You know where Desmi fits, what to sell it on, and how to get an accurate quote. Next time a split-case, mag-drive or gear-pump job comes up, think Desmi.
Desmi is a new line for Rhino in the West
Six short parts on what Desmi makes, where each pump fits, and how to quote it. Work through them in order: two quick checks at the end confirm you've got it. Your progress saves on this device.
An old Danish pump maker building a new presence out West
1834
Founded in Denmark
Marine
Roots in ship pumps, still a large share of the world's fleet
27 · 20
Locations in 20 countries, 1,100+ employees
VA
U.S. sales, parts, assembly and testing in Chesapeake, Virginia
From Desmi's presentation. Global sales were $283 million last year.
Ownership: bought by One Equity Partners in 2022, followed by a company-wide relaunch: new leadership, new CRM and ERP, more sales and parts support.
Where it's built: parent manufacturing in Denmark, castings from Desmi's foundry in China, and U.S. assembly, fabrication and testing in Chesapeake.
What Desmi doesn't do: much service. They sell pumps and parts and rely on partners to do the service work.
Markets: Desmi's industry and utility range covers district heating and cooling, combined heat and power, waste-to-energy, power generation, cooling towers, data centers, medium and large HVAC, sprinkler systems, and oil and gas. Marine leads go to Desmi's marine team, and oil spill response is a separate business.
Desmi's industry and utility markets: where to look for opportunities.
Why this matters to Rhino: Desmi has strong coverage in Texas and Louisiana but not out West. That's why they're partnering with us. And because they don't do service, a partner that sells and services the pumps is exactly what they need.
The line gap Desmi fills
Desmi offers a vertical inline mag-drive pump. None of Rhino's other manufacturers offer one, so when a job calls for a sealless, leak-free inline pump, Desmi is the answer.
In the recording: company background from about 6:30.
Part 2 · Product lines
What Desmi makes and where each pump fits
Open each line. Green dots show the ones you've read.
Centrifugal · high flowDSL
A vertical in-line double-suction pump, Desmi's high-flow centrifugal. They position it against split-case pumps: it takes much less room, costs less and runs more efficiently.
Sizes
DN 150–600
Flow
Up to 27,300 gpm at 50 Hz; up to 32,600 gpm at 60 Hz
Head / pressure
Up to 460 ft; up to 363 psi (25 bar)
Temperature
Up to 284°F
Materials
Three builds: cast iron casing with NiAl-bronze impeller, all bronze, or super duplex (SAF 2507)
Motors
Standard and explosion-proof; IEC or NEMA, with ANSI flanges available
Lead time
10–20 weeks for a new build, depending on material
DSL spec sheet from Desmi's presentation. Tap to enlarge.
First order of a new configuration takes longer. If Desmi hasn't built that exact combination before (say, a NEMA motor with ANSI flanges), the item has to be created in their system first. Repeat orders move faster.
Centrifugal · inlineNSL
Desmi's workhorse inline centrifugal, built to marine standards: robust, heavier, with larger shafts than most inline pumps you'll see.
Design
Single-stage, radially split; vertical in-line or horizontal, with flanges to international standards
Sizes
DN 80–350
Flow
Up to 8,800 gpm at 50 Hz; up to 10,600 gpm at 60 Hz
Head / pressure
Up to 640 ft; up to 363 psi (25 bar)
Temperature
Up to 302°F
Materials
Same three builds as the DSL: cast iron, bronze or super duplex
Also
Custom suction arrangements and a two-stage version
Where it fits
HVAC loops, district heating/cooling, data center cooling (NSL has been quoted and sold into data centers)
Smaller jobs
The ESL covers the lower end of the range
NSL spec sheet from Desmi's presentation. Tap to enlarge.
Centrifugal · seallessMag-drive inline
A vertical inline magnetic-drive pump, in stainless. No mechanical seal, so it's leak-free. Desmi is adding sizes all the time.
Where it fits
Jobs that require a sealless, leak-proof pump, including some data center specs
Why it matters
No other Rhino manufacturer offers a vertical inline mag drive
Partner lineVertical multi-stage
Sourced through Desmi's partnership with DP Pumps. Imported from Europe, these come in at very competitive prices with about 4–5 week delivery.
Pricing
Sharpest when sourced from Europe; U.S. sourcing loses the price advantage
How to quote
Send Desmi the specs and they'll come back with pricing
NSF 61 is not confirmed. Whether these multi-stage pumps carry NSF 61 certification was still being checked after the visit. Don't quote them for potable water until Desmi confirms it in writing.
Add-onPriming units
Air-operated and electric priming units that bolt onto a centrifugal to make it self-priming.
Other brands
Yes: they fit in the line and can be adapted to other manufacturers' pumps
Positive displacementRotan internal gear pumps
Desmi's internal gear pump line, a refined descendant of the Viking design. Covered in depth in Part 3.
Duty ranges
General purpose (GP), heavy duty (HD), petrochemical (PD), chemical (CD) and environmental (ED, magnetically coupled)
GP range
Up to about 220 gpm and 232 psi
Materials
Cast iron, cast steel, stainless, super duplex
Known for
Viscous and difficult fluids: asphalt, paint, molten sulfur, even chocolate
Also worth knowing: Desmi is a global Danfoss distributor and gets strong pricing on Danfoss VFDs. They can build pump packages with custom controls.
In the recording: centrifugal line from about 11:57, data centers 16:53, multi-stage 19:44, priming units 21:59.
Part 3 · Rotan gear pumps
What makes a Rotan different
Desmi bills Rotan as "the true Mk 2 Viking pump", so customers who know gear pumps will compare the two. Five duty ranges cover most jobs:
GP: general purpose, cast iron · HD: heavy duty, cast iron · PD: petrochemical, cast steel · CD: chemical, stainless · ED: environmental, magnetically coupled (sealless).
Desmi's selling points
Tap each one to see what it means and what to tell a customer.
Foot-mounted casing
The casing sits on its own feet instead of hanging off a bearing bracket. That reduces the risk of flange strain from misalignment.
Relief valve on top
Like any positive displacement pump, a Rotan needs a relief valve in the pump or the system. Rotan puts it on top, normally at 180° (90° is available). On top, it's self-draining, so it won't clog, and it doesn't need its own heating jacket. The pump can run in either direction, and with two relief valves it's protected both ways.
Oversized ports
Larger ports as standard, so there's no need for a special large-port casing. That allows a wider flow range, including higher operating speeds.
Rotor clearances and curved geometry
Tight rotor-to-casing clearances give more efficient flow. The curved rotor and idler profile meshes more smoothly than straight-cut gears, which extends the mean time between failures and seal life.
True back pull-out: maintain in place
Pull the spacer coupling and the whole rear cartridge slides out, without disturbing the motor or the piping. That dramatically cuts maintenance time. Plants running several of the same pump can keep one Uptime cartridge on the shelf and swap it in, which also reduces spare-parts inventory.
Heating jackets
Available on every size, on the front and rear covers, using steam or thermal oil. They keep products like asphalt, paint, chocolate or molten sulfur from hardening in the pump overnight. Jacket pressure can't exceed 10 bar (145 psi). A jacketed bypass valve is available on special request.
Every pump tested
Every Rotan is tested in Chesapeake before it ships, and test reports are available.
Packaged however you need it
Gear pumps usually run slower, so Rotans are commonly packaged with a gearbox, motor and skid, or sold as a bare pump. Desmi can supply replacement parts for the gearboxes it uses.
Desmi's own Rotan selling points.Heating jackets on the front and rear covers.
A Rotan is not a drop-in Viking replacement. When a customer asks "what's your replacement for this Viking?", get the operating conditions first: flow, pressure, viscosity and temperature. A few sizes (around 3″ to 4″) match Viking flange-to-flange, but the pumps are longer overall, so always check the dimensions.
In the recording: Rotan from about 25:33, the Viking comparison 30:34, back pull-out 34:05.
Part 4 · Ordering & quoting
Lead times and getting an accurate quote
Situation
Typical lead time
Assembled from parts already on Desmi's shelf
About 1 week
Rush, when stock allows
48 hours
Built from components they have
About 4 weeks
Centrifugal new build (DSL)
10–20 weeks
Vertical multi-stage from Europe
4–5 weeks
Desmi reviews stock every year, but what's on the shelf changes. Lead times are negotiable when a customer is down, so ask.
Quoting
DoFind Desmi's centrifugals and Rotans in PUMP-FLO to select. Then email Desmi the application for a quote, which comes back with the curve and a GA drawing. Ask for 3D models if you need them (they can take a little longer).
Don'tQuote off the pricing in Desmi's own selection software. Desmi themselves say not to trust it. Always get price and lead time confirmed by email.
A sample Desmi GA drawing, shown during the visit. Every quote comes with one.
Desmi has offered to have one of their inside team walk us through the selection software in a team meeting.
In the recording: inventory and lead times from about 43:07, software and quoting 45:20.
Part 5 · Scenario drill
Which Desmi product fits?
Eight real-world requests. Pick the best fit. Score 6 or more to pass.
Part 6 · Knowledge check
Ten questions to finish
Score 8 or more to pass.
Watch the full session recording58 minutes · the unedited room recording this training is based on
6:30Company background11:57Centrifugal line: DSL, NSL16:53Mag drive & data centers19:44Vertical multi-stage21:59Priming units & applications25:33Rotan gear pumps30:34Rotan vs. Viking34:05Back pull-out & testing39:10Danfoss, after-sales43:07Manufacturing & inventory45:20Selection software & quoting
Built from the session recording, its meeting notes and Desmi's presentation slides. Confirm specifications, pricing, certifications and lead times with Desmi before quoting.
