Whitman Controls

Abacus Development

Traditionally seen as a cost center, procurement—especially in the context of industrial process instrumentation—can actually serve as a powerful profit driver. By strategically sourcing high-quality instruments, businesses can enhance process accuracy, product quality, customer satisfaction, and overall operational efficiency. Thoughtful procurement choices also strengthen documentation, traceability, vendor partnerships, and supply chain resilience, while mitigating risk and reinforcing competitive advantages. With a focus on premium instrumentation and strong supplier collaboration, companies can turn procurement into a key contributor to revenue growth and market differentiation.

In today’s interconnected industrial landscape, success is no longer about isolated transactions—it’s about strategic collaboration. High-performance vendor relationships go beyond pricing and lead times to deliver shared value, reduce risk, and improve long-term outcomes for both suppliers and customers. In this article, we explore how formalizing vendor relationships can elevate procurement performance across the supply chain, with real-world examples from instrumentation distribution that highlight the power of partnership.

In the industrial automation space, even the most seasoned manufacturers turn to trusted partners for innovative solutions. That spirit of collaboration led one of Whitman Controls’ peers in the instrumentation space to seek our expertise for a high-stakes application in the Oil & Gas industry. The challenge? Enhance safety and performance in hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas analyzers—without compromising cost or reliability. Together, we defined and delivered a simple yet powerful solution that’s now driving better safety outcomes and higher customer confidence across our client’s analyzer lineup. This case study explores how Whitman’s pressure sensing technology helped transform a common industry need into a value-added standard.

When a leading manufacturer of advanced screen printing equipment faced persistent print quality issues tied to vacuum instability, they turned to Whitman Controls for a solution. The challenge centered on maintaining tightly controlled vacuum levels within CTS printers to prevent ink head failures—either from air gaps or unwanted ink weeping. Whitman’s answer was a simple yet robust solution: dual discrete vacuum switches with adjustable setpoints and alarm integration, using the ultra-reliable P117V Stainless Steel Vacuum Switch. The result? A 100% reduction in ink head issues and a 7% boost in productivity. This collaboration highlights how thoughtful instrumentation can bring precision and consistency to even the most artistic industrial processes.

Level sensors are among the most varied and technically intricate instruments in process control, used to measure the amount of material—liquid or solid—within a container. Found everywhere from water tanks to industrial silos, level sensors must measure material accurately across varied environments, media types, and design constraints. So when customers need reliable solutions for critical level detection, we’re ready to deliver. With decades of experience and a full suite of sensor technologies—from physical gauges to radar-based systems—we help operators make smarter decisions, safely and efficiently.

Most of us working in industrial fields are endlessly impressed by large scale fluid applications, especially those that seem too complex or massive to comprehend. Intercontinental pipelines, hydroelectric dams, and municipal water treatment plants are just a few examples that come to mind. As impressive as these monstrous systems can be, there’s ample reason to be equally inspired by applications on the opposite end of the spectrum, where miniscule amounts of fluids can be pumped accurately down to a fraction of a raindrop in volume.

Read More Posted in Case StudiesTagged ,