Valparaiso Magazine - Spring 2023

More documents

Recommendations

Info

MADE IN VALPARAISO | SEAL SOLUTIONS Stepping Outside the Comfort Zone In 11 short years, Seal Solutions has transformed from a three-room mechanical repair shop into a manufacturing and distribution business for the mechanical seal industry. By Haleigh Vander Vinne Craig Tomerlin was in school for woodland firefighting when he met his wife, Rebecca. Her father, Terry, had been in the mechanical seals industry for 40+ years and asked Tomerlin to lend a hand. With no experience or knowledge of the industry, he jumped in headfirst and fell in love. “I decided to give it a try. I had someone to impress so I tried really hard and got really good at it,” said Tomerlin. And, in 2012, he opened Seal Solutions where he repaired mechanical seals, devices used to provide a seal at the point of entry or exit of a rotating shaft. Breaking Down a Mechanical Seal A mechanical seal has two parts – one hooks onto the shaft, spinning with it, while the other connects to the machine, staying still. “One spins against the other,” added Tomerlin. The metal parts that “kiss” are 4 SPRING 2023 | known as faces. “When those two faces are in contact with each other, the gap between them is eleven millionths of an inch, which is like a molecule,” commented Terry. “These faces are made out of certain materials, from silicon carbide, which is almost as hard as diamond and dissipates heat very quickly, to carbon Viton, used for chemicals that won’t dissolve the rubber O-rings inside,” explained Tomerlin. Due to friction, these faces suffer wear and degradation. Seal Solutions will rebuild and repair the mechanical seal if possible. “What you do to take the wear mark out is resurface it. Then, we will re-polish it so you can see it has a mirror shine,” explained Tomerlin. Making the Switch from Repair to Distribution In the beginning, Tomerlin would spend hours driving up and down the lakeshore to repair or deliver seals. “The farther I would go, the more upsetting it’d be because I would spend all this time driving, talking to the customer, trying to get more work and I’d drive back and I’ve missed shipping orders, phone calls, this, that. I had to pull it in and stay put,” said Tomerlin. In doing so, Seal Solutions went from renting three rooms at 3103 Cascade Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383, to buying the entire building last year because they started stocking inventory to ship. “Switching from solely repair to distribution has been the biggest change and probably the biggest help in growth,” said Tomerlin. Being in the Middle Has Its Benefits Valparaiso has been the ideal place for Seal Solutions to grow. The area is home to different types of factories and manufacturers that have a need for mechanical seals. In addition, they have attracted businesses from California to the East Coast. “They would not be thinking so much of us if we weren’t in the middle of the United States,” commented Tomerlin.
Valparaiso's location is ideal for attracting customers from California to the East Coast. They would not be thinking... of us if we weren’t in the middle of the United States. Spring for junk removal! • Eco-friendly mission • Exceptional service • Honest pricing • Same-day availability Book a free estimate today! 1-800-LUG-JUNK • Junkluggers.com Michigan City | Indianapolis | Fort Wayne | Lafayette — Craig Tomerlin, Seal Solutions Tomerlin also spoke of their efforts to continue expanding their inventory, adding new staff, including a salesperson to connect to more industries, and developing their own mechanical seal line in India. Looking Back – And Forward A decade has passed since Tomerlin stepped out of his comfort zone and opened Seal Solutions’ doors. Now, having grown the company into a manufacturing and distribution operation, he can look back and see how far he’s come. “My natural abilities were the actual fixing, touching, doing, but when you have a business side, I had to step out of where I’m comfortable to actually do what needs to be done to really grow,” said Tomerlin. Solid Foundation. Trusted Partner. tonnandblank.com | ValpoChamber.org 5
Page 1 and 2: SPRING 2023 VOL. 23 ISSUE 2 Craig a
Page 3: SPRING 2023 CONTENTS BUSINESS SNAPS
Page 7 and 8: MADE IN VALPARAISO | HEAT WAGON >>
Page 9 and 10: Immediate Care Centers of Community
Page 11 and 12: MADE IN VALPARAISO | ARCH WOOD PROT
Page 13 and 14: Now, more than ever... experience a
Page 15 and 16: MADE IN VALPARAISO | DANISH MAID BU
Page 17 and 18: TRUST MATTERS. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT
Page 19 and 20: NEED SOME HELP? WE’RE HERE FOR YO
Page 21 and 22: Our wood preservatives are synonymo
Page 23: MEMBER INVESTOR ANNIVERSARIES >> AN
Page 26 and 27: NEW MEMBER INVESTORS MEMBERS The Va
Page 29 and 30: Our beautifully renovated venue wil
Page 31 and 32: Teachers Credit Union (TCU) is plea
Page 33 and 34: Valpo MBA Pursue your degree online
Page 35 and 36: Meanwhile, in 1967, Cargill Inc had
Page 37 and 38: BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT >> BUSINESS Reac
Page 40: Make an Appointment to live your be

Valparaiso Magazine - Spring 2023

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?