Aries Industries Inc.
Waukesha
www.ariesindustries.com
Industry: Manufacturing/Pipeline Inspection
Innovation: Wolverine Cutting System
Cities and municipalities across the country sit atop miles of underground pipe systems for water, oil, gas and sewage, some of which are decades, even centuries old. As a manufacturer of inspection and rehabilitation equipment, Waukesha-based Aries Industries sells its products to contractors or municipalities so they can inspect pipelines for any obstructions, cracks or collapsing areas.
Aries’ new Wolverine Cutting System makes the repair process easier and more cost-effective by offering a two-in-one system.
“Some of the underground infrastructure in this country is 100 years old; in all cases, it’s decades old. The inspection process is only one step. The follow-up is what to do about it,” said Nick Kroll, president and chief executive officer of Aries Industries.
During the repair process, a felt or UV liner is sheared to the inside of the existing pipe to strengthen the pipe’s integrity.
“The last part of the relining process is sending a second machine down and a second camera down to reinstate the lateral pipes by cutting through the lining,” he said.
Aries’ Wolverine Cutting system is a cutter and camera-in-one, and is controlled completely via one portable truck system, Kroll said.
“Being able to visually see what you’re doing allows the operator to more effectively, and accurately reinstate those lateral pipes better than anything else on the market today,” Kroll said.
According to Kroll, many systems in use today are 20 to 30 years old. The Wolverine Cutting System replaces those processes, which are labor and equipment intensive, and eliminates a step in the process, making it more cost effective for the marketplace.
“The system allows for productivity gains up to six times what many are experiencing in the market today,” Kroll said.
The Wolverine Cutting System is currently on a “Cut Across America” demonstration tour. Kroll expects to do around $3.5 million in sales over the next few years with this product alone, including $1 million in additional sales over 2013.
“In addition to the extra sales revenue, we’re also looking forward to being able to add more value to the relationships we have with our existing customers,” Kroll said.
