Hello everyone, this is Dave with Mighty Line Minute. We've got an interesting series this month. We're talking about Innovation in America. And I've got with me a company that I'm really proud to introduce, which is SprinkGuard of Mishawaka, Indiana. And with me today, I've got Matt Hunsberger, President and CEO. Matt, good to have you here on the show. (Good to be here.) What inspired me about this company is that they're innovators. They fit the bill for what we want to talk about, and I'd like you to hear a little bit more about them, what they do and how they got started. Matt, you want to talk about your company?

First of all, I appreciate you letting me be a part of it. So it's really good to be here. Thank you. (Yeah) So SprinkGuard, we offer an industrial strength, sprinkler head guard. We replace the wire baskets that you traditionally see on sprinkler heads. We attach directly to the supply line, which is different than the other ones that attach directly to the head. So, our guards do not contact the sprinkler head. So, if they're ever hit, we have created the guards, so it'll lock out and stop on the line. So, it creates that stop point so it doesn't hit the sprinkler head. 

It impressed me when I first saw your booth when we met at another show that, in my years in building warehouses, dealing with safety and fire and equipment, I can't tell you how many times we had warehouses that had problems with accidents. People knocking the baskets. And it's funny, it's one of those things. When you write a spec, we would always write in, put in the sprinkler guard. But you'd never know what you'd get. And when you saw what they were, they could be bent. They could get deformed. And they never really were designed or intended to prevent what really goes on in a warehouse. 

Yeah. Well, I had a fire protection professional tell me years ago, he said, “You know, your guard is an actual function. The other guards are just a term.” So, I thought that was a pretty good description of it. We actually function and do something. 

Well, I, if anyone has seen their logo, it's a great one. It's "Built Different." And there's not a better logo than that describing your company. 

Yeah, I mean it does, it sums up the guard. We try and be completely different from the industry standard. We like to think that we're now the new standard. 

Are many large companies using this in their facilities? 

They are, some I can't mention contractually, but yeah, I know Target, I can mention them. We've used Target, Kroger, there's a lot of interest from other companies we haven't worked with yet. But I think we're gaining that momentum. The more we get out in the market and create that exposure, people are saying, “Hey, you know what? These might cost a little more than the basket. But it actually saves us money in the long run.” So, yeah, we're working with a lot of large companies. We work with a lot of small schools and universities as well as residential, too. So, I mean, just about anywhere you have a sprinkler head, you have the opportunity for that to have an accidental activation. 

So, so is it mostly in-rack sprinklers or do you do beyond in-rack sprinklers? 

I mean, it's, it's everything. Yeah. So, we do sidewalls in hotels. We'll do gymnasiums. We have an open system, and the in-rack is picking up steam. 

I was looking at my sidewall sprinkler at my hotel this morning and the little sign they have up above it that says, "Do not hang from the sprinkler head." It's like, who would do that? 

You're almost inviting people to do it though like, “Oh, I think I'll do that anyways, you know. You've kind of drawn my attention to it.” 

But I think it's a wonderful product. I will take the opportunity to illustrate some examples of the specific products. Where can people learn more about what you do, and the product itself? 

Yeah. So our website's a great place to start www.SprinkGuard.com. I know people don't use the www anymore, but SprinkGuard. com is a great place to start. All of our literature, videos, installation videos, all of our testimonials, our UL and FM approvals are on there as well. So that's a great place to start. 

Wonderful. So, we can be assured that it meets FM, meets UL, and therefore it's code compliant? (Yes) 

So, we don't have problems with spray patterns or interference. And that's the interesting thing about the testing process. People always ask us, it's really three-fold. It is spray pattern, it's a fire strength test, and then it's actually a strength test. So, all three of those are covered in the testing, and we've passed for Reliable, Viking, Tyco. It's in an upright and pendant position, in various different K factors. And we're continuing to add listings or certifications as we can.

So, the sprinkler itself would have to be Listed (compatible) to the guard? 

Yep, that's very important and we understand what that means to the industry, right? We're about saving property and lives as an industry, right? So, that's very important to us to have those approvals.

Well, I love the mission here and I'm so glad folks that you had the opportunity to learn more about SprinkGuard. And hey, thanks for having us on today. 

Yeah, thank you so much. 

I love this company. Take a look at them. Take a look at their website. And if you haven't used anything like this, I'd give it a try.

Thanks. Have a safe day.