Business Spotlight:
Western Pump

Relining wear parts for dewatering pumps and rebuilding pump housings for mining and construction industries is something the typical Wessington resident probably has little knowledge of, and rarely–if ever–thinks about. But that is not the case with Duane O’Neal and Kirk Diekhoff of Western Pump and Equipment, located on the main street of town.

A 1965 graduate of Wessington High School, Duane started a career in the mining industry in 1975, which took him and his family to Wyoming, New Mexico, and northern Michigan. After working in uranium and gold mines, primarily as a maintenance supervisor, for ten years, the family decided to move back home to Wessington to be closer to Duane’s mother, Alice O’Neal.

Once the family settled into the community, Duane surprised his wife, Deb, by purchasing the building owned by Roger Fritzsche and Lynn Johnsen, which has housed a number of businesses over the years, including Cheseboro Chevrolet and Shoemakers Produce. Since Duane’s favorite job at the mines was rebuilding pumps, it only seemed natural that he would start a business doing that very thing. So in 1987, he became the president of his own corporation and named Deb as the secretary, and the business, which buys used pumps to refurbish and then sells them as rebuilt pumps, was launched.

In the same year, Kirk Diekhoff was hired right out of tech school to work for the O’Neals, and shortly thereafter, became vice president of the corporation. Western Pump also rebuilds wear parts for industrial water pumps and repairs worn or broken parts using their machine tools, and carries their own line of impellers and discharge fittings, which Kirk machines onsite.

Western Pump and Equipment is set up to supply its customers with rebuilt parts, so they don’t have to buy new pumps. “We have customers all over the USA, so we don’t have to rely on the economy in just one area,” Duane says. He went on to explain that the majority of their products are used quite a distance away from the Wessington area, so they depend heavily on the shipping industry.

The O’Neals and Kirk all agree that the main thing they enjoy about their business is its location in Wessington. They also take great pride in the fact that they are able to keep their customers happy with quick turn-around times and quality products. 

When asked how the Wessington community could help support their business efforts, Deb responded, “We have very little local business due to the types of products we handle, but we do use trucks and other shippers that I’m sure utilize our local businesses. Also, I believe our having a long-time, successful business reflects well on the entire community.”

The O’Neals have three grown children, who are all graduates of Wessington High School. Jeremy lives in Langholm, Scotland; daughters, Brandi Sievers and Alicia O’Neal both live in Huron. Duane and Deb have two grandchildren, Christa and Jonathan Sievers.

Kirk, who grew up in the Wessington area, is also a graduate of Wessington High School and Lake Area Tech in Watertown. He and his wife, Vicki, have two children, Laurel and Aaron.

There is one person the O’Neals say was instrumental in helping them get Western Pump through the tough years of the start-up stage, and that person was Boyd (Tom) Schiltz. “A big thank you to Tom for believing in us!”