By: Tex Enoch, Induron Sales Representative
In 1989, long before the Steel Tank Institute (STI) merged with the Steel Plate Fabricators Association (SPFA) and I joined Induron Coatings, I attended my first SPFA meeting at the Silverado Resort in Napa, California…
I had recently been promoted to President of Pennsbury Coatings Corporation—my father was Chairman of the Board and CEO, and he wanted to introduce me to the upper management of our biggest customers. Pennsbury specialized in the manufacture of coatings for the water tank industry and the major players in that industry always attended this annual meeting.
I met the presidents of Fisher Tank Company, Pittsburg DesMoines Steel Company, Tank Builders, Chicago Bridge, Caldwell Tanks and Iron Company, as well as the owners of some of the contractors that painted those tanks (Neumann Co., J. J. Sirianni, and Corrosion Control Corporation). The relationships that were developed with these companies along with Tank Industry Consultants, a water tank inspection company, empowered Pennsbury to compete with much larger coatings manufacturing companies. Those relationships exist to this very day.
Since 1989, I have attended every annual conference, but represented three different industrial coatings companies. The opportunity that STI/SPFA has given me, and now Induron Protective Coatings, to get to build social and personal relationships with our largest customers is priceless.
This year, fellow Induron Salesmen, Andy Orderzinski, will join me at the annual meeting in Phoenix. Together we will introduce Induron’s new line of Industrial Coatings, which are geared toward the shop tank manufacturing companies (also an integral part of STI/SPFA). We believe the potential growth in that market is even greater than the erected tank market.
I am looking forward to reconnecting with some old friends in Phoenix and demonstrating some of our new products to the shop fabrication members that will also be in attendance.