGA: Tell us about the recent acquisition of Ebsray and how that impacts
Blackmer. Madden: The acquisition of Ebsray, headquartered in Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia, was completed in May of this year and is an acquisition that is very consistent with our strategic vision to expand PSG’s presence in select vertical markets. Ebsray’s Sliding Vane, Internal Gear and Regenerative Turbine Pump technologies neatly complement Blackmer’s (and PSG’s) portfolio of pump technologies and expands our ability to provide customers with the best possible solutions to meet the widest range of applications. Ebsray is currently being integrated into Blackmer’s organisation which, as an expanded organisation will provide increased entry points and product coverage in a number of industries and applications, most notably within the LP Gas and Autogas sectors.
WLPGA: What regions of the world do Blackmer and Ebsray do business in, and where do you anticipate growth?
Madden: Blackmer boasts strong market penetration and recognition in North America, South America, Europe, parts of Asia and, to a lesser extent, the Middle East and Africa. Ebsray, on the other hand, has long been recognised as a leader in Australia, Southeast Asia and, for Autogas, in Europe. The strong presence of each brand complements each other and dovetails well with our growth plans. Speaking to specific technologies, Ebsray’s regenerative turbine pump technology was an especially attractive target for acquisition since it fills a void in PSG’s product portfolio. In addition, possessing a manufacturing facility in Australia offers us easier access to a robust growth region of the world.
WLPGA: What are the largest opportunities for Blackmer and Ebsray today?
Madden: Since its founding, Ebsray has enjoyed enviable success in penetrating the industrial, LP Gas and military-equipment refueling systems industries and markets in Australia and Southeast Asia. Ebsray’s regenerative turbine and sliding vane pump technologies will fit nicely with Blackmer’s sliding vane and reciprocating gas compressor technology in global LP Gas applications and activities. We anticipate this will result in increased market share for Ebsray in North America and other key regions, while simultaneously buttressing Blackmer’s presence in certain targeted growth areas. Additionally, the manufacturing capability, engineering and technical knowledge that has been acquired with Ebsray positions PSG and Blackmer to leverage their new ability to provide rapid globalizsation of the right technologies in the right locations in Australia and Southeast Asia. It will also enhance our customer-service capabilities in the region, which is an additional driver of accelerated market growth.
WLPGA: Since AEGPL and World LPG Forum have combined, what are you looking forward to most at the event in London? Madden:
From a PSG and Blackmer perspective, we are excited that the combined World LP Gas Forum and AEGPL Congress will be the stage for Ebsray’s public introduction to the world as a member of PSG. We will take this opportunity to emphasise Ebsray’s regenerative turbine and sliding vane pump technologies to a broad audience of industry professionals. This combined World LP Gas Forum and AEGPL Congress will bring together in one place many of the most respected European and global LP Gas industry leaders. This will allow all of us to, in one setting, address the latest opportunities and issues facing the industry, and perhaps work to solve issues that are having the greatest impact on global LP Gas production and delivery.