The Challenge

Breaking Out of the Component Supplier Box

When you manufacture everything needed to treat and move corrosive and odorous air from point A to point B, it’s frustrating to be viewed as just another component supplier. That was the positioning problem this Michigan-based industrial air treatment manufacturer faced.

They built complete systems—ductwork, dampers, fans, scrubbers—for semiconductor fabs, wastewater treatment facilities, and industrial plating operations. But market perception lagged behind reality. Buyers treated them like a vendor for individual components rather than the systems-level partner they had become.

The challenge wasn’t just perception—it was complexity:

• Three distinct markets, each with different vocabulary, priorities, and buying processes
• A digital presence trying to serve all of them at once, which meant it spoke clearly to none
• A need for a prominent, non-generic conversational interface that could guide prospects based on real application needs
  

On top of that, different buyer types needed different information at different stages. A mechanical contractor bidding on a semiconductor fab project operates very differently from a municipal buyer navigating procurement. The website had to support those realities without forcing prospects through irrelevant content.

The Approach

Building Architecture Around Buyer Reality

The solution started with a simple truth: when you serve distinctly different markets, your digital presence needs to acknowledge that immediately. Not buried in dropdown menus or generic “industries we serve” pages, but right up front in the site architecture.

Navigation was structured around three clear entry points—High-Tech Industrial, Municipal/Wastewater, and OEM—each using the language and priorities those buyers actually care about. Semiconductor fabs and battery plants required a different conversation than municipal odor control or OEM component integration, and the site reflected that from the first click.

This wasn’t just a content reorganization. Messaging shifted to emphasize end-to-end systems capabilities rather than individual product categories. Every section reinforced the fact that the company manufactures all components required for complete air treatment solutions, from initial handling through final discharge.

Product presentation followed the same logic. Coated Stainless Steel, the company’s primary growth focus, received clear visual and navigational priority. Fiberglass (FRP) and PVC/Plastics remained accessible, but without competing for equal emphasis. The hierarchy made the strategic direction clear while still supporting buyers with different requirements.

The conversational interface departed from traditional chatbot patterns entirely. Instead of a small widget tucked into a corner, it became a prominent element on key landing pages. Conversations focused on three immediate qualifiers: market segment, material priorities, and air handling needs.

Those inputs fed directly into HubSpot workflows. A mechanical contractor working on a semiconductor fab project triggered different routing and follow-up than a municipal buyer researching odor control compliance. Qualification happened before sales ever got involved.

Forms and conversational flows captured data points that mattered for follow-up. Buyer role, purchasing authority, application type, and material requirements all shaped what happened next—ensuring sales outreach and nurturing matched where each prospect actually was in the buying process.

The Deliverables:

What We Actually Built

The website architecture separated content into three market-focused sections, each functioning as a semi-independent experience while maintaining overall brand consistency.

High-Tech Industrial content emphasized reliability in high-purity environments, technical specifications, and certification requirements. Municipal content addressed odor control and wastewater applications, government procurement considerations, and compliance documentation. The OEM section streamlined access to component specifications, integration resources, and repeat ordering workflows.

Coated Stainless Steel products received enhanced visibility across the site, including primary navigation placement and dedicated homepage real estate. Fiberglass and PVC product lines remained easy to find but were positioned appropriately within the overall hierarchy.

The experience was designed as a guided interaction, not a chatbot add-on. On priority landing pages, it took over the screen, positioning it as the main route for navigation and lead qualification rather than a supporting feature. Natural language input allowed prospects to explain their needs without being forced through rigid decision trees.

Behind the scenes, conversation data flowed into HubSpot workflows that segmented leads based on market, buyer role, product interest, and application requirements. These inputs informed lead scoring and determined which nurturing sequences activated.

HubSpot’s CRM ensured sales received qualified leads with context already captured. Instead of starting discovery calls blind, the team knew which market the prospect came from, what materials they cared about, and what problem they were trying to solve.

Nurturing sequences reflected those differences. High-tech industrial leads received semiconductor and battery manufacturing case studies. Municipal leads received content focused on odor control and regulatory compliance. OEM partners received integration documentation and specification resources.

The Outcome

Positioning Backed by Systems

The final website positions the company as a complete systems provider before prospects ever reach out. Buyers see content aligned to their market and application immediately, without navigating information that doesn’t apply to their situation.

Upfront qualification through the conversational interface means sales conversations start with context already established—market segment, application type, material priorities, and buyer role. This reduces early discovery time and improves handoffs.

Lead routing improved because buyer roles are identified automatically. Mechanical contractors, general contractors, and end users are handled differently, with follow-up aligned to their actual decision-making authority. Municipal buyers entering through procurement-focused paths are routed to team members familiar with that process.

HubSpot integration created the infrastructure for differentiated nurturing. Rather than sending the same generic follow-up to every inquiry, the system delivers content aligned to the specific market and application context each prospect provided.

For a company whose president has a long-standing relationship with Hypha’s leadership, the project reflected a consultative partnership built on trust. Serving three markets with different vocabularies, priorities, and buying processes required strategic positioning paired with operational execution.

This work demonstrates what happens when a manufacturer stops treating its website like a digital brochure and starts using it as a positioning and qualification system—one that reflects how buyers actually evaluate solutions.

Working with Complex Industrial Positioning

If you’re a manufacturer trying to break out of the “component supplier” box—or you serve multiple markets that require fundamentally different conversations—the execution matters, but the strategic thinking matters more.

The work involves understanding how your buyers evaluate solutions, then structuring content, conversations, and HubSpot infrastructure to reflect those realities automatically. That’s where positioning stops being a message and starts becoming a system.

Talk to us about your manufacturing marketing challenges.