SPP Pumps continues its 150-year legacy of innovation, investing in people, technology, and global growth to drive a sustainable future
Over the course of a century and a half, SPP Pumps (SPP) has earned the reputation for being a global leader in specialist pump manufacturing. Initially renowned for its water and fire pumps, including its own unique Multistage Multi-Outlet (MSMO) pump that has been used in many high-rise buildings and tunnels around the world, the company has evolved and expanded to include a variety of class leading process pumps to meet the demands of this global market.
With nearly a year having passed since we last caught up with SPP, we sat down with Director and COO, Robert Tichband to understand more about the company’s
ongoing evolution and growth, including how it’s preparing for the future. To begin our conversation, Robert shares some highlights from the last 12 months: “Last year was very successful for us; we had a very strong financial performance. We’ve continued to invest heavily in talent, by taking on both graduate engineers and apprentices, as well as upskilling our existing staff. We’ve spent a lot of money upgrading and updating our infrastructure. We’ve also invested heavily in technology as we begin to integrate AI across the operation, so it’s been a very busy 12 months.”
Robert then takes a moment to reflect on the factors that have contributed to the company’s longevity: “A significant factor is the quality of our products, as well as the quality of our people. Throughout the course of our history, the ability to adapt to changes in the market and the macroeconomic landscape has also been key. We’re proud to be a British manufacturing company and continue to thrive.”
Preparing for the future has also been a key element of the company’s success. Apprenticeships can ensure there is a constant pool of talent to fuel the company as it grows and adapts to new technologies that emerge. Robert sheds more light on the importance of the program to the business: “We’re firm believers in apprenticeships; we have a lot of ex-apprentices in senior positions within the organization, so we see first-hand how important it is to develop your own talent in-house. These people buy into the culture of the organization very quickly. We challenge our apprentices to take on responsibility quite quickly and make sure that they’re contributing. This practical, hands-on learning embeds much better. So, it’s hugely important to us.
“In the UK, close to ten percent of our workforce are apprentices at various stages of their journey. For example, one of our apprentices has been recognized with two very prestigious prizes by Gloucester Enterprise. We’re really proud of his achievement, just as we are proud of our apprenticeship scheme more broadly.”
As the company goes from strength to strength, its operations in America are also expanding. Robert outlines how recent acquisitions have bolstered SPP’s presence and capabilities in the US: “In 2006, we founded a subsidiary in Atlanta, Georgia. That business has grown exponentially over the years. Around ten years ago, it then acquired a business called SyncroFlow.
“We’ve been able to support their product development activities from the UK; they’re very focused on their markets. We are also increasing our social media footprint in America through promotional videos, and LinkedIn profiles for example. It’s a key growth area for us and represents a very successful part of the business.”
As consumer and regulatory demands shift, the company has adapted to meet the changing needs of modern infrastructure and industry, with critical increases in efficiency transforming the water utility sector. Robert explains: “We’re focusing on efficiency and lowering energy consumption. Pumps are a critical part of most industrial processes, particularly in the water utility sector, which is all about moving water from one place to another. There’s an energy cost associated with that. By making our pumps more efficient, much easier to maintain, and with longer maintenance intervals, we are contributing to the decarbonization of the industry by reducing energy consumption and energy costs for our customers, as well as extending the lifecycle of the products.”
Before highlighting the company’s current investments and growth strategy, Robert takes a moment to reflect on the significance of winning the Manufacturer of the Year award three times in a row: “It really underpins our status as the premium pump manufacturing company in the UK. To win that award once is a great honor, twice in a row is unprecedented, and three times is remarkable. We’re very proud of it. We also actively support the BPMA, the British Pump Manufacturers Association. It’s nice for us to be recognized not only by the market and by our customers, but by our peers as well.
“To maintain our growth and ongoing financial success, we are investing heavily right across the board. Firstly, we have invested in our staff because we recognize our people as our most important asset. Updating and upgrading the infrastructure of our facilities and our machinery, particularly the machinery that apprentices can operate, which really accelerates their learning, helps prepare the company for the increased demand of the future.
“We are also doing a lot with AI and software platforms that increase our presence in the service sector and increase the efficiency of our manufacturing processes. We view ourselves as a progressive organization that is ready to adapt to new challenges. I think that investment in people, current technology, and infrastructure has been key to our success so far and will continue to be a crucial factor in our future success.”
To conclude, Robert looks to the future, outlining the company’s ambitions and goals for the years to come: “In the shorter term, we have some shipping and sales targets to meet, as well as some financial performance numbers to achieve. Looking forward, though, our priorities are securing and building on our financial performance, ensuring that we have a very sound financial base, and we are improving our credit rating, which we’re also very proud of. We will also be ensuring that the culture of the organization is not only protected but enhanced by everything that we do, making sure that we live by our values, that the company is sustainable, and that we can provide security for the communities that we operate in and deliver value to all our stakeholders.”