Develop a list of companies that specialize in supplying the pipe machinery the project requires

Many designs require certain diameters of pipe, in either metric or English measurements, while others require certain materials transport the fluids, such as stainless steel piping or copper piping systems. No matter what your specifications, there is a piping supplier for your needs; you just need to find them.

I recommend: ThomasNet and GlobalSpec, two of the leading online engineering catalogs, give your design team quick access to many of the nations top manufacturers and suppliers of pipe and fittings. Many of these companies will make custom parts when your design calls for it as well. You'll need to register to use GlobalSpec, but the results are worth the quick registration process.

Narrow your list of piping distributors

The next step in finding the right industrial piping suppler is to narrow down your possibilities to a short list of manufacturers or suppliers. You can accomplish this by selecting a facility close to your project location, or by selecting a manufacturer that makes a specialty or custom designed piping products well suited for your intended application.

I recommend: Inplex, a custom designer and manufacturer of plastic industrial piping, specializes in doing the impossible for the automotive, toy, food and appliance industries, among others. Acid Piping Technology, on the other hand, is a company that carries a wide variety of MONDI, alloy and rubber lined piping products and fittings in stock and ready to order.

Get great customer service so your piping project gets off the ground smoothly

A manufacturer or distributor that takes the time and cost to send your design team product samples and spec sheets is worth its weight in gold. The ease of which you can gain access to the sales and customer support and the training that these people have are valuable resources for the design team as well.

I recommend: Two piping suppliers which have superior customer service are 2M Company and Engineered Piping Products. 2M Company, a distributor of PVC, brass, galvanized and copper pipe, has a comprehensive online catalog and friendly and available staff. Engineered Piping Products has a 24-hour emergency call in service to make quick work of pipe repairs.