IDI is proud to be an authorized distributor of genuine Graco parts and equipment. Graco is one of the top manufacturers in the country with a nearly 100-year history of quality products, and as a provider of the best in the industry for our customers, we stand behind them and their product line.
We know that many insulation contractors prefer the cheap price of generic replacement parts in their Graco equipment. Customers ask us all the time: “What’s the difference? Why should I spend the extra money to buy genuine Graco parts?”
So we went straight to the source and visited Graco’s manufacturing plant in Minneapolis, Minnesota for answers.
Watch part 1 of our 3-part video series here:
How Quality Control Guarantees Efficient Graco Pump Parts
What we learned:
- Graco prides itself on a fully comprehensive approach to the entire manufacturing process from the idea all the way to distributor shelves.
- Everything in between is where the real work is done: Design and prototyping, life testing repeatability over millions of cycles, field testing, meticulous manufacturing and QC, and ongoing customer feedback is what has made Graco the preferred equipment for most insulation contractors.
- They are constantly improving their products to bring new innovations to market.
The new T3 pump is a great example of Graco’s constant improvement. They gave us a first hand look at the manufacturing process to walk us through the added benefits and features this new and improved transfer pump offers to insulation contractors.
Watch that video, part 2 of our series, here:
How the T3 Graco Transfer Pump Adds Efficiency to Insulation Contracting
Here’s a recap:
- The new T3 is 3.7” shorter than the Graco T2, which is useful for foam rigs with limited head height.
- Studies show that the T3 is almost 3x quieter than the T2.
- The proven Merkur air motor uses air pilot valve technology that requires less maintenance.
- The reversing mechanism on the T3 is purely pneumatic, which differs from the mechanical reversing mechanism of the T1 and T2 pumps.
Graco also showed us some of the improvements made to their 50-foot hose. We’ve already been getting great feedback from customers that they’re seeing significant improvement in the field (no more duct tape!), so have a look at what’s changed.
Watch part 3 of our series here:
The Graco Heated Hose: Extending Your Equipment’s Lifespan
Here are a few of the top features we talked about:
- The new design is more flexible and lasts over 10x longer.
- The new Xtreme wrap features a three-foot joint protection piece placed at each 50’ junction. This allows for fast and easy access to maintenance points…and avoids having to cut through layers of duct tape.
- As part of the quality control process, Graco showed us the test bench where temperatures, pressures, voltages and electrical requirements are verified before each hose is boxed and shipped.
The Value of Genuine Graco Parts
Rather than trying to cut corners by using non-Graco parts, why not save money with a more effective inventory control system at your company and get the most out of your genuine Graco parts?
Lost labor due to downtime and expedited shipping fees for parts are two expensive problems that can be resolved by having common parts on hand. IDI will go through your rigs and equipment inventory and measure your workload to determine an effective inventory level that could reduce annual expenses from $15-$40k a year.
Investing in proper consumable items and common Graco pump and sprayer parts and accessories will very quickly show a return the next time your rig is dead in the water.