FloWorks International

What FloWorks International does

FloWorks International, LLC is a Houston, Texas-based specialty distributor of flow control products serving the industrial process and MRO markets. The company supplies valves, process filtration (PFF), rotating equipment, fluid handling systems, and instrumentation to customers in chemical and petrochemical, power generation, refining, oil & gas, semiconductor, data center cooling, mining, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, and marine end markets. FloWorks operates 60+ stocking locations across the United States, Canada, and Asia, supported by 50+ manufacturer partnerships, 59,000+ SKUs, and $100M+ of inventory. The business is built on a portfolio of 15+ subsidiary brands, including Sunbelt Supply, SemiTorr, Flotech, Genesis Systems, and others with legacy roots dating back to 1961.

The company operates a multi-channel distribution model combining localized branch fulfillment, e-commerce, EDI/VMI programs, automation centers, and machine shops that provide valve actuation, fabrication, and engineering support. FloWorks also maintains in-house engineering capabilities including CAD, FEA, and positive material identification (PMI) services, allowing it to participate in engineered solutions rather than purely transactional resale. Its customer base is anchored by 70+ long-duration MRO contracts averaging 15 years in length, with roughly 70% of revenue derived from customers with 10+ year relationships. The business has earned ISO 9001 certification across multiple brands and accumulated 70+ industry awards, supporting its positioning in safety-critical flow control applications.

Under Wynnchurch Capital's ownership (since January 2023), FloWorks pursued an aggressive buy-and-build strategy, completing seven follow-on acquisitions through 2025 in areas including process control (Applied Controls, Assured Automation), filtration (Cranford Equipment), Canadian distribution (CAC Industrial), and regional coverage (Slater Controls). The company reached approximately $1 billion in revenue at the time of its announced sale to Ferguson Enterprises for $1.6 billion in July 2026, representing roughly 10x LTM Adjusted EBITDA with approximately $45 million in expected annual run-rate cost synergies. FloWorks generates revenue through product distribution margins, value-added engineering services, MRO contract fulfillment, and integrated supply programs that create recurring revenue from industrial customers with mission-critical flow control requirements.

Name

FloWorks International

Legal name

FloWorks International, LLC

Website

https://gofloworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

FloWorks International is a Houston-based specialty distributor of flow control products, including valves, filtration, and instrumentation, serving industrial customers across chemical, petrochemical, power, semiconductor, and data center end markets through 60+ locations and 15+ subsidiary brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Flow Control Distribution

NAICS

Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Fluid Power Pump and Motor Manufacturing (333996)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)

akta.pro primary industry

Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Centrifugal Pumps (IMAHANAA), Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets) (IMAHANAG)

Keywords

• Flow control products
• Industrial valve distribution
• Pipe fittings flanges
• Valve automation services
• Fluid handling systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Distribution - Valves, PFF, and Rotating Equipment: FloWorks generates revenue primarily through the distribution and sale of manual valves, automated valves, specialty PFF (pipe, fittings, flanges), pumps, rotating equipment, and fluid handling systems. Revenue is driven by both commodity and specialty product lines across a broad range of material grades (carbon, stainless, high nickel alloys, exotic alloys, and plastics). The company operates on a transactional and contract (MRO) basis, with consolidated billing and EDI capability.
2. Value-Added Services: FloWorks generates additional revenue through comprehensive valve and flow control services including valve actuation repair and retrofit, field services, AML review, consignment programs, vendor stocking programs, complete valve modification and trim changes, interior/exterior coating of valves, instrumentation, heat exchanger maintenance, testing and certification, and turnaround trailers. Services are provided both in-shop and in-the-field.
3. Data Center Cooling Solutions: FloWorks provides integrated fluid handling and flow control solutions for data center cooling systems including valves, pumps, pipe, tubing, hoses, automation, instrumentation, and filtration, positioning itself as a solutions partner for EPCs, general contractors, and mechanical contractors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FloWorks International is a specialty distributor and service provider of flow control products including manual valves, automated valves, specialty pipe fittings and flanges (PFF), rotating equipment, and fluid handling systems. The company serves industrial enterprise customers across chemical, petrochemical, power generation, semiconductor, and data center markets through more than 15 subsidiary brands operating from 50+ locations in North America and Asia, supported by $100M+ inventory depth and value-added services.

Product overview

FloWorks International is a global leader in flow control products and technical services, operating as a multi-brand platform comprised of 19 subsidiary companies. The core product portfolio includes Manual Valves, Valves and Automation, Valve Services, Specialty PFF (Pipe, Fittings, and Flanges), Rotating Equipment, and Fluid Handling Systems. These products are distributed through subsidiary brands including Sunbelt Supply Co., SemiTorr Group, Oliver Equipment Company, Flotech, Triple S, National Valve, Genesis Systems, CTW Solutions, McKenna Engineering, Simtech, Tru-Flow, Assured Automation, Flows.com, Applied Controls, Southwest Stainless & Alloy, CAC Industrial, Slater Controls, and Cranford Equipment Company. The company also offers specialized Data Center Cooling Solutions. With 50+ physical locations across North America and Asia, FloWorks serves chemical, power, marine, agriculture, semiconductor, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, food and beverage, renewables, mining, and general industrial end markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Manual Valves

Named customers4 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, minor and core.

• Fergusonflagship / coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 July 2026Ferguson (NYSE: FERG; LSE: FERG) entered into a definitive agreement to acquire FloWorks (FWI Holdings, Inc.) for approximately $1.6 billion in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. FloWorks will become part of Ferguson's specialty industrial flow control platform, expanding Ferguson's non-residential value-added capabilities and increasing its total addressable market to $400 billion.
• Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPminorOthers · 13 July 2026Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP served as legal counsel to Ferguson for the FloWorks acquisition. Kirkland & Ellis LLP advised on financing.
• Cranford Equipment CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 December 2025FloWorks acquired Cranford Equipment Company (CEC), a distributor of filtration products headquartered in Kenner, Louisiana, serving diverse industrial applications. CEC represents FloWorks' seventh acquisition under Wynnchurch's ownership and expands FloWorks' presence in industrial filtration.
• Slater ControlscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 October 2025FloWorks acquired Slater Controls LLC, a distributor of valve automation, instrumentation, and relief valves with four locations in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. This was the sixth acquisition under Wynnchurch's ownership.
• CAC Industrial EquipmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 March 2025FloWorks acquired CAC Industrial Equipment Ltd., a distributor of pumps and parts with repair service capabilities headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, serving mining, aggregate, water, and other industrial end markets. CAC expands FloWorks' presence in Canada and strengthens its pumps offering.
• Applied ControlscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 November 2024FloWorks acquired Applied Controls, a manufacturer's representative with three business units serving industrial process control, analyzer systems, and heat trace services across chemical, refining, power, and food & beverage markets.
• Assured AutomationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 August 2024FloWorks acquired Assured Automation, representing FloWorks' third acquisition in the last 12 months. Assured Automation is a leading supplier of actuated valves and flow components for industrial process control applications, serving equipment manufacturers through Fortune 500 companies.
• FlotechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 August 2022Clearlake Capital-backed FloWorks acquired Flotech, a leading value-added distributor and servicer of industrial valves and automation solutions in the Southeast U.S. Flootech operates three locations in Jacksonville, FL, Charleston, SC, Chattanooga, TN, and Mobile, AL.
• netMercurycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 June 2022Clearlake Capital-backed FloWorks acquired netMercury, expanding its digital and technical capabilities in the flow solutions space.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MRC Global: MRC Global (NYSE: MRC) is the largest distributor of pipe, valves, fittings (PVF) and related flow control products serving the energy and industrial markets in North America. It is the most directly comparable pure-play PVF distributor to FloWorks, with similar end-market exposure (oil & gas, chemical, power) and a comparable MRO/capital project revenue mix.
• Hajoca Corporation: Hajoca is a large privately held US distributor of plumbing, heating, cooling, and industrial supplies with deep contractor relationships. Its industrial PVF and plumbing valve business overlaps directly with FloWorks' Sunbelt Supply and Genesis Systems operations, particularly in commercial and institutional end markets.
• WinWholesale / Winsupply: Winsupply is a privately held wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, cooling, and industrial products with over 600 company-operated locations. It competes directly with FloWorks' branch network in commercial plumbing, HVAC, and light industrial valve/fitting distribution, particularly in regional markets.
• DXP Enterprises: DXP Enterprises (NASDAQ: DXPE) is a direct competitor in rotating equipment, MRO services, and fluid handling. Its Rotating Equipment and Repair (RER) and Integrated Supply (ISP) segments closely mirror FloWorks' pump distribution and valve automation capabilities, with overlapping customers in chemical, refining, and power generation.

Broad incumbents

• Watsco: Watsco (NYSE: WSO) is the largest HVAC distribution company in North America. Although primarily residential/commercial HVAC, its enterprise/institutional segment competes for some non-residential valve and flow control business that overlaps with FloWorks' data center cooling and building automation customers.
• Ferguson Enterprises: Ferguson Enterprises (NYSE: FERG) is FloWorks' announced acquirer and a much larger broad-line distributor of plumbing, HVAC, waterworks, and industrial products. While FloWorks sits within Ferguson's emerging industrial flow control platform, the parent operates a far broader portfolio across residential and non-residential construction, overlapping with some of FloWorks' commercial and institutional customers.
• Kaman Industrial Technologies: Kaman Industrial Technologies (a subsidiary of Kaman Corp, NYSE: KAMN) is a value-added industrial distributor serving fluid power, automation, bearings, and material handling markets. Its fluid power and automation offerings overlap with FloWorks' valve automation centers and field engineering capabilities.
• Applied Industrial Technologies: Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT) is a broad-line industrial distributor serving MRO and OEM customers across fluid power, bearings, motion control, and material handling. While not focused exclusively on flow control, its fluid power and motion control segment competes directly with FloWorks' valve automation and rotating equipment offerings.

Others

• Mueller Industries: Mueller Industries (NYSE: MLI) is a manufacturer of copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic products including valves and fittings for plumbing and HVAC. As a key upstream supplier to industrial distributors like FloWorks, it represents the OEM side of the channel, providing a useful comparator for flow control product economics and pricing power.
• Watts Water Technologies: Watts Water Technologies (NYSE: WTS) manufactures and sells flow control and water quality products for plumbing, commercial, and industrial markets. While a manufacturer rather than distributor, its commercial/industrial valve portfolio overlaps with FloWorks' end markets, and its product breadth and pricing approach offer a useful reference for assessing the value of FloWorks' industrial valve distribution business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/floworks-international

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A11 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FloWorks International