Why business structure matters for pipe liners
It’s often assumed that NuFlow operates as a franchise business, since some of our partners use NuFlow in their business name. And while there are some benefits to operating as a franchise, at NuFlow Technologies we have determined that a technology licensing agreement with independently owned and operated businesses is the preferred way to go. It is this business structure that provides our Certified Contractors with the best balance of product, technology, support, and most importantly, the flexibility to operate their businesses as they see fit.
The licensees that use the NuFlow name, such as NuFlow St. Louis, NuFlow Phoenix, NuFlow Upstate New York, and NuFlow MidWest, among others, recognize that there is value to the NuFlow brand in the way that they operate their business. They can, for example, choose to work exclusively in pipe lining, while other licensees might decide to maintain a traditional service plumbing business at the same time. In those instances, using the NuFlow name can avoid awkward situations when getting subcontracted work from plumbers – those licensees can show up in a NuFlow branded vehicle as a subcontractor, not a local plumber’s truck that usually competes with the contractor. But the reality is that even though they use the NuFlow name, they are still independently owned and operated businesses, no different than any other NuFlow licensee.
Other licensees choose to not use the NuFlow name, such as Pipe Restoration Services and Maui Plumbing, among many others. They may have built a well-known local brand, or perhaps they feel it provides them with greater flexibility in multiple service areas. But the fact is that regardless of their name, the relationship with NuFlow Technologies is the same for all of our licensees. Since they are not legally affiliated with NuFlow Technologies and are not franchisees, they are free to pursue customer opportunities as they like, set pricing according to their market, and guarantee their work as required, all without having to answer to a corporate master. And for all of our Certified Contactors, regardless of how they brand themselves, NuFlow is there to provide the best technology, training, processes, and of course the support that NuFlow is famous for.