What are the current trends and latest developments in the diaphragm pump market? What are Comet’s current and future strategies for doing business in an international market?
We spoke in depth about this with Luca Guidetti of Comet, who in an interesting interview also anticipated important upcoming news regarding the products and technologies developed by the Emilia-based company, leader in agricultural pumps.
I hold the position of Export Manager for everything related to the pump and spraying industry. In addition to this, I am also a product manager: I follow the development and definition of new projects, marketing strategy, price point strategy, market analysis and competition monitoring. In short, I’m kind of the “factotum” for the diaphragm pump department.
I joined Comet in January 2011 and today I am in my 15th year with the company.
In recent years we have witnesses a major evolution: diaphragm pumps are no longer used exclusively in agriculture, but are increasingly finding their way into very different applications.
For example, in the firefighting sector, they are installed on pickup vehicles used by the Fire Department and the Civil Defense to operate in forested areas during fires.
Our pumps are also used to clean buildings at the end of winter (so-called soft wash): they are used to remove blackened moisture stains, restoring decoration and cleanliness to facades.
Of course, agriculture remains our core business. However, after the abnormal peak between 2020 and 2022 - a veritable bubble generated by speculation on materials and a rush to place orders for fear of price increases - we experienced a two-year period of physiological slowdown.
Now, however, we are seeing a very encouraging recovery, with double-digit growth that bodes well for the future.
At the moment, U.S. policies on tariffs have not affected us directly, but we are aware that in the medium to long term they could have an impact on our turnover as well. The good news is that global demand for agricultural products remains high: if one market slows down, others tend to grow. As the world population increases, so does the demand for foodstuffs and the machinery to grow them.
A concrete example is that of soybeans. The United States is among the world’s largest producers and exports large quantities to China. However, with the current trade setting, China tends to reduce its dependence on U.S. imports and to turn to other suppliers, such as Brazil. Under this scenario, farm equipment-related sales are likely to drop in the U.S. but increase in Brazil, generating an offsetting effect.
On the European front, despite a time of slowdown, we are optimistic: we are confident that the reforms announced by the European Union will boost the agricultural sector in the coming years.
On the other hand, we have already absorbed the consequences of the war in Ukraine, which has severely affected two markets that are historically very relevant to us, Russia and Ukraine, both of which are major grain producers.
Looking ahead, we know that we need to strengthen our presence in Asian markets, where we are still poorly established. However, we have invested in new product development and this gives us confidence to meet future challenges with energy and enthusiasm.
To respond effectively to the specific needs of international markets, we maintain a very close relationship with our customers, particularly machinery manufacturers. Careful listening is a key factor: during our business visits, we try to pick up on emerging trends and understand what direction the market is moving in, so as to map opportunities and guide product development.
This is a complex activity that involves risks and requires great caution. We need to analyze a lot of data, cross-reference different sources and move methodically. But in the past five or six years we have been able to successfully launch several new products, all of which have been well received by the market - an achievement not taken for granted, considering that statistically only one out of every four products is really successful.
Underlying it all there is a direct and trusting relationship with our customers’ stakeholders, especially the technical departments. It is precisely through this ongoing dialogue that we are able to gather valuable insights, offer targeted solutions and create a true exchange of value that is beneficial to both us and our partners.
Our philosophy is not simply to sell pumps, but to offer concrete solutions tailored to customers’ needs. We design products that require minimal maintenance, are easy to build into manufacturers’ systems and minimize assembly time. We also place a lot of emphasis on modularity and compatibility: we try to standardize spare parts so that when switching from one model to another, the customer does not have to start from scratch with spare parts.
Another crucial aspect for us is speed of service: our response times are among the fastest in the industry. This is something that our customers recognize and is a real competitive advantage over our competitors.
The previous BP series, born more than four decades ago, was beginning to show all its weakness: technology was outdated and no longer in line with current needs. With the new BPX range, we have completely revolutionized the design, starting with the materials: all parts in contact with the sprayed liquids are now made of reinforced nylon, which is much more resistant to chemical aggression.
The structure has also been upgraded. The supporting base for mounting on machines is made of reinforced steel to ensure greater strength and longer life. In addition, we have introduced a modular architecture: the entire BPX range shares the same spare parts, which greatly simplifies warehouse management, reduces costs and increases efficiency for our customers.
No less important, we also invested in esthetics. We strongly believe in product visual identity and today BPX pumps are instantly recognizable in the marketplace thanks to a distinctive look that reflects our technological and stylistic evolution.
BPX pumps are very versatile and suitable for virtually every type of crop: from cereals to vines and olive trees.
Our company was founded in 1959, as a manufacturer of pumps for the treatment of Lambrusco grapes, a typical Emilia-Romagna crop. From that early experience, we have developed a broad and diverse catalogue conceived to cover the needs of many crops.
Specifically, the BPX range is designed to work at low pressure, making it ideal for grain treatments. However, due to the high chemical resistance of the materials used, these pumps are also suitable for non-agricultural applications. One example is highway de-icing: they are mounted on vehicles that spray a solution of water and salt to prevent the formation of ice on roadways - an activity that requires pumps resistant to highly corrosive liquids.
Another rapidly growing use, aided by climate change, is urban irrigation: BPXs are installed on vehicles equipped with tanks and telescopic booms to water trees planted in urban areas during the drier months.
Campus is the innovative computerized diagnostic system developed and patented by Comet. It is a smart platform that uses a network of sensors built into the pump to collect the key operating parameters in real time. The data is transmitted to a central server, which processes it and returns useful indications to optimize performance, prevent breakdowns and minimize downtime - with positive effects on operating costs for the end user.
We intercepted a concrete market need: to introduce diagnostic systems similar to those now common in the automotive industry, capable not only of reporting malfunctions but also of anticipating them. On this basis, we have identified three critical areas to monitor.
The first sensor monitors temperature and oil level, making it possible to predict membrane breakdown and to schedule preventive maintenance jobs. The second tracks the pump’s working hours and allows its productivity to be measured - a useful statistic especially for contractors - and warns if the pump is operating outside optimal ranges.
The third, perhaps the most innovative one, detects anomalies on the machine system: for example, if a pipe is choked or the filter clogged, the pump will not work properly. An algorithm processes these conditions and alerts the operator in a timely manner.
All this information can be accessed via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ISOBUS interface or via the cloud, even from smartphones.
In this way, Comet takes a decisive step towards digitization, moving from traditional mechanics to mechatronics and advanced electronics. Currently, we have already made a Campus kit prototype applicable to all our pumps.
It is still early to unveil them, but we can anticipate that there will be some very interesting innovations dedicated to the large machinery market, a typically North American and North European sector.