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April 28, 2022 Biz Spotlight

Going Global: Industrial Flow Solutions sets itself up for growth

PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED John Wilson is the president of New Haven-based Industrial Flow Solutions.
By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

New Haven-based Industrial Flow Solutions is in the business of solving problems, specifically those that involve fluid management for harsh, rugged environments.

The company specializes in the design, manufacturing, sales and service of pumping and fluid-management products, and it’s been aggressively expanding its footprint in recent years through local and international acquisitions.

In January, the company announced its purchase of Italy-based Dreno Pompe, which makes electrical submersible pumps for wastewater applications.

IFS President John Wilson said the acquisition will help IFS build its European footprint.

“It allows us to bring their products into the U.S. markets and we can ship more of our products into Europe,” said Wilson, adding his company now employs about 100 people globally.

Coming together

IFS was founded in 2017 as a portfolio company of Chicago-based May River Capital. Its targeted industries include companies in food processing, brewing, mining, construction, commercial building trades, municipal wastewater and power generation.

Part of the company’s growth strategy has involved the acquisition of various pumps to expand its expertise, according to Wilson. And it has targeted Connecticut companies.

In 2019, May River Capital purchased BJM Pumps and Stancor and merged them into Industrial Flow Solutions, creating a larger, more diversified company, Wilson said.

BJM Pumps, initially located in Old Saybrook, has been selling and servicing submersible pumps used in industrial and municipal dewatering and wastewater applications since 1983. Its products are designed for harsh operating environments with heavy solids, abrasives, high temperatures and chemically corrosive fluids.

Stancor, which was based in Monroe, has more than three decades of experience designing and manufacturing electrical submersible pumps and pumping controls systems.

“We moved the businesses to New Haven to set us up for growth in the industrial, commercial and municipal wastewater arena,” Wilson said.

In October, the company also purchased a controls and monitoring business based out of Scotland called Clearwater Controls to add to its portfolio of intelligent pumping products.

Wide customer base

IFS serves a diverse range of sectors, including the craft beer industry, which has grown an average of 10.9 percent over the last decade, prompting growing demand among brewers for wastewater products and services.

One IFS customer is Real Ale Brewing Co. in Blanco, Texas. The brewery needed an efficient treatment system to process the wastewater it generated.

The first issue that plagued the brewery was highly acidic wastewater. Most submersible pumps are created from cast iron, which deteriorates in such an environment.

High temperatures presented another problem. Most pumps are unable to withstand temperatures over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, let alone 140 degrees.

A third issue involved the effective handling of solids, which could clog or erode pump components.

Garry Turnquist, reliability manager at Real Ale Brewing, said his company used a stainless-steel BJM pump that features high temperature seals that withstand hot water and is resistant to chemicals.

“It pumps our water 700 feet down into the lagoon,” Turnquist said.

The Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in California also benefited from a BJM pump. The facility relies on seven sewage ejector pits to collect waste from the hospital complex and pump that waste into the municipal sewer system.

It faced continuous clogging problems from disposable wipes.

Between 2008 and 2014, the sewage ejector pumps were rebuilt and replaced multiple times. Personnel costs to clear the ejection pits often ran into the thousands of dollars.

BJM provided a pump that solved the issue.

Ohio-based United Dairy Inc. processes thousands of gallons of milk a day. The plant’s submersible wash down sump pump had to be replaced every three to six months.

This was a result of the sanitization process for tanks and trucks, which required frequent wash downs with 140-degree water. The high-water temperature overheated the pump motors, causing them to fail.

A BJM pump helped solve the issue.

“We all have a commitment to quality, precision-made products and superior customer service,” said Wilson, who declined to disclose the company’s annual revenues.

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