“We’re looking to expand our business and bring on new employees,” said Vice President Chuck Sanderson. “We’ve actually grown quite a bit in just this past year.”
Sanderson’s father, Charles Sanderson, invented the first permanent, multi-field magnetic alternative to chemical water treatment in the middle of the 20th century. In 1964 he and his wife, Gloria, founded Superior Water Conditioners to bring his invention to market.
The company now does business worldwide, but it’s still a family affair — Chuck’s brother Scott is the president of the company, and his sister Terri is CFO. The current leadership continue the legacy of innovation, concern for wellness, and environmental consciousness.
Which brings us around to the question: what does chemical-free water treatment mean?
“We don’t take anything out of the water or put anything into the water,” Chuck Sanderson said.
But they do stop the buildup of lime/scale and corrosion from hard water. Common applications include food-service equipment in commercial spaces — icemakers, coffee makers, steam equipment, dishwashers, etc — and HVAC systems — cooling towers and boilers. They also frequently work with process cooling towers.
Another common application for the product is in irrigation systems.
“Not only can we keep scale from building in the irrigation pumps and piping, and in the spray nozzles,” Sanderson said. “But in addition to that, our unit reduces surface tension of water…so it allows the water to saturate through the ground more readily and more quickly.”
“Our unit actually replaces the need for chemicals,” Sanderson explained.
But it’s an uphill battle. “It’s hard for people to understand that you can treat water without chemicals,” he added. “It’s something that we’re still trying to get recognized in the marketplace.”
Despite this obstacle, Superior Water Conditioners has enjoyed steady sales increases in recent years, and is looking to invest further in the Fort Wayne community. Sanderson said that the company is looking to sell more of their product in the local market, and provide more jobs to the area. So they reached out to Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
“About a year ago we decided…that we could have more of a community and more of a local presence here,” Sanderson explained.
He went on to say that being involved with GFW Inc., through Leads Groups and networking opportunities, has helped them make connections that strengthen the company locally. One aspect that has been particularly helpful is individualized attention from GFW Inc. staff members.
“We have had some great assistance from individuals in the organization,” he continued. “It’s been very helpful in networking with different companies and getting our foot in the door where we might not have been able to otherwise.”
