A local business known for its print and copy services is adding water filtration systems to its portfolio of business solutions. 

Founded in Spokane in 1953, Abadan’s unique name gave it two advantages: First, the letters “Aba” gave it a prime spot in the yellow pages. Also, the name wasn’t specifically tied to its business, giving the company flexibility to provide a range of products and services without needing to live up to a certain name. 

That flexibility has come in handy over the years as the business has shifted from blueprints and typewriters to copiers, printers, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones, document management, security cameras and other tools for businesses. 

Now, Abadan’s products also include a series of water filtration machines. 

The products aren’t as out of place as they may seem: “It’s another business machine,” said Lindsay Best, vice president and owner of Abadan.

“We have quite a few customers that already trust us, and love our technicians, love our team. Why not add another thing that’s going to make their lives a little easier and better for their team?” she said.

Up and running

Abadan considered launching water filtration systems for about three years before actually going through with it, Best said. They were partly inspired by Select Dealer Group meetings, a group of copier dealers throughout the country. 

“Many of them are having great success with this line being added to their list of products,” Best said. “We are not one to look at good advice and just shoot it down right away.”

Abadan soft launched its new products in April, targeting the company’s existing customers, and installed their first filtration system in May.

Now, they’re ready to get more up and running.  

The response has been good so far. Abadan’s employees have been happy with the new systems at their own office at 79 Aaron Drive, Suite 100, Richland, as previous water systems were hit-or-miss, Best said. And another business responded immediately to Abadan’s announcement about the water filtration systems with a photo of their current system: pallets of individual plastic water bottles. 

Several customers are currently going through the paperwork process for the machines and the calendar is filling up with appointments, said Maile Wilson, Abadan’s strategic growth director. 

Though Abadan is known for its print and copy services, it specializes in business solutions, from document management to security cameras, plus its newly added line of water filtration machines.  

| Photo by Rachel Visick

Range of options

While there are many different ways for businesses to provide their employees with water, Abadan’s water filtration systems set themselves apart with their high quality of water, array of options, and Abadan’s commitment to keeping the machines up and running. 

The water filtration machines are from Culligan Quench’s Pure Water Technology line, and Best said the machines use a reverse osmosis process and multiple filters to ensure clean drinking water. Depending on which model customers go with, they could get a full-sized or countertop machine, with options for hot, cold or room-temperature water and various forms of ice if they want it.

Several of the machines are touchless as well, requiring only a hand waved in front of a sensor to dispense the water. That can be great if an office is concerned about spreading germs, Best said. 

The machines sanitize themselves daily using UV light or an osmosis product, ensuring that no biofilms build up in the tank, unlike other water tanks where water simply sits. Best said the machines typically schedule that cleaning to occur a set number of hours after the last usage. 

Full service

To install one of the machines, all that’s needed is a water line to supply the filtration device. Even in a rented office space, Abadan can work to discretely run a waterline along the baseboard without permanently changing the building, Best said. 

Before installing anything, Abadan employees will go in and assess the office’s needs, just like the company would for a printer. 

Wilson said that with printers, one company might need a machine that can print 55 pages per minute, while another needs only 35 pages per minute. It’s the same thing with water: Abadan needs to understand how many people are going to be drinking the water to pair the company with the right machine for the needs of its employees. 

To ensure that there won’t be any problems, Abadan’s technicians will check on the machines every six months. Costs of servicing and filter changes are all included in the rental rates. 

Abadan provides the machines solely through rentals, and businesses can choose an agreement that’s 12, 36 or 60 months, with 60 months being the most cost-effective option. So far, businesses have been going straight for 60 months, Wilson said. 

Of Abadan’s 14 technicians, two have been trained specifically for the water filtration systems. As the company adds new technicians and as the demand for water filtration ramps up, the newcomers will likely get more specialized training in the filtration systems, Best said.

Go to: abadantc.com.