How Engineering Firms Are Dealing with COVID-19 (Source: Pumps & Systems)

By Drew Champlin

The coronavirus is impacting the pump industry in many ways. From events being canceled to distributors having to be more creative. Here, Pumps & Systems catches up with Steve Gilbreath, vice president of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), to see how engineering firms are dealing with the pandemic.

Pumps& Systems: What types of projects are being put on hold?

Gilbreath: It varies both by geography and project type. Most projects in construction have not been impacted and are proceeding as planned. In some cases, projects are even accelerating.

Larger and smaller communities are becoming more cautious and are slowing or pausing on new design contracts. This includes horizontal projects (pipelines, flood control channels, etc.) and facility projects (pump stations, treatment facilities). Again, projects that are contracted have generally stayed the course. That said, many clients are still awarding contracts at their normal pace.

Some private utilities have temporarily postponed some planned infrastructure rehabilitation projects but are expected to resume those projects once the impacts to the economy are better understood and how it affects their business model.

Development projects (both public and private) may have paused depending on their financial situation and market sector.