The industrial landscape in Seneca Falls is set for a transformative year ahead

For as long as consumers can remember, Seneca Falls has been a cornerstone in the metalworks industry. The industry has been a top contributor to the Finger Lakes economy. However, in recent years, industrial activity has dwindled after the downsizing of Kodak to focus on healthcare. After being largely agricultural and tourism-based for a few years, the local area has launched several initiatives aimed at attracting high-tech manufacturing companies to the Rochester area, particularly Seneca Falls. 66 percent of manufacturers remain optimistic about their company’s prospects – with 62 percent expecting manufacturing revenues to return to normal by 2021 or later. However, it turns out that there may be more bright news on the way for the residents of Seneca Falls and surrounding counties. With announcements like Pace’s expansion plans for Wayne County and the commissioning of new industrial plants, companies in the industrial and engineering arena are gearing up for a busy 2021.

Back in 2014, Gould Pumps opened up an advanced testing and packaging facility in Seneca Falls. As the brand grew larger in the gas and oil market, there was an increased need for pump products for use in refineries and pipeline sectors. Gould also expanded its manufacturing facilities. Also, after a glimpse of its recent recruitment campaign, it seems that the company is gearing up for another expansion, with roles such as application engineer set to play a crucial role in the roll-out of its smart pump technologies.

Gould’s range of smart and innovative pump technology includes the corrosion-friendly ceramic pump from Rheinhütte Pumpen Group, the Pumpsmart flow control system, and the iAlert 2v3 pressure sensors. Gould’s ceramic pump model is touted as being resistant to both corrosion and high temperatures, making it perfect for refinery applications. This follows the previous exploration into the use of titanium components similar to the list at www.tmstitanium.com. Also corrosion-resistant, titanium is 45 percent lighter than steel, and thought to lengthen pump life in corrosion stress environments.

In September 2020 the Seneca Falls Machine Company property was sold to Steve Tardiborne of Auburn, New York for $185,000. Before its sales, the industrial building housed close to 200 workers, and was a lifeline for many of Seneca Falls residents. With over 100,000 square feet of industrial manufacturing space, the property is a prime location for industrial activity – something Mr. Tardiborne has noticed. In his plans for the property, the buyer announced that he intends to rent most of the space out to up and coming manufacturing businesses. This will present a new opportunity for manufacturing entrepreneurs in Seneca Falls, and with it, growing employment opportunities.

Another potential industrial improvement that Seneca Falls could be enjoying soon stems from ITT’s decision to acquire Rheinhütte Pumpen Group in 2019. For 160 years, Rheinhütte Pumpen Group was known for its pump engineering application across industrial applications including mining, renewable energy, and refinery industries. Now with the company under the umbrella of ITT Inc, it is hoped that ITT will combine the expertise and technology of both to introduce a more innovative pump engineering.

One key prediction for how ITT will utilize the synergies from the acquisition is going green in the mining industry. Before the acquisition, Rheinhütte was already working with mining applications. Now the conversation on how mining is changing this year has turned to reduce the environmental impact of the industry. More companies are seeking eco-friendly practices in mining, and the exploration of pump engineering using renewable energy is a very viable option. Seneca Falls has already supported a sustainable revitalization for the city, with initiatives such as the landfill gas to electric power generation facility by Seneca Meadows. In some states like California, renewable energy already powers up to 50 percent of the state’s electricity and the heat pumps used in homes.

One thing is certain: the oil and gas industry will play a formidable role in industrial manufacturing in Seneca Falls. Whether it is Gould’s smart pump technology creating expansion opportunities, or further exploration of renewable energy role’s in pump engineering, Seneca Falls is set to be very busy on the manufacturing and engineering front.