Blog

Podcast- From CAD to Smart Pumps: Glen Powell’s Journey in Engineering

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Hydro’s Glen Powell joined Empowering Industry’s Charli Matthews Carruth about his career at Hydro, spanning reliability engineering, pump testing, condition monitoring and global engineering.

Throughout the conversation, Glen discusses how wireless condition monitoring is changing equipment reliability, how Hydro’s test lab is being used to evaluate smart pump technologies and energy efficiency, and why transferring industry knowledge to the next generation is so important. He also shares advice for engineers entering the industry, including the value of curiosity, ambition, relationships and integrity.

You can listen to the podcast here or browse all of Empowering Industry’s podcasts here.

Want to expand your knowledge? Read our case studies focused on Hydro’s work in troubleshooting and reliability improvements.

Podcast- Firefighting is not a Maintenance Strategy

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Hydro’s Robert McCowan and Ares Panagoulias joined Plant Services’ chief editor Tom Wilk to talk about how condition monitoring is key to helping turn data into action and closing the feedback loop between workers and systems.

Key Takeaways

  • Define goals, roles, and critical assets before deploying sensors to avoid data overload and improve program success.
  • AI can enhance condition monitoring, but human expertise is still needed to add context and validate recommendations.
  • Dashboards should guide technicians to issues, not replace hands-on equipment inspections and operational awareness.
  • Predictive maintenance delivers ROI only when data-driven insights lead to timely maintenance actions and follow-through.

You can listen to the podcast below or browse all of Plant Services’ Great Question podcasts here.

Want to expand your knowledge? Explore Plant Services magazine or read our case studies focused on Hydro’s work in troubleshooting and vibration analysis.

Hydro Welcomes Travis Nixon to Hydro Parts Solutions

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Hydro is excited to welcome Travis Nixon as the Operations Manager for our Hydro Parts Solutions division.

Travis has been in the aftermarket pump parts industry for 19 years. Over that time he has worn many hats, including engineering, sales, customer service, procurement, and project management.

Travis worked for Standard Alloys for  about 10 years in their engineering and technical support department. During his time there, he learned every aspect of manufacturing pump parts: reverse engineering, pattern making, mold and core production, hydraulic rerates, machining, and pump repair.

He joined PumpWorks Castings in 2017 to help make their in-house foundry more profitable through aftermarket parts manufacturing. While with PWC his main responsibility was reverse engineering and machine shop management, but he gradually took on more duties within the business, including foundry engineering, outside vendor vetting, final inspection, and project management.

We look forward to working with Travis to continue to provide high quality cast and machined parts to our customers around the world.

Hydro South Opens Florida Expansion

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The team at Hydro South have opened a shop in Florida to better serve their expanding customer base in the Southeast.

Hydro South has taken on several key customers in the Sunshine State over the last few years. While their primary facility in Georgia was keeping up with the workload, space and manpower at the Cumming shop were approaching their limits. In early 2025, Hydro started the process of identifying possible expansion sites for Hydro South. Florida was the obvious choice, as it was close to many of the division’s major customers.

In late summer 2025, the team found a former steel mill in Starke, FL that was leasing out a 35,000 sq.ft. bay. Equipped with two 10-ton cranes and one 7.5-ton crane, it was an ideal space for an auxiliary shop.

The Starke shop is equipped with a new air compressor, welding capabilities, and a blasting station. As it builds its machining capabilities, the new shop will work in tandem with Hydro South to provide the full spectrum of Hydro’s service to its customers.

Congratulations to Hydro South, we’re excited to see you grow!

Pumps & Systems 10 to Watch: John Roberts

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Congratulations to Hydro’s John Roberts for being chosen as one of Pumps & Systems Magazine’s 10 to Watch for 2025! John is Senior Engineer in Hydro’s Global Engineering division, where he works with customers across the world to create solutions for their pump challenges.

When asked what led him to specialize in aftermarket engineering, John said, “What really draws me to the aftermarket side is the variety. No two projects are ever the same. You’re constantly adapting designs or methods to suit each situation, and that creativity keeps the work fresh and rewarding.”

Read more about John’s journey in the pump industry in the Pumps & Systems feature.

Interested in joining Hydro’s team of dynamics engineers? Check out our Careers page to browse current openings or to fill out a general application.