Business View Magazine | July 2019

416 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JULY 2019 have also been on pipeline jobs as welders, or on the integrity management side of the pipeline space in terms of hydro testing, cleaning, and drying. So, we’ve got some people who have been out there and I think that being in the field, and doing what you say you’re going to do in a timely manner - I think the customers have a real trust of what we can do to help them do their job.” “A lot of equipment companies can have the same product line and support it,” Fry adds. “It’s those nuances of walking in their shoes that give us a little bit of an advantage in seeing things before somebody else would, or anticipating what the need might be. Also, when it comes to innovation, it’s anticipating what would help make this product better, or help them in their job in a more cost-effective or safer way.” Fry insists that constant innovation is a way of life at SEMI. “We’re always looking at what’s one more way we can assist our customers to do their job better,” he states. “That’s what is always on our minds. It’s not just about the transaction of ‘You need a piece of equipment; I have the equipment; let’s do a deal.’ It’s ‘How can I anticipate what they need and maybe improve on an existing process?’ So, we’re always looking to innovate and create new solutions for our customers.” Of course, there are challenges in every industry and over the past few years, the construction and implementation of oil and gas pipelines have become a flashpoint for those in the environmental movement who see potential danger in possible pipeline breaks and spills. Fry notes the dilemma, and remarks, “We’re on the side that believes that pipeline transport is one of the safest means to transporting natural gas and oil, but we’re also aware of the national dialogue for and against pipeline construction. And so, if it affects our customers, it affects us. And ways that it might affect them would be delays in permitting to start a job, and so that, naturally, will delay us putting equipment on the job. So, we do see some of that. It hasn’t, necessarily, been a huge problem for us, but if it affects our clients; it does trickle down. We are seeing more and more of our clients run into delays for