MASON, Mich.—Leader Evaporator Co. and H20 Innovation will start carrying each other’s equipment at their respective U.S. dealerships.

“It’s an exciting opportunity,” said Leader’s chairwoman Mary Fogle Douglass, owner of Sugar Bush Supplies in Mason, Mich., a major Leader dealer.

Douglass hosted her annual fall open house virtually on Oct. 24, where she made the H20 announcement.

“We thought about what things we are missing and how people can get it quickly,” Douglass said.

Some of the big ticket items that Leader dealers will start carrying are H20’s line of large size tanks.

“They have a huge line,” Douglass said.

Douglass said that H20’s line of filter presses, auto draw offs and their popular SmartTrek woods monitoring system would also be sold at Leader dealerships.

Meanwhile, H20 dealers will start carrying some of Leader’s smaller sized evaporators like its new Vermonter hobby evaporator and its popular line of tubing and fittings, which are made at Leader’s factory headquarters in Swanton, Vt. 

H20 is headquartered in Ham-Nord, Que. but has a U.S. main office also in Swanton, Vt., operated by husband and wife couple Kyle and Jane Lothian.

The Lothians also announced the partnership during the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut annual meeting in Hamden, Conn. on Oct. 17.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” Douglass said.

“After many lengthy discussions between and among the principles of each company, and after discussions with our dealers, it became obvious both companies would benefit by working together, in an arrangement where some Leader products were made available to H2O dealers and some H2O products would be made available to Leader dealers,” said Jeff Smith, president of Leader.

“Both companies have retained their ownership structure," Smith said. "This was not a purchase/sale or a merger. In the end, we decided it was better to work together to try and help sugarmakers.”

Meanwhile, Leader continues in getting set-up for the upcoming season, Douglass said.

She said the company is churning out multi-colored Max Flow Flex tubing, including in pink to help promote breast cancer awareness.

The florescent colors are meant to be used for dropline applications, helping the sugarmaker identify lines changes from year to year and also easily spot the drops in the woods.

Douglass assured her customers that Leader’s manufacturing is full speed ahead on equipment production.

The are offering a new line of smaller hand pump filter presses with clear poly carbonate plates.

“This is a good solution at $1000,” Douglass said.

The poly plates benefit producers because the material does not displace heat.  It also makes it easier for the sugarmaker to see filter aid cake built up.

“It’s handy to watch the cake fill,” she said.

Leader will be coming out with more new products this winter, she added.

“We will keep you updated on that,” she said.