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Jul 04, 2023

Hose manufacturer ProPulse expanding at Iowa headquarters site

PEOSTA, Iowa—ProPulse, a Schieffer company, has its own recipe for success when it comes to planning and implementing effective growth. And that list of ingredients starts with having the right

PEOSTA, Iowa—ProPulse, a Schieffer company, has its own recipe for success when it comes to planning and implementing effective growth. And that list of ingredients starts with having the right mindset.

"ProPulse has always possessed a growth mentality," Jeff Theis said in an email interview. He has led ProPulse as CEO and president for 25 years. "ProPulse's focus on quality, on-time delivery, and customer satisfaction has allowed us to grow in a relatively short period of time. We have doubled in size in the last five years, and we plan to double again in the next five."

To achieve this success, ProPulse endured a shift in mentality and manufacturing capabilities. Over the last 25 years the company has transitioned from a small hose distributor to a serious hose manufacturer that supplies large original equipment manufacturers across the country.

"When we manufacture hose, we don't make 100 hoses, we make 100,000 hoses and they need to be perfect," said Rusty Schroedermeier, ProPulse assistant plant manager.

"I know it sounds cliche, but we say what we are going to do, and we do it on time, every time. Much of ProPulse's success stems from our ability to uphold customer satisfaction, which in turn allows us to consecutively grow sales year over year. That customer-focused mindset isn't going away anytime soon. ProPulse will always be known as a company that keeps its commitments to our customers."

Since 2005, ProPulse has been a U.S. manufacturer of thermoplastic hydraulic and high-pressure hoses. It also outsources significant quantities of wire-braided rubber hose. ProPulse produces primarily for OEMs in the construction, forestry, agriculture, utility, transportation, cleaning and material handling industries.

ProPulse does all of its manufacturing in Peosta, and it recently expanded the production building to add two state-of-the-art thermoplastic hose extrusion lines. ProPulse now utilizes three locations in Peosta, all within a mile of each other, employing more than 140 people and utilizing 130,000 square feet of space.

The company started with one manufacturing building in Peosta and after seeing significant growth in its first 20 years, ProPulse invested in a new building for its headquarters. In 2020, the company broke ground next to the production facility to add 20,000 square feet. This new space allowed it to improve its manufacturing processes.

ProPulse also recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary in business.

Anton Schieffer, a rubber goods trader, established Schieffer GmbH & Co. K.G. in 1923. Twenty-five years later, Anton Schieffer transferred the business to his sons, Egon and Joachim Schieffer, who took the company to new heights.

Under their direction, Schieffer entered the high-pressure hose business with excellent results. In 1998, after presiding over significant growth, the brothers passed the company to a third generation. Ekkehart Schieffer and Wilfried Schieffer-Adick executed a plan for global expansion that included subsidiaries in Israel and Romania.

At the same time, Schieffer Co. International, L.C. was founded in Peosta by the Schieffer family and managing partner, Jeff Theis, a 30-year veteran of the high-pressure fluid industry.

The recent anniversary was celebrated company-wide on March 23 with an on-site, all-company steak fry and meeting. State and local representatives joined in the celebration to commemorate the company's success.

For ProPulse, there's a certain magic to the location it calls home.

"We are located about 15 minutes away from the "Field of Dreams" movie site. The famous line from the movie is: 'If you build it, they will come.' We invested in world-class production automation and processes well ahead of obtaining the customers. We built it, and indeed they did come," said Theis.

So the company is planning for future growth. In addition to the expansion of its facilities, ProPulse has plans to expand its headquarters. Plus, they have invested in new technology and automation to improve efficiencies in production lines.

"Utilizing our strong service model with the customer in mind, ProPulse intends to grow with many new product offerings while offering world-class quality levels and delivering products on time." Theis said. "Continuing investments in new product development will help ensure ProPulse meets all customer demands both present and future, ensuring the company's strategic growth goals.

"Business conditions are tough right now, but our growth has always come from market share gains. We are adding additional customers every month. New automation will allow us to dive into new product markets and build upon our current products. We will continue to fill out our line of thermoplastic hoses and challenge new markets."

New products are, indeed, on the radar. The company's current line of SAE hydraulic hoses will be rounded out to include SAE100R8, airless paint spray and compressed gas applications.

And when it comes to the future, ProPulse is protecting the planet, too.

The company has been awarded the Bronze EcoVadis Certification for two consecutive years. As a U.S. manufacturer of high-pressure hoses, ProPulse aims to limit the waste made from producing and sourcing hydraulic and pressure-washing hoses. It is committed to producing quality hose products with limited impact on the surrounding community and environment.

Purposeful sustainability changes ProPulse made in 2022 include:

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