Rance Herren, a veteran of the fluid power industry with over 37 years of hydraulic and pneumatic application experience, has launched a new company aimed at helping manufacturers with their fluid power designs. Fluid Power SME, LLC provides certified expertise in hydraulics and pneumatics from an objective, third party capable of offering design services and consultation.
Areas of expertise include:
Not all manufacturers have hydraulics and pneumatics expertise in-house, and with the growing skills gap in the industry, it is becoming more difficult to find those with the necessary knowledge, which prompted Herren to start the company.
Herren explains in the following Q&A with Power & Motion his reasons for starting the company and why it will be beneficial for manufacturers of various types to work with Fluid Power SME.
Power & Motion: What lead you to start Fluid Power SME?
Rance Herren: There is a real need in the fluid power industry for access to competent and objective technical advice so that OEMs and end-users of equipment that utilize hydraulic and pneumatic technologies can be more self-assured in their decision making. Fluid Power SME advocates on the client’s behalf, empowering them with flexibility and autonomy.
P&M: What makes Fluid Power SME different or unique in the industry?
RH:Fluid Power SME is unique in that we do not manufacture or sell components or systems. We are industry-certified professionals that specialize in bringing unfiltered, objective advice and robust design solutions to help our clients overcome technical challenges to bring their project initiatives to reality.
P&M: What types of customers is the company looking to work with?
RH: Fluid Power SME works with OEMs and end-users of all sizes, industries and geographies. We are at our best with clients that are forward thinking, technically driven and in the end, want options to facilitate and accelerate their projects.
P&M: Are you seeing a greater need in the market for the types of services Fluid Power SME can provide? If so, what is driving this?
RH: The fluid power industry is suffering a drain on the talent pool that is alarming, to say the least. The number of individuals coming into and staying in the industry compared with those leaving or retiring is strikingly disproportionate. The Fluid Power SME model seeks to fill this gap by focusing on technical competency and the transfer of knowledge to the next generation.
Rance Herren has more than 37 years of hydraulic and pneumatic application experience in a variety of roles and industries (including 24 years in oil and gas), and is widely recognized as an expert on fluid power system design, troubleshooting and failure analysis. Herren is a graduate of the Industrial Controls Technology program at California State University Fullerton, the Industrial Electrical Technology program at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and holds multiple advanced fluid power certifications. He is the past president (2016) of the International Fluid Power Society and remains a lifetime member, technical contributor and advisor.
