Meet our Industry Person of the Week, Nick Stidham, an Applications Engineer and CAD Draftsman at SEPCO.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Nick: I earned my Associate in Applied Science for Advanced Engineering Design Technology at Bevill State in Sumiton, Alabama. While attending Bevill State, I began working as a draftsman and assistant to professional civil engineers at Krebs Engineering in Hoover, Alabama. At Krebs, I expanded my knowledge of pump design and sharpened my technical skills by working with various types of CAD software. Several years later, I transitioned to SEPCO, where I took on roles as an applications engineer and draftsman. My experience at SEPCO has been incredibly diverse, ranging from site surveys and seal application design (including drafting in AutoCAD and checking material compatibilities) to training distributors and end-users, assisting with installations and troubleshooting in the field, and conducting failure analysis.
Q: What do you love the most about your job? What are you most proud of?
Nick: The most rewarding aspect of my career is the opportunity to meet and assist the incredible people I encounter in the field. This industry is full of hard-working, big-hearted men and women, and it’s a privilege to learn their stories while working together towards fluid sealing success. I also greatly appreciate the wide range of responsibilities in my role. Whether I’m collecting application data across the country or designing a new engineered product in CAD at the office, I get to be a crucial piece of the puzzle in our industry. I’m blessed by God to be at SEPCO and to have the opportunity to get my hands dirty on equipment that truly needs our expertise.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?
Nick: Our field can’t be fully learned in the classroom—real-world experience is critical since many applications are unique. I recommend being eager to learn and applying that knowledge diligently. Experience with pumps is highly valuable, but mechanical seals are a more advanced niche. There are many free training courses and videos available online that are incredibly helpful for building a solid foundation.
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Nick: I recently worked on a project at a phosphate plant to improve sealing reliability. We provided training to the maintenance, operations, and engineering staff, demonstrating how to check the pump/rotating equipment for pipe strain and bearing issues, as well as how to properly install mechanical seals. We then conducted a survey of the plant to gather all relevant information and make the best application recommendations possible. Afterward, I designed the necessary seals in CAD and provided the approved drawings to our 100% in-house production team, who expedited the orders. We are now preparing to supervise the installation and establish the end-user on our SEPCO Sealing Application Management System (SAMS), which includes failure analysis on the competitor seals that were previously in place. Our changes have already saved this company nearly $250,000 after just one month of partnership.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
Nick: Proverbs 16:3 ESV – “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Keep Jesus first in your life and submit your will to His, and you can trust that He will make things right in the end. Without Christ in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today, but now I have hope for tomorrow, regardless of what the world may bring my way. I would also like to thank Empowering Pumps for the opportunity to be highlighted for my work in the field. A special thanks goes to my teammates at SEPCO, who have made so much possible for me and our clients. With hundreds of years of combined experience, my training at SEPCO has been unparalleled, and I have genuinely learned this industry from the very best.
Connect with Nick on LinkedIn.
THANK YOU, NICK! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
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