Why Some Hose Reels Cost More Than Others
When shopping for any product, whether it be food, clothing, housing – or items related to earning an income – it’s understandable to look for lower prices. But “price” alone isn’t the only consideration. “Value” is a better one.
As an example, suppose you could buy a van with ½-ton capacity for “X”, but could also buy a van with 1-ton capacity for 25% more.
You would definitely spend “less” for the smaller-capacity van. So, the “price” would be lower.
And you would definitely spend “more” for the larger-capacity van. So the “price” would be higher.
But the van with the higher price would have a heavy-duty drive train and suspension, have a longer lifespan with the workload you want to put in it, and have fewer mechanical difficulties during its lifespan as a result.
Which would offer better “value”?
“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”
— William A. Foster
Why do our reels cost more?
Because we have a different priority than most other manufacturers. Our priorities are quality and innovation, rather than minimizing material costs.
The first time we went to a trade show to exhibit, one distributor in particular was very vocal that our reels were too expensive.
That distributor didn’t see the value of reels being built for performance, rather than just going with the industry-standard approach of manufacturing hose reels that had no focus on being space-saving and durable… and were inexpensive.
Competing on price gets in the way of innovation.
But building better reels was – and is – our focus. And they simply cost more to build.
So, the result for you is that, very much like a 1-ton van vs. a ½-ton van, you get many more years of trouble-free service out of them. (Manufacturers outside our industry see the same thing: reliability and maintainability are what keep equipment earning instead of sitting in the shop.)
Designed to get out of your way
But durability is just one focus of what we do with our designs.
Michelangelo, the great sculptor, has been quoted as saying, “The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”
We see hose reels in a very similar way. They should “get out of the way” of your work and leave as much room for you to “breathe” as possible.
That’s been our philosophy from early on in setting design goals. And it continues into the present – and the future.
What does this mean for you, as an owner of our reels?
It means that you have:
- Reels designed specifically for your type of van
- More cargo space
- A more comfortable van environment
- More cargo storage options available
- More years of trouble-free service… so less down-time
- Lower reel-related expenses over the life of your reels
