When a company is founded with a solid vision for the future, and a real dedication to service for the customer, the sky is the limit.
Without the vision of its founder, John Wilton, Piping Specialty Supply Service (PSSS) would not have moved so seamlessly from strength to strength.
“When John started PSSS, he obviously had quite a vision of where it was going to go. It has grown from strength to strength,” says PSSS General Manager Jan Hodges.
Entrenched in that vision is the ethos of service to the customer – a drive that sees PSSS providing go-to solutions across the pipeline industry, throughout Australia and abroad.
“PSSS are your go to supplier in sales and hire for all things pipeline service, maintenance, and construction. We pride ourselves on being solution driven,” says Hodges.
Growth and opportunity
It was seeing this same commitment to service in AJP that led to PSSS’s acquisition of the company in July 2022, for the mutual benefit of both.
“In AJP we saw that same commitment to service. That desire to provide sales and service solutions made AJP stand out in the crowd,” says Hodges.
Scott Gibbs, Operations Manager for AJP, finds himself living that same service-based mentality every day.
“My job is to make it a smooth process,” he says. “Get the goods out the door to get them to the customer as quick as possible.
“The ability to increase our level of service and solutions to both companies through the acquisition of AJP is priceless,” says Hodges. “I couldn’t agree more,” says Gibbs.
“Our goal will be to continue with the ongoing success of AJP, whilst looking for new opportunities to promote growth – such as increasing AJP’s offering and availability of hire equipment,” Hodges says.
Building a brighter future at home
PSSS isn’t interested in growth just for growth’s sake, however. The difficulties that came with trying to import stock and meet the needs of customers during a global pandemic was a challenge that impacted everyone in the industry.
“It really brought home our reliance on foreign manufacturing. As a country it has taken this for people to start to realise what’s missing from our own backyard,” says Hodges.
It’s this realisation that has driven PSSS to pursue further operations for the business by setting its sights on manufacturing here in Australia.
First on the agenda is the manufacturing of flange protection, which the company hopes to commence in January 2023. It might seem like a small thing, but Hodges believes that it will be a good way to make a real impact.
“It doesn’t sound like a very big goal,” says Hodges. “It’s not that hard to do. Ultimately, My main goal is to be able to supply biodegradable flange protection. That’s what we’re working towards.”
Hodges says that it’s not just about manufacturing, but about seeking and promoting partnerships with companies in Australia.
“Aside from our own investments in manufacturing, we’re also trying to promote agreements – exclusivity agreements, in some cases – with other companies that are manufacturing here. We’re trying to bring as much back in Australia as we can.”
Recently the company signed an agreement with Royal Oil and Gas, that sees PSSS as the exclusive distributor for Royal’s full range of foam pipeline pigs.
By mitigating the reliance on overseas providers for these products, PSSS can offer customers a huge reduction in lead times. The move also allows PSSS to offer customised foam pigs, tailored to the specific needs of each project as they are needed.
People are key
The growth of PSSS has, of course, led to the hiring and acquisition of further talent. The company has been lucky in its search, with three new staff in the last two and a half months, and an eye towards a handful more in the next few.
“They’re just perfect for their roles. We’re really lucky in that regard,” says Hodges.
What this means is that PSSS now has more minds, all working together with a vision for the future. It grants the business the blessing of multiple perspectives, the opportunity to collaborate and find more ways to grow and meet the ever-changing needs of industry operators.
With AJP on board, Hodges and Gibbs are able to work together on future strategies that will see the operations running in parallel, supporting each other and endeavouring to pursue the service-first backbone of the companies.
“We’ve now got a scenario with more minds sitting around the campfire. When you get more people involved in the discussion, you start to see more opportunities come up. There are more people throwing out ideas. By working together, I believe that both PSSS and AJP are going to continue to grow to new and better heights – watch this space,” Hodges said.
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This article is featured in the November edition of The Australian Pipeliner.
