Brian Gourley (L) and Nathan Lee

The westernmost region of South Carolina, referred to by locals as "upstate," is centrally located between the large cities of Charlotte and Atlanta. The area is one of the fastest growing in the southeast United States.

This rapid expansion has led entrepreneurs Brian Gourley and Nathan Lee to open their new hydraulic and industrial hose service franchise, PIRTEK Upstate.

According to Gourley, it was evident that the region was in vital need of a business such as theirs to support the multitude of construction companies that are scrambling to keep pace with the population boom.

"With an average of 35 people per day moving to the area between 2010 and 2021, there is pressure to complete numerous housing and infrastructure projects," he said.

Beyond construction, the two men anticipate many customers from the area's large manufacturing sector, their suppliers, and the distribution and logistics companies that ship out their products. Gourley and Lee are focused on servicing the various types of hydraulic power that keep these businesses operating.

PIRTEK Upstate will provide hydraulic and industrial hose replacement service under the company's Tier 2 program. This option enables entrepreneurs to start a franchise at a lower point of entry. Under Tier 2, a franchisee can keep their inventory in a small warehouse or storage facility and start with two vehicles. The standard Tier 1 model requires a franchisee to have a full service and supply center staffed with six team members and at least two mobile service vehicles. Tier 2 owners often make the decision to advance to a Tier 1 location as their business grows.

Gourley and Lee said they will base their mobile service vehicles in close proximity to interstates I-85 and I-26, which are major arteries servicing much of the southeast quadrant of the state. Gourley refers to this area as a "hub of growth," as most major companies that come to the area are located directly off of these corridors. This will allow their mobile sales and service technicians to dispatch quickly and provide fast on-site service to customers in surrounding areas.

The business partners are excited to get their franchise up and running and begin growing their customer base. In Gourley's words, the PIRTEK network appealed to them because they "desired to be independent, but yet work with a brand that has a proven model that demonstrates steady growth and consistency." He added that he was pleasantly surprised when he learned of the structure that the management team had in place to help the owners gets started and map out their potential business direction.

"We've planned things out, then checked, replanned and then planned again," said Gourley.

Gourley said that he and Lee decided early on that they would hire a team of technicians that would share their values of trust, honesty and loyalty.

"This is a service business and we want our team to strive for excellence," Gourley said. "The success of our new business will rely on the attitudes of those we choose to be a part of our team.

"We have big goals for the future and can't wait to get started."

For more information, visit www.pirtekusa.com.

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