Water Solutions Unlimited is making water safe and healthy.
Making that decision required changes in the distribution process. Special trucks and specifically trained and certified HazMat drivers were essential. To economically accommodate distribution, Water Solutions opened distribution warehouses in East Peoria, Illinois in 2013 and in 2019, another in Jackson,
Michigan.
In addition, Water Solutions began to purchase chemicals in bulk, blend them locally to their product specifications, repackage, and distribute them through their network. “Smaller to medium-sized cities cannot always meet the minimum order requirements demanded by large companies,” Ricks said. “That’s why they need us. Because we can buy and blend in bulk, we can sell the smaller quantities that fit their needs and budgets.”
EXPANDING THEIR REACH
With a greater distribution network, Water Solutions was able to enlarge their service territory. “We are expanding outside our core of cities and towns. Now, we do a lot of business in Michigan and Kentucky and more than before in Ohio and Iowa,” Ricks said.
Because of their reputation for helping to provide healthy water for people, when farmers had problems with livestock dying, they got calls, which opened a new opportunity in the agricultural industry. “We have stepped into a little bit of business in the agricultural industry making water good for animals to
drink.” Rusty Bruce oversees the agricultural applications.
Ricks said their overall belief is that if you give somebody great water, good things happen. Good things for humans and animals. Healthy water is one step, but they were getting inquiries from water superintendents responsible for community swimming pools. Previously the company would say no, that
they did not service pools. After thinking about it, the answer to the inquiries changed. Instead of saying no, they started to say, we might. After all, if healthy water was good for people and pools were good for communities, why not explore the need? Now, Dave Harvey is the lead pool expert that provides service for municipal, commercial, and residential pools.
Customer’s needs drives more than expansion into new areas. It also drives new products at Water Solutions. “We produce Aquaox, which is a highly-potent, non-toxic, and nonallergenic disinfectant that runs through fogging and spraying machines,” Ricks said. Not only is it effective it solved another
issue that customers had. Some disinfectants make the air difficult to breathe and smells so bad that no one could stay in a treated area for some time. “With Aquaox,” Ricks said, “it is safe, and the smell is manageable.”
Water Solutions Unlimited developed and sold Aquaox before COVID arrived. After it arrived, the company began selling it nationally and internationally as well as regionally. Part of the benefit of using Aquaox is that customers can get it in the quantity needed. One- or two-gallon jugs for smaller companies or
organizations like movie theaters, libraries, and community centers, or a pallet full for clinics and hospitals or hospital suppliers.
