Hydro-Thermal Corporation
Hydro-Thermal Corporation is a privately held, family-owned industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in Direct Steam Injection heating systems for food, beverage, chemical, wastewater, and pharmaceutical processing applications, with 20,000+ installations across 90+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersWaukesha, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Hydro-Thermal Corporation does
Hydro-Thermal Corporation is a privately held, family-owned industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in Direct Steam Injection (DSI) heating technology. Founded in 1927 in Waukesha, Wisconsin and currently led by third-generation CEO Jim Zaiser, the company designs and manufactures custom-engineered steam injection heating systems for industrial and sanitary fluid processing applications across food and beverage, renewable fuels/ethanol, wastewater treatment, chemical processing, paper and pulp, pharmaceuticals, distilling and brewing, and energy and utilities markets. Hydro-Thermal operates under three generations of Zaiser family ownership with no external institutional investors, holding more than a dozen active patents and being named in over 40 process patents.
The company's core technology uses a patented internal modulation system with a variable-area nozzle/diffuser assembly that injects steam directly into process fluids for instantaneous heat transfer, achieving 100% thermal efficiency and temperature control within ±1°F. The product portfolio spans industrial heaters (Hydroheater/Jetcooker K-Series and M-Series, Solaris Hydroheater with Cross-Flow Diffuser, NOH Non-Obstructing Heater for high-solids), sanitary systems (Hydron 3-A certified sanitary heater, SilverLine Smart Cooking System with PLC control, Infuze Sanitary Cooking Skid), water-only solutions (EZ Heater, EZ Skid System), and custom-engineered ATTEC skid systems. Hydro-Thermal holds ISO 9001:2015 certification along with 3-A, EHEDG, and FDA elastomer compliance on sanitary product lines, and its systems integrate with plant DCS/PLC infrastructure via Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP.
Revenue is generated through quote-based, custom-engineered one-time equipment sales, supplemented by recurring spare parts and replacement components and lab/application testing services offered through a try-before-you-buy facility in suburban Milwaukee. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales (Regional Sales Managers and Inside Sales Account Representatives) with a global channel partner network spanning six continents and operations in 90+ countries, including a 2018-established regional headquarters in Lyon, France for EMEA. The customer base includes enterprise accounts such as ADM, Cargill, EI DuPont, PPG Industries, Kimberly-Clark, Andersons, and VeraSun, with 20,000+ cumulative installations worldwide.
Hydro-Thermal Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hydro-Thermal Corporation
- Legal name
- Hydro-Thermal Inc.
- Website
- https://hydro-thermal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Hydro-Thermal Corporation is a privately held, family-owned industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in Direct Steam Injection heating systems for food, beverage, chemical, wastewater, and pharmaceutical processing applications, with 20,000+ installations across 90+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hydro-Thermal Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Process Heating Equipment
- NAICS
- Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410)
- SIC
- Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433), Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Boilers, Furnaces & Process Heating Equipment (IMAHAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Heat Exchangers & Thermal Transfer Equipment (IMAHAKAC), Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)
Keywords
Where Hydro-Thermal Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waukesha
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Hydro-Thermal Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Industrial DSI Heating Equipment Sales: Sale of direct steam injection heating systems including Hydroheaters, Jetcookers, NOH heaters, Solaris Hydroheaters, EZ Heaters, and complete skidded systems. Products are custom-designed for specific customer applications and process requirements.
- Spare Parts and Replacement Components: Replacement parts including wear parts, soft parts, and maintenance components for existing heater systems. Products like once-a-year preventative maintenance checks and parts changes.
- Lab Services and Application Testing: In-house lab testing services where engineers work with customers to test their specific requirements and verify processes. Try-before-you-buy testing facility in suburban Milwaukee.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Hydro-Thermal Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hydro-Thermal Corporation designs and manufactures direct steam injection (DSI) heating and cooking systems for industrial and sanitary fluid processing. Its products include the Hydroheater/Jetcooker family, K-Series Standard Skid, Solaris Hydroheater, NOH (Non-Obstructing Heater), SilverLine Smart Cooking System, Hydron Sanitary Hydroheater, Infuze Sanitary Cooking Skid, EZ Heater, EZ Skid System, and ATTEC Process Custom Skid Systems. Each system is custom-engineered to specific customer process requirements and supported by an in-house applications lab and global channel partner network.
Product overview
Hydro-Thermal Corporation is the global leader in direct steam injection (DSI) heating and cooking systems, offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial heating products. The core product line centers on the Hydroheater/Jetcooker family (available in K-Series and M-Series variants), complemented by specialized heaters including the Solaris Hydroheater (with Cross-Flow Diffuser for high-solids applications), NOH Non-Obstructing Heater (for clog-resistant sludge heating), and the sanitary-grade Hydron Sanitary Hydroheater. For advanced food and beverage processing, the SilverLine Smart Cooking System and Infuze Sanitary Cooking Skid provide fully integrated cooking solutions with PLC-based automation. Water-only applications are served by the EZ Heater and pre-packaged EZ Skid System. The ATTEC Process Custom Skid System addresses unique industrial requirements. All products utilize patented internal modulation technology for precise temperature control (±1°F), 100% thermal efficiency, and elimination of steam hammer and vibration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hydroheater®: The core industrial direct steam injection heater product line, including J-series, K400, K500, K600, and K608 models.
- Jetcooker™
- EZ Heater®
- EZ Skid™
- Hydron™ Sanitary Hydroheater
- Infuze™ Sanitary Cooking Skid
- NOH™ (Non-Obstructing Heater)
- SilverLine™ Smart Cooking System
- Solaris® Hydroheater
- ATTEC® Process Custom Skid System
- Hydrive Linear Actuator™ (HLA)
- ATTEC Systems
Products and services
- Hydroheater/Jetcooker Industrial DSI heater for precisely heating liquids and slurries across varying viscosities and solids, with a unique combining tube adjustor for easy control of process shear and optimal starch conversion. Available in K-Series (2.5"-10") and M-Series (0.75"-2.5") sizes.
- K-Series Hydroheater Standard Skid Pre-engineered standard skid system featuring the K-Series Hydroheater for industrial direct steam injection heating applications, with built-in automation controls.
- Solaris Hydroheater Industrial DSI heater with a Cross-Flow Diffuser that injects steam across the entire cross-section of flow for thorough mixing and uniform temperature profile. Low-shear flow ideal for slurries with high solids content where chunk size must be maintained. Max Pressure: 300 PSIG, Max Temperature: 450°F.
- NOH (Non-Obstructing Heater) Innovative straight-tube DSI heater with unrestricted flow, no pressure drop, and ability to heat slurries without plugging or fouling. Rugged design handles abrasive materials and supports Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP for DCS integration.
- SilverLine Smart Cooking System Polished stainless-steel sanitary cooking system engineered to precisely replicate specified processing profiles, with integrated PLC control, Shear Control, and EHEDG/3-A certified NGI levelers and hygienic valves. Models DN40-DN100.
- Hydron Sanitary Hydroheater Most precise, accurate, and versatile sanitary Hydroheater, featuring a modular 3-A certified design, self-cleaning action, and automatic/manual/fixed combining tube options. Max Pressure: 195 PSIG, Max Temperature: 400°F. Awarded ADPI/Dairy Foods Breakthrough Award.
- Infuze Sanitary Cooking Skid Sanitary cooking skid (member of the SilverLine family) for on-demand heating of soups, sauces, slurries, or beverages requiring pasteurization or blended emulsification. Features sanitary rotary/torque actuators, FDA-compatible materials, 3-A certification, and PLC controls with Ethernet/IP or Modbus TCP. Max Pressure: 100 PSIG, Max Temperature: 339°F.
- EZ Heater Direct steam injection heater for water-only applications delivering precise hot water on demand; enhances batch cooking, eliminates hot spots and burn-on, and supports better quality control.
- EZ Skid System Integrated, compact pre-engineered hot water set heating system utilizing the EZ Heater. Includes all components needed for liquid heating—connect to plant utilities (steam, water, air, power). Available in H310-H2040 models.
- ATTEC Process Custom Skid System Custom engineered skid system for process-specific direct steam injection heating requirements, designed to meet unique industrial application specifications.
- Lab Services and Application Testing Application testing services in which Hydro-Thermal engineers work with customers to test specific process requirements, validate DSI system sizing, and verify results in a try-before-you-buy lab facility in suburban Milwaukee.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20-25% energy savings compared to indirect heat exchangers
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Hydro-Thermal Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hydro-Thermal Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature4 records
Hydro-Thermal Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hydro-Thermal Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sterling Industrial (Pick Heaters): Pick Heaters is a direct competitor to Hydro-Thermal in steam injection heating, offering a parallel portfolio of direct steam injection heaters for similar industrial and sanitary applications across food, chemical, and ethanol customers.
- SPX Heat Transfer (formerly APV / SPX Flow): SPX Flow's heat-transfer division supplies plate, scraped-surface, and tubular heat exchangers — the indirect technologies Hydro-Thermal explicitly displaces — targeting the same food, dairy, beverage, and chemical processing customers.
- Heatec (a Heico company): Heatec designs and manufactures industrial process heaters and heating systems for asphalt terminals, chemical, and refining industries — a comparable direct competitor in the process heating equipment category Hydro-Thermal serves.
- API Basco (Alfa Laval): API Basco specializes in shell-and-tube heat exchangers used in chemical, petrochemical, and industrial applications — the incumbent heat-transfer technology that Hydro-Thermal competes against for the same process heating buyers.
- Eclipse Thermal (now part of Thermon): Eclipse/Thermon manufactures process immersion heaters and thermal systems for industrial fluid heating — a comparable product category targeting similar chemical, oil & gas, and process industry customers served by Hydro-Thermal.
Broad incumbents
- Alfa Laval: Alfa Laval is the global incumbent in heat transfer, including plate and spiral heat exchangers used in food, dairy, pharma, and chemical processing — the broader competitor set that Hydro-Thermal targets for displacement with DSI technology.
- Schmidt + Clemens (SCHMIDT-CLEMENS Group): Schmidt+Clemens is a specialist in process heating equipment and high-alloy components for petrochemical and industrial applications, overlapping with Hydro-Thermal's chemical and process heating verticals.
- Watson-Marlow (Spirax-Sarco Engineering): Spirax-Sarco and its Watson-Marlow business serve steam-and-process heating applications globally with broader portfolios; they overlap with Hydro-Thermal in industrial steam utilization and sanitary process heating.
Emerging players
- ProSonics / Sonics + Materials: Sonics manufactures ultrasonic and process equipment for liquid processing and inline heating/coking — an emerging alternative mechanism adjacent to DSI for food, dairy, and chemical process heating where Hydro-Thermal competes.
Regional players
- Cipriani Heat Exchange: Cipriani is a European-headquartered manufacturer of shell-and-tube and plate heat exchangers serving chemical, petrochemical, and power generation markets, comparable to Hydro-Thermal's EMEA customer base and a regional competitor for indirect-to-direct displacement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hydro-Thermal Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceHydro-Thermal Corporation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Hydro-Thermal Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hydro-Thermal Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Hydro-Thermal Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hydro-Thermal Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hydro-Thermal Corporation
What does Hydro-Thermal Corporation do?
Hydro-Thermal Corporation designs and manufactures direct steam injection (DSI) heating and cooking systems for industrial and sanitary fluid processing. Its products include the Hydroheater/Jetcooker family, K-Series Standard Skid, Solaris Hydroheater, NOH (Non-Obstructing Heater), SilverLine Smart Cooking System, Hydron Sanitary Hydroheater, Infuze Sanitary Cooking Skid, EZ Heater, EZ Skid System, and ATTEC Process Custom Skid Systems. Each system is custom-engineered to specific customer process requirements and supported by an in-house applications lab and global channel partner network.
Is Hydro-Thermal Corporation a public or private company?
Hydro-Thermal Corporation is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Hydro-Thermal Corporation founded?
Hydro-Thermal Corporation was founded in 1927. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Hydro-Thermal Corporation based?
Hydro-Thermal Corporation is headquartered in Waukesha, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hydro-Thermal Corporation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Industrial DSI Heating Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are spare Parts and Replacement Components and lab Services and Application Testing.
Who are Hydro-Thermal Corporation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sterling Industrial (Pick Heaters), SPX Heat Transfer (formerly APV / SPX Flow), Heatec (a Heico company), API Basco (Alfa Laval) and Eclipse Thermal (now part of Thermon). Broad incumbents are Alfa Laval, Schmidt + Clemens (SCHMIDT-CLEMENS Group) and Watson-Marlow (Spirax-Sarco Engineering). ProSonics / Sonics + Materials is listed as an emerging player. Cipriani Heat Exchange is listed as a regional player.
Does Hydro-Thermal Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hydro-Thermal Corporation.
What industry is Hydro-Thermal Corporation in?
Hydro-Thermal Corporation's product category is Industrial Process Heating Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAD, Boilers, Furnaces & Process Heating Equipment, with a secondary code of IMAHAKAC, Heat Exchangers & Thermal Transfer Equipment. Its NAICS code is 333414 and its SIC code is 3433.