Industry Profile: New PIRTEK Location Aims at Hydraulic, Pneumatic Customer Base on Space Coast

Residents of Florida’s Space Coast can still occasionally see an Atlas rocket roar off the launch pad at Cape Canaveral and crease the sky—and with increasing regularity as the private sector gets involved in space travel. The Space Coast is also alive with other kinds of activity, including hydraulics, pneumatics, and the industries that harness their power. And where hydraulic and pneumatic hoses exist, the prospect of hose failure is just a matter of time.

“The Florida Space Coast has such great potential, and we plan to tap into it and expand our customer base,” said Dan Ferretti, owner of PIRTEK Space Coast. In 2016, Ferretti purchased a corporate-run location in Rockledge, Fla., and had a new Service and Supply Center built on U.S. 1 to serve Brevard County industry.

Here’s how the hose replacement business works: A hydraulic hose blows out, idling the equipment (and often making a mess). A call to PIRTEK summons a Mobile Service Vehicle and a technician who performs the repair onsite. “There’s no need to send someone all around town looking for a compatible hose,” said Ferretti. “That just racks up unnecessary downtime. We get the operation up and running again by custom fitting and replacing the hose on the spot. Everything we need to get the job done is in the vehicle.”

Entrepreneurial Dreams

Ferretti wasn’t always a resident of sunny Florida. He was born and raised in Long Island, where he often worked with his father on the family’s electrical business. It wasn’t something he wished to do for the duration of his working life, but it did give him a source of income and got the wheels turning about entrepreneurship.

“I used to dream about it, having employees of my own, a business of my own,” he said. “It was an exciting prospect. Becoming a franchise owner finally helped me realize it.”

Finding the Right Fit

During his search for a suitable franchise, Ferretti found something close to home. His wife, Karin, worked at PIRTEK corporate headquarters in Rockledge, Fla. A 14-year veteran of franchise development, she provided him with an in-depth look at how the franchises function and their strategies for success. He was impressed with the company.

“I’ve been able to watch franchise owners for a long time and saw how well they fared when they followed the company’s business plan,” he said. “Over time, I was convinced that they had the right strategy. When this opportunity came along on the Space Coast, I went for it.”

Another draw for Ferretti was the relationship among franchise owners. “I saw lots of camaraderie there with the owners, and I liked that,” he said. “It gives you a sense that they’re a team, not just a bunch of isolated franchises. That pretty much sealed the choice for me.”

Opportunities Abound

Ferretti was also struck with the myriad opportunities that exist in his locale. The clientele exists along a wide spectrum in Brevard County, including in such industries as construction, manufacturing, waste and recycling, and marine. Add to that any business with elevators, heavy equipment, vehicles, or planes. All of that makes for an ample customer base.

“The hydraulic industry is strong here,” he said. “Plenty of businesses. My job is to make our business visible to them so they can take advantage of our services here on the Space Coast.”

• industry profile
• news
• pirtek