Holland Pump: Tackling Critical Infrastructure and Environmental Restoration Projects
As cities rush to renew their infrastructure, protect and restore ecosystems, and build resilience to the impacts of a changing climate, there is a growing demand for specialty pump rentals and customized support programs. In a rapidly changing market, Holland Pump is answering the call, providing mission-critical equipment and exceptional customer service, all while rapidly expanding in the Gulf Coast region with new branch locations.
For more than 40 years, Florida-based Holland Pump Company has delivered innovative pumping solutions for customers across the southeastern United States. Formed in 1978, the company manufactures, sells, distributes, rents, and services pumps and related equipment for infrastructure project dewatering, sewer bypass, as well as a wide range of agricultural, marine, and other industrial applications. Regular clients include the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the company’s projects have included work on the 85-storey Panorama Tower in Miami and the famous guitar-shaped Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Focusing on service
Selecting a pump provider can be a critical decision, says Win Blodgett, President. “On an $80-million project, our services might only be a small portion of the total cost, but we’re often the first people on the job, and our work can mean the difference between staying on schedule or not. We help our customers make the right decisions and increase profitability.”
While Holland Pump continues to expand its business across different regions and markets, one thing stays the same: a commitment to exceptional service. “It’s easy to duplicate a pump rental. It’s much less easy to duplicate a service and decades of hands-on expertise,” says Blodgett.
“We’re a fast-growing company, and we’re proud to have long-standing employees with the experience and expertise to offer appropriate, cost-effective solutions for new challenges and difficult scenarios,” he continues. “We’re motivated to be nimble.”
As part of its “Finish Faster” promise to pump rental customers, Holland Pump prioritizes rapid response times and complete service, from delivery to setup and beyond. On the pump manufacturing side, the company can fulfill very specific requests, design custom systems, and do it all with a shorter lead time than larger manufacturers.
Tackling critical environmental restoration projects
Relative to other states, Florida and the surrounding Gulf Coast states have a high water table. For this reason, every construction project that involves excavation requires pumps. Temporary pumping solutions are also necessary when municipalities are working on climate adaption projects for major infrastructure, particularly in the water and wastewater systems.
Holland Pump is well-versed in these challenging projects. As an example, the company has worked with the South Florida Water Management District, which is tasked with flood control, water supply planning, water quality improvement, ecosystem restoration, and addressing resiliency to climate change impacts. Recently, the District rehabilitated the S-82 canal water control structure near Lake Istapoga in Highlands County.
While the structure was under repair, the District needed a temporary pumping solution to bypass the canal and maintain flows. Holland Pump provided the pumping systems, as well as a backup system, to accommodate flows of 135,000 gallons per minute (or 300 cubic feet per second) and lifts of up to 10 feet. To dewater the work area, the company used hydraulically driven submersible pumps at the bottom of the excavation site.
Holland Pump has also worked on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a unique federal/state partnership to restore the sensitive Florida ecosystem. “Our solutions were part of building the first three pump stations in the middle of the Everglades, in a section of the Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley,” says Blodgett. “These projects were part of the larger effort to restore the natural flow in the wetlands and dramatically reduce phosphorus levels. We’re a cog in the works, but without dewatering pumps, this important restoration effort couldn’t happen.”
Success in a changing market
As in other markets, real-time equipment control and reporting is changing the way the pump rental business operates. “Customers want the tools to give them better oversight so they can make more informed decisions,” Blodgett says. “They also want to remotely control their pumps and understand how the assets are performing.”
Since 2001, Holland Pump’s fuel-efficient pump fleet includes HANS (Holland Automatic Notification System), a 24/7 telemetry system that reports warnings, faults, GPS location, and includes the capability to remotely start and stop the pump system. The company is also an innovator when it comes to mitigating pollution, and, in 2000, became one of the first in North America to convert its non-biodegradable hydraulic oil to environmentally friendly canola and mineral oil which avoids the potential harm associated with spills. The company has also invested in fleet wash systems that recycle wastewater and collect oils. Holland Pump was also the first pump company in the United States to offer eco-pumps that can run on HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), which significantly cuts greenhouse gases.
“It’s important to our team and customers to understand our impact on the environment and take steps to improve our operations where we can,” says Blodgett.