Obart’s twin teams

19 June 2020

Obart Pumps realised how serious the Covid-19 pandemic was very early on the crisis.

Sadly, Heros Speroni, the Italian entrepreneur who co-founded the pump manufacturer, Speroni SpA, died from the coronavirus on 24 March. He was 75 and had been in hospital for two weeks. The company, based in Reggio Emilia, is one of Obart’s main pump suppliers (picture below).

“Hearing the news sent a shiver down my spine,” said Obart’s Managing Director, Matthew Hill. “It brought home to us just how real the threat was.

“Initially when the lockdown was announced, I thought we had to shut. However, I soon realised we were classed as an essential supplier on the government’s list as a provider of pumps for sewage water treatment, fresh water and drinking water. So we had to stay open and make these available.

“To ensure staff safety and social distancing, we split our workforce into two teams, who worked at home or in the office on alternate weeks.

“We supplied the pumps that were used with trailer-mounted bowsers, made by Western Trailers, for the drive-through virus test centres equipped by Sunbelt Rentals (formerly A-Plant). These automatically top of the water needed for toilets and sanitisation systems at the sites.”

Obart was also inundated with online orders for non-industrial pumps used for swimming pools, garden irrigation and ponds. Demand came from people who were furloughed or self-isolating at home.

The lockdown ironically coincided with one of the driest springs on record, which wouldn’t have helped industrial pump sales even without the virus. However, the recent heavy rainfall in some parts of the country has meant that business is returning to more normal levels, especially as more construction sites are re-opening.

* I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to Heros Speroni’s wife, Graziella Carpi, and his daughters Rita and Elena.