ISCO Industries Uses HDPE Piping Solutions Expertise to Expand into New Industrial Markets

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). ISCO Industries LLC (Louisville, Kentucky), the largest HDPE pipe and products distributor in the nation, operating 20 distribution sites and six different fabrication facilities, is on a mission to expand its position in the industrial marketplace. The forty-three year old, privately-owned company has a well-established history in the municipal marketplace for supplying HDPE piping solutions for wastewater treatment plant projects. In the last three years, the company has made a concerted effort to expand its presence in the industrial marketplace through expansions and acquisitions.

Seeing a need for HDPE pipe and services in a resurging industrial marketplace, especially for underground fire water systems, ISCO acquired Cooper Wholesale in Pryor, Oklahoma in 2002 and then acquired sites from industrial piping supplier, Maskell Robbins in September 2003. ISCO didn’t stop there, adding distribution centers in Baltimore, Maryland and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Today, the company is planning to consolidate its facilities in Louisville, Kentucky. An existing large fabrication facility with a pipe yard and an off-site pipe yard will be combined into one at a new grassroot plant in Louisville’s Riverport Industrial Park scheduled to begin construction in 2006.

ISCO prides itself on the attention and expertise it provides to its customers. According to Jim Kirchdorfer, President of ISCO, "We are a customer-focused company, specializing solely on HDPE piping and services nationwide." ISCO is one of two North American authorized fabricators of pipe and fittings approved by Factory Mutual Research Corporation, reducing insurance risk for industrial plant owners installing fire protection systems on projects. ISCO’s business is split between municipal, industrial, oil & gas, and mining, with municipal being its largest book of business. ISCO is seeing increased activity in the industrial and mining side of its business. Mr. Kirchdorfer adds, "Lately, we’ve seen an increase in mining business in the U.S. as metals and minerals prices have improved, especially for copper and coal mining projects."

In addition to physical expansion, the company uses Industrial Information Resources (IIR - Houston, Texas) online database management solution, PECWeb Direct, to identify new industrial markets and trends. According to Mark Horton, Regional Sales Manager for ISCO Industries, "We first subscribed to Industrialinfo.com in early spring of 2004 and by June 2004 we had our first success using IIR’s data." Mr. Horton continues, "A large petrochemical firm was building a new cogeneration plant in La Porte, Texas. IIR’s information let us know who the E&C Firm was on the project. We immediately got on the phone, figured out which procurement group was involved, got a package put together and won the job. We supplied the HDPE pipe, on-site fabrication services, and tool rental for that job, which took fifteen months to complete. That was the first of many successes with IIR data."

Mr. Horton goes on to say, "There are really three areas where IIR’s data really helps us. First, we receive daily Industrial News Alerts and Customized PEC Project Alerts emails that notify us of breaking industrial project news. IIR’s research gives us ideas on what markets to target next. Second, about once a week I go into PECWeb Direct and search for projects with bid document release dates in the next 90 days. This allows me to make advanced communication with the owners and E&C firms involved. And third, PECWeb Direct helps me qualify projects."

ISCO has the capability to source HDPE pipe and services globally, with international operations based out of Mulberry, Florida under the direction of Ted Amaya. The company recently supplied pipe for a golf course in Russia. Pipe for that project was sourced through a European joint venture, but the company also ships U.S. sourced pipe to international projects. Mr. Horton states, "There are some projects in the Middle East that we are actually shipping product through the Port of Houston. The HDPE pipe can be sourced locally, but there are quality control issues. One particular E&C firm based in Houston has had trouble when they’ve sourced material regionally, so they prefer to source the pipe from us here and put everything on barges or containers and ship it through the port. That way there’s no concern of what they are getting at the project site."

As far as identifying future business opportunities, Mr. Horton states, "IIR has made a concerted effort to track and identify breaking industries, which has been a tremendous asset to ISCO and our endeavors."

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Industrial Information Resources (IIR) is a Marketing Information Service company that has been doing business for over 22 years. IIR is respected as a leader in providing comprehensive market intelligence pertaining to the industrial processing, heavy manufacturing, and energy-related industries throughout the world.