Pirtek is not a typical franchise. It's not a restaurant and and it's not exactly retail, but the industrial-based hydraulic hose supplier is looking to land in Birmingham in 2015. Gwyn O'Kane, vice president of franchise development for the company, which was founded in Australia, said franchises already exist in most of the major metros in the United States, including Atlanta and Chicago. There are 50 franchises nationwide and 400 globally, O'Kane said, and he is now looking at tertiary markets…
