BIRMINGHAM — In Water Technology’s February article, “Selling ultrafiltration to end customers,” Assistant Editor Maria Woodie writes about how educating current customers and prospects about ultrafiltration (UF) can lead to big profits.
UF is just one of several filtration technologies available within the residential and light commercial market. Other filtration solutions available include reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF) and microfiltration (MF). A filtration spectrum chart can help customers understand the different levels of membrane filtration available in the market (you can find that chart, and a previous article focused on MF, here).
UF treatment has been used to treat waterborne pathogens for several years. Jeremiah Jesse, a sales representative for Hankscraft H2O Products, explains in the article that UF can simply be defined “as a process where pressurized raw water is forced through a membrane with very small pores and particles larger than 0.01 microns are separated from water.” He adds that some UF systems use a hollow fiber membrane that employs an “inside-out” process allowing water to flow into the hollow fiber’s center and filter out the pathogens as the water “permeates through the membrane.”
To ensure optimal performance and longevity, pretreatment of UF systems is crucial. In the article Jesse notes that many contaminants can impact a UF system’s operation — such as ferrous iron, turbidity and hardness — and dealers need to educate customers on the importance of properly testing water supplies and understanding what might be in the water when considering a UF system.
Another important factor to consider and to educate customers about is certification. A properly certified UF system, just like with any water treatment product and service, helps to reassure end users that the system is running as effectively and efficiently as possible. This reassurance establishes a level of trust between the dealer and customer, boosting the probability of repeat, or new, business opportunities. Common UF certifications include WQA and NSF.
Read the entire February feature on UF here.
