Key Industrial Hose, a U.S. company specializing in large-scale, heavy-duty hose assemblies, has acquired two Finn-Power crimping machines to strengthen and expand its in-house crimping capabilities at the company’s brand-new hose shop. KIH’s new Finn-Power FP170 will support the company’s industrial hose manufacturing up to hose size 12”, while the other – the heavy-duty King Crimper KC1200 – marks an important strategic step by giving KIH the capability to fabricate and repair hoses up to 24” in-house.

“Before, our in-house manufacturing capacity was up to 12”. Now, with the KC1200, we will be able to respond to increased demand and expand into new markets by providing our distributors with in-house-manufactured 24” hose assemblies faster and with increased longevity and quality”, says Ron Ugalde, Vice President at KIH.

Investment Decision Driven by Long-Term Value

Before making the investment decision on a larger-diameter crimper, KIH carefully studied different manufacturers. After evaluating several options, the company narrowed the list down to one that met all of KIH’s requirements: Finn-Power. According to Melissa Genthner, CIO of KIH’s parent company KFH Industries, the key criteria included a decades-long service life, efficiency, and automation possibilities.

“For us, it wasn’t about price – it was about the long-term value these machines bring to our operations. In the field, the Finn-Power brand is legendary. They are extremely well-known for their expertise, their capabilities, and for the machines being a long-lasting, solid investment. When we reached out to our network, the sentence ‘I wish we had…’ always ended with ‘a Finn-Power’”, Ugalde continues.

Owner and President Burke Genthner highlights the importance of the fact that, during the process, it became evident that KIH and Lillbacka align in several core values and operating principles.

“We are both value-driven, family-owned companies with a strong commitment to quality and longevity.”

“The Machines Look Incredibly Robust”

In October, Key Industrial Hose accepted an invitation from Lillbacka to visit the company’s headquarters and production facilities in Finland. The visit, complete with casual activities such as go-karting at Lillbacka’s track, allowed KIH to get to know Lillbacka’s operations and see their machines under construction.

“We were very excited when we saw the machines. They look incredibly robust. The Finnish October weather has been at its best, and we’ve been pleased to meet the people we do business with. We’d like to thank Lillbacka for the invitation. We are happy with what we’ve seen and look forward to offering our network even more options and flexibility in the future,” Genthner concludes.

Key Industrial Hose, part of KFH Industries, is a U.S. company specializing in customized industrial hose solutions. KIH’s hose assemblies are designed for large-scale, heavy-duty, and emergency applications such as dewatering, disaster relief, construction, and mining. KIH is based in Enterprise, Alabama, and recently strengthened its operations by opening a hose shop in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Interested to know more about the machines? Read more about the FP170 and the KC1200