This is the second in a three-part series telling the Secondwind story through the years.  Contributors to the series are Founder, Crispin Fletcher, Vice-President Jan Beauvais, and President Christine Fletcher. Look for Secondwind25: Origins and Secondwind25: Progress.

Secondwind25: Evolution

by Jan Beauvais, Vice President

It’s appropriate that the inspiration for our name was born on the water. (Link to the origins post) Crispin’s secondwind turned into one not only for himself, but for me as well. After years at Sanders (now BAE Systems), I joined Crispin and Christine (now President of the company), with the idea that by becoming water treatment experts, providing the best environmentally sensitive treatment solutions, and by educating our customers about their water, we could become a leader in the water treatment industry, filling a true need for our NH and regional customers.

We combined our expertise into a formal water treatment course that all of our technicians and water specialists take. In addition, our techs are factory trained in service and installation, and both our techs and water specialists are certified by the Water Quality Association.

For us, being well trained is key to providing our customers with the best designs & service.

We’ve enjoyed steady growth, participating in NH’s economy through good times and bad. In our 25 years we have put $53 million back into the economy and supported NH families through $21 million in payroll.

Here’s a snapshot of our evolution through the years:

1989:  Crispin starts Secondwind Environmental at home in Wilton, NH, after completing his masters in Environmental Studies at Antioch.

• A handful of brave(!) customers.

1990:  January – Christine joins him after taking a buy-out from Digital where she had most recently been Plant Materials Manager.

March – Jan joins them after leaving Sanders Associates where he managed a manufacturing operation.

Secondwind moves to an “incubator” in Bedford.

Hired our first employee other than the founders. Our first installation technician joins the team

• 20 customers
• Revenue: $20,000
• 2 new Water Quality Association Certified Water Specialists

1991: Took on the Kinetico Product Line and became an exclusive  dealer.

• 87 customers
• Revenue: $200,000
• 4 employees
• Total of 3 WQA specialists

1993: Moved to the Manchester Millyard, one small area, which we  expanded 4 times.  In the beginning we were the only human tenants on our floor.

• 272 customers
• Revenue: $350,000
• 3 Certified Water Specialists
• 5 employees

1994: Crispin takes a rigorous course to become certified in treating radon.  Secondwind then enters the radon air business in addition to water treatment.

• 435 customers
• Revenue: $550,000
• 3 Certified Water Specialists
• 6 employees

1996: Started in the Public Water Business

• 937 customers
• Revenue: $1.1 million
• 5 Certified Water Specialists
• 17 employees

1997: Secondwind becomes the contractor for the State of New Hampshire (which it remains to this day) in  removing gasoline from well water. Got out of the radon air business and began to  focus solely on water treatment.

• 1,259 customers
• Revenue: $1.4 million
• 5 Certified Water Specialists
• 15 employees

2000:  Founder, Crispin takes a sabbatical from Secondwind to pursue other dreams and gain new experience. Christine becomes President of the company.

2001: Broke the $2million revenue mark.

• 2,712 customers
• 7 of Certified Water Specialists
• 17 employees

2002: Changed name to Secondwind Water Systems (from Secondwind  Environmental) to clarify what we do in the marketplace.

2005: Crispin returns to Secondwind with new skills and enthusiasm as the company’s Operations Manager

2007: Revenues top $3 million

• 5,500 customers
• 9 Certified Water Specialists
• 22 employees

2009: Entered into partnership with Home Depot, through Kinetico, to offer water treatment to even more families.  

Moved offices to East Industrial Drive in Manchester.

• 6,440 customers
• Revenue: $3.2 million
• 10 Certified Water Specialists
• 22 employees

2012: Revenues top $4 million

• 7,800 of customers
• 12 Certified Water Specialists – the most of any company in the state. In fact,  the only company in the state to require this of its employees. Here’s why credentials matter.
• 30 employees

2014: Shooting for 4.7 million

• Over 8,000 customers
• 12 Certified Water Specialists
• 35 employees

Through the years we have tackled the most challenging of treatment problems and today our customers benefit from our years of experience. Offering the customer the best solution for their water problems is our only solution.