What Kemco Systems does

Kemco Systems is a Clearwater, Florida-based designer and manufacturer of custom-engineered industrial water recycling, wastewater recovery, water heating, and energy conservation systems. Founded in 1969 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Skip Kemberling and relocated to Florida in 1985, the company has delivered more than 10,000 systems worldwide and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of CECO Environmental Corp. (NASDAQ: CECO) following an acquisition completed on August 23, 2023. Kemco serves four primary end markets — food processing, commercial and industrial laundry, concrete (precast and ready-mix), and general industrial — with named customers including Tyson Foods, Smithfield, JBS, Cargill, Cintas, Unifirst, Barrick Gold, Georgia-Pacific, Cemstone, and DFW International Airport.

The product portfolio is anchored by three proprietary platforms: the patented KLEENWATER system, which combines Ceramic Microfiltration (<0.05 micron porosity) with Reverse Osmosis to recycle 75-85% of process water while retaining thermal energy; the patented Direct Contact Water Heater, a non-pressurized vessel that achieves 99.7% fuel efficiency versus 65-70% for conventional gas heaters and steam boilers; and the Monarch Control Panel, a UL508a-listed industrial control system using Allen-Bradley PLCs with EtherNet/IP to BACnet integration. Supporting technologies include wastewater heat reclamation (up to 60% energy recovery, 12-24 month ROI, 20-year warranty), dissolved air flotation, stack economizers, ceramic membrane filtration, Vaporator/Vapormite concrete curing systems (98% efficiency), and the HatchRO reverse osmosis system for poultry hatcheries.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time capital equipment sales of custom-engineered systems, supplemented by a parts and service operation supporting the 10,000+ installed base. The company sells exclusively through direct field sales with five regional sales managers across the U.S. plus a Platform Leader for the Americas General Industrial Water/Wastewater segment, with no resellers or e-commerce channel. In 2019, Kemco introduced CONSERVE (Water Recycling as a Service) and PROTECT (equipment protection program) to layer recurring subscription revenue onto the project-based model, and the same year acquired Water Resources, Inc. (DAF technology) and Bob Johnson & Associates (distribution). Pricing is project-specific and quote-based; no list pricing is publicly disclosed, and Kemco's standalone revenue is not separately reported by CECO Environmental.

Name

Kemco Systems

Legal name

Kemco Systems Co. LLC

Website

https://kemcosystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kemco Systems designs and manufactures custom-engineered industrial water recycling, wastewater recovery, water heating, and energy conservation systems for food processing, commercial laundry, concrete, and general industrial markets, and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of CECO Environmental Corp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Clearwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom-Engineered Industrial Systems Sales: Kemco designs, manufactures, and sells custom-engineered industrial water recycling, wastewater treatment, water heating, and energy recovery systems. Systems are custom-designed to each client's plant requirements, with full engineering, fabrication, installation, and commissioning. Revenue is generated through one-time capital equipment sales with associated installation and start-up services. Turnkey solutions are delivered as complete mechanical build-outs at customer facilities.
2. Parts and Service: Replacement parts, preventive maintenance (PM), burner exchange, and service contracts for installed systems. The company maintains a parts operation and service team supporting the existing installed base of over 10,000 systems worldwide.
3. Water Recycling as a Service (CONSERVE): Introduced in 2019, the CONSERVE program delivers water recycling as a service to the laundry industry. This service model provides customers access to water recycling technology without upfront capital investment.
4. System Protection (PROTECT): Equipment protection program providing ongoing support and maintenance coverage for installed Kemco systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kemco Systems designs, manufactures, and sells custom-engineered industrial water recycling, wastewater treatment, water heating, and energy conservation systems for food processing, commercial laundry, concrete, and general industrial facilities. Its portfolio includes patented core systems (KLEENWATER, Direct Contact Water Heater, Vaporator/Vapormite) plus supporting equipment and turnkey installation. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time capital equipment sales, recurring parts and service contracts, and subscription-style water-recycling-as-a-service (CONSERVE) and equipment-protection (PROTECT) programs.

Product overview

Kemco Systems provides industrial water recycling and energy conservation solutions through a comprehensive portfolio of integrated systems. The core product lineup includes the patented Direct Contact Water Heater (DCWH) achieving 99.7% efficiency and the KLEENWATER™ System combining Ceramic Membrane Filtration and Reverse Osmosis for 75-85% wastewater reuse. Supporting technologies span water treatment (softeners, RO systems, HatchRO), wastewater recovery (DAF, filter presses, shaker screens, pumps), water heating (stack economizers, steam heaters, heat reclaimers), curing solutions (Vaporator, Vapormite for concrete), and intelligent control systems (Monarch Control Panel). The company serves food processing, commercial laundry, concrete, and general industrial markets with custom-engineered systems designed for sustainability and energy efficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KLEENWATER™: Patented water recycling system combining Ceramic Membrane Filtration (CMF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology for industrial wastewater recycling, capable of recycling 75-85% of water and thermal energy.
• Vaporator
• Vapormite
• Monarch Control Panel
• CONSERVE
• PROTECT

Products and services

• Direct Contact Water Heater (DCWH) Patented water heater using direct contact between flame and water, achieving 99.7% fuel efficiency. Non-pressurized vessel, NSF certified; does not require a licensed boiler operator or high-pressure insurance. TE-100 model ranges from 15 to over 500 gpm. Sold to food processors, laundries, and general industrial facilities needing high-temperature sanitation hot water.
• KLEENWATER™ System Patented water recycling system combining Ceramic Membrane Filtration (CMF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) that recycles water while maintaining thermal energy. Average reuse rates of 75-85%, CMF membrane porosity less than 0.05 microns, RO TDS under 300 PPM (often under 100 PPM). Sold to food processing, laundry, and general industrial facilities for water and thermal energy reuse.
• Vaporator Series High-efficiency vapor generator for concrete curing incorporating advances in combustion, electronics, and automation engineering. 98% fuel efficiency and 35-40% fuel avoidance. Multi-speed and single-speed units from 0.5 to 8.0 million BTU/hr. PLC-based control, UL508a listed. Sold to precast and ready-mix concrete producers.
• Vapormite Concrete vapor curing equipment available in four sizes with single-speed operation. 40-60% fuel avoidance. Sold as an economical entry point for concrete producers needing vapor curing capacity.
• Monarch Control Panel Full computerized plant monitoring and trending system providing intelligent monitoring and control for Kemco water and wastewater systems. Optimizes process variables, logs performance data, enables remote access/alerts, and integrates with building management systems (EtherNet/IP to BACnet). UL508a listed industrial control panel using Allen-Bradley MicroLogix or CompactLogix PLC. Sold to operators of installed Kemco systems.
• CONSERVE (Water Recycling as a Service) Subscription-based water recycling service that delivers Kemco's water recycling technology to laundry operators on a service basis, eliminating the need for upfront capital expenditure. Introduced in 2019. Targeted at commercial and industrial laundry customers.
• PROTECT (System Protection Program) Recurring equipment protection program providing ongoing support and maintenance coverage for installed Kemco systems. Targeted at existing Kemco customers across food processing, laundry, concrete, and general industrial verticals.
• Parts and Service Replacement parts, preventive maintenance, burner exchange, and service contracts supporting the installed base of more than 10,000 Kemco systems worldwide. Targeted at existing Kemco customers requiring ongoing maintenance and consumables.
• Ceramic Membrane Filtration (CMF) System Ceramic membrane filtration system using elements with porosity less than 0.05 micron in a cross-flow design. Provides excellent thermal stability for high-temperature operations, chemical tolerance for aggressive media, and removal of emulsified and suspended contaminants without chemical agents. Sold to industrial customers for wastewater pretreatment and water reuse.
• Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) Industrial wastewater pretreatment using dissolved air flotation to remove suspended solids, oils, greases, BOD, COD, and metals for safe discharge or reuse. Capability added via the 2019 acquisition of Water Resources, Inc. Sold to food processing and industrial facilities for wastewater pretreatment.
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems Fully packaged, low-pressure Reverse Osmosis design with flexible modular configuration. Membrane housings accommodate thin film membranes; TDS levels consistently measure under 300 PPM and often under 100 PPM. Applications include process water softening, domestic water softening, boiler feed water makeup, and Vaporator/Vapormite feed water makeup.
• HatchRO Reverse Osmosis System Poultry-specific RO system for hatcheries that removes scaling minerals affecting humidification system operation and misting nozzles. Modular industrial design for tight facility footprints. Flows up to 7.5 GPM (10,800 GPD). Stainless steel frames, thin film low energy membranes, 300psi FRP pressure vessels, multi-stage centrifugal pump, Nema 4 enclosures. Sold to poultry hatchery operators.
• Industrial Water Softeners Industrial water softening equipment using ion exchange resin to remove hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) and prevent scale build-up in boilers and equipment. Sold to industrial customers needing boiler feed and process water treatment.
• Stack Economizer Flue gas heat recovery system that recovers nearly 100% of heat going up the stack, safely reducing stack gases as low as 40°F. For boiler loads exceeding 100HP where traditional finned-tube units cannot avoid cold-end corrosion. Sold to industrial facilities operating high-horsepower boilers.
• Wastewater Heat Reclamation System Shell and tube heat reclaimer that recovers thermal energy from wastewater to preheat incoming fresh water, capable of preheating water to within 5°F of wastewater stream temperature. Recovers up to 60% of original energy expended with 12-24 month ROI, 20-year warranty, and 4-Way Back Flushing System. Does not require wastewater pre-filtration. Sold to high-water-use industrial facilities.
• Steam Heater Shell and tube heat exchanger for water heating, more efficient than live steam injection, allowing condensate return to the boiler feedwater system. Sold to industrial facilities requiring heated water from steam sources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.7% fuel efficiency for water heating vs. ~70% for conventional gas heaters and ~65% for steam boilers
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers38 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cerris SystemsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 20 May 2026Kemco partnered with Cerris Systems to design and deliver two water heater systems for installation in a new pork processing facility in Iowa. One system for sanitation and another for process water. Cerris Systems serves as the integration partner for the project which will be the largest pork processing plant in the U.S. upon completion.
• The Vince Hagan CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2025Partnership where Kemco provides direct contact water heaters, pumps, and tanks for Vince Hagan concrete batch plants, particularly those needing efficient hot water production during winter months for aggregate heating. Vince Hagan is a leading manufacturer of concrete batch plants and equipment. The partnership enables bundled hot water solutions for new concrete plant installations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene and infection-prevention solutions serving food processing, healthcare, hospitality and industrial laundry. Comparable as an integrated water and sanitation supplier to the same enterprise customer verticals Kemco serves.
• SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions: Global water and wastewater treatment specialist serving industrial and municipal clients with membranes, chemicals and digital services. Comparable to Kemco on industrial water reuse, RO and wastewater treatment solutions.
• Veolia Water Technologies: Global water-treatment major offering industrial water recycling, RO, and process-water systems across food, chemical and municipal markets. Comparable as a one-stop industrial water solutions provider, though much broader and larger than Kemco.
• Pentair: Manufacturer of water treatment and flow-control products including industrial filtration, RO and process water systems. Comparable to Kemco on membrane-based water treatment and pump system offerings.
• Xylem (formerly Evoqua Water Technologies): Major water-technology provider including industrial water reuse, wastewater treatment and process-water solutions. Direct overlap with Kemco's water recycling, RO and wastewater recovery offerings across food and general industrial customers.

Direct peers

• Parkson Corporation: Industrial and municipal water/wastewater treatment equipment manufacturer including DAF and filtration systems. Comparable to Kemco on wastewater recovery product lines and food/general-industrial customer base.
• PVI Industries: Specialist manufacturer of commercial and industrial hot-water heating systems including direct-fired water heaters. Closest technology peer to Kemco's Direct Contact Water Heater product family.
• H2O Innovation: Specialist in membrane filtration, RO and water-reuse systems for industrial and municipal clients. Closest direct peer to Kemco's KLEENWATER and RO product lines in terms of technology and customer profile.
• Cleaver-Brooks: Manufacturer of industrial boilers, water heaters and heat-recovery equipment. Directly comparable to Kemco's Direct Contact Water Heater, Steam Heater and Stack Economizer product lines on technology and end markets.
• Aqua-Chem: Provider of industrial water and wastewater treatment systems including evaporators, RO and reuse systems. Directly comparable to Kemco's custom-engineered industrial water and wastewater solutions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KemcoSystems
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjMdKcWleaYTxvuKZJtUmxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kemco-Systems-836366339829100
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kemco-systems

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kemco Systems