World Wide Metric
World Wide Metric is a US-based, family-owned industrial distributor founded in 1970 specializing in metric (DIN, JIS) and ANSI standard valves, flanges, fittings, couplings, tubing, and expansion joints for marine, industrial, and fluid power markets, operating from four US facilities with 50,000+ SKUs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersBridgewater, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What World Wide Metric does
World Wide Metric is a privately-held, family-owned industrial distributor founded in 1970 and headquartered in Branchburg, New Jersey. The company specializes in sourcing and distributing metric (DIN, JIS) and ANSI standard flow control components — valves, flanges, fittings, couplings, tubing, expansion joints, gaskets, and protective solutions — addressing a chronic supply gap in the US market for metric replacement parts on foreign-built ships and industrial equipment. The company holds 50,000+ SKUs across four strategically placed US facilities and distributes both proprietary and third-party brands including Frese, Wouter Witzel, Winteb, Raccorderie Metalliche, Youngnam Metal, STI Marine Firestop, Wencon, Dresser, Benteler, and Garlock. Services include onboard Ship Check audits and #NoHotWork press-fitting installation methods.
The company's core capability is not proprietary software but a curated, multi-standard inventory and deep technical expertise in flow control systems, supported by a 24/7 e-commerce platform with real-time pricing and live inventory visibility. Revenue is generated through hardware sales on a quote-based pricing model for enterprise customers, supplemented by self-serve e-commerce ordering for mid-market accounts. GTM combines direct enterprise sales, e-commerce, trade show presence (notably WorkBoat Show 2023 and 2024), content marketing via blog and downloadable resources, and CEO-led thought leadership.
The company serves three primary verticals: Marine/Maritime (the dominant segment, spanning cruise, cargo, offshore, coast guard, dredging, and workboats), Industrial (bulk handling, OEM, mining, petrochemical, pharma, power generation, renewable energy), and Fluid Power (hydraulics for agriculture, automotive, cranes, rail, wind turbines). Leadership comprises CEO George Contos and Director of Marine Paul Switzer. The company has remained family-owned throughout its 55+ year history with no external funding rounds, M&A, or public listing.
World Wide Metric firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- World Wide Metric
- Legal name
- World Wide Metric, Inc.
- Website
- https://worldwidemetric.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- World Wide Metric is a US-based, family-owned industrial distributor founded in 1970 specializing in metric (DIN, JIS) and ANSI standard valves, flanges, fittings, couplings, tubing, and expansion joints for marine, industrial, and fluid power markets, operating from four US facilities with 50,000+ SKUs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
World Wide Metric industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Flow Control Distribution
- NAICS
- Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Hardware (5072)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electrical, Automation & Navigation MRO (Power, Controls, Comms, ECDIS/Radar) (IMAJAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fasteners & Joining Consumables (Bolts, Rivets, Welding Wire/Rods, Flux) (IMAJAKAI), Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI)
Keywords
Where World Wide Metric is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bridgewater
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
World Wide Metric business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Inventory, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of industrial components including valves, flanges, fittings, couplings, tubing, and related mechanical products. Customers include marine vessels, shipyards, industrial facilities, and OEMs. Sales occur through direct sales team, e-commerce platform, and account management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based industrial pricing for valves, flanges, fittings, couplings, tubing and related products. |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
World Wide Metric product offering
Product offeringCore offering
World Wide Metric is a B2B industrial and maritime distributor supplying over 50,000 SKUs of metric (DIN, JIS) and ANSI-standard valves, flanges, fittings, tubing, couplings, expansion joints, gaskets, and protective solutions. The company distributes branded product lines from Frese, Wouter Witzel, Winteb, Youngnam Metal, Raccorderie Metalliche, Benteler, Garlock, Dresser, and others to shipyards, marine vessels, industrial facilities, and OEMs, and offers Ship Check onboard audit services for preventative maintenance.
Product overview
World Wide Metric is a B2B industrial and maritime distributor offering over 50,000 product SKUs. The core portfolio consists of valves (gate, globe, angle, check, ball, butterfly, pressure independent control), flanges, fittings (compression, flared, hydraulic adapters, hose, threaded), tubing, tube clamps, couplings (dressser, flex, grip-ring), expansion joints, and protective solutions. The company distributes branded products including Frese valves (ALPHA balancing valves, OPTIMA Compact PICV, OMEGA Compact 3-way valves, FUELSAVE energy optimization, Delta T Control System), Wouter Witzel butterfly valves (EV Series with 15,000+ cycle rating), Winteb vent heads (WIN2000 HIAS technology), Youngnam couplings, Raccorderie Metalliche press fittings, UniGrip composite repair, STI Marine Firestop, and Benteler/Garlock products. Services include Ship Check onboard audits for preventative maintenance. The company serves marine, industrial, and fluid power markets with metric (DIN, JIS) and imperial (ANSI, NPT, BSP) products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Industrial Valves
- Pipe Flanges
- Pipe Fittings
- Hydraulic Tubing
- Tube Clamps
- Couplings
- Expansion Joints
- Gaskets
- Protective Solutions
- Ship Check Services
- Frese Valve Systems
- Frese FUELSAVE
- Wouter Witzel EV Series Butterfly Valves
- Winteb WIN2000 Air Vent Heads
- Youngnam Metal Couplings and Fittings
- Raccorderie Metalliche (RM) Press Fittings and Drain Systems
- STI Marine Firestop Products
Quantifiable outcome
- Valves rated to over 15,000 cycles with 5-year manufacturer warranty (Wouter Witzel EV Series) vs. competitor valves rated 1,000-1,500 cycles
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use World Wide Metric
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
World Wide Metric technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
World Wide Metric partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FresecoreWorld Wide Metric distributes Frese products including automatic balancing valves, pressure independent control valves (OPTIMA Compact), manual balancing valves (SIGMA Compact), 3-way rotary control valves (OMEGA Compact), and the FUELSAVE fuel consumption optimization system. Frese is a Danish company with over 75 years of experience in flow control.
- Raccorderie Metalliche (RM)coreWorld Wide Metric distributes RM press fittings and drainage systems — key #NoHotWork solutions eliminating welding. Products include copper, stainless steel, and copper nickel press fittings; RM Drain System for gravity and vacuum drainage. RM is an Italian manufacturer.
- Youngnam Metal Co.coreYoungnam Metal Co. (Korea) manufactures specialized pipe couplings and fittings since 1986. Products include YN-Couplings with robust axial restraint for pressure and suction lines. Distributed by WWM in North America as a #NoHotWork solution eliminating welding.
- Wouter WitzelcoreWouter Witzel (Netherlands) manufactures butterfly valves including EVS, EVBS, EVCS, EVML, EVFL, EVFS, EVMS, and EVTLS series. Valves are rated to over 15,000 cycles with 5-year warranty. Certified by DNV, ABS, BV, LR, GL, CCS, and API 609.
- WintebcoreWinteb manufactures aluminum vent heads (WIN2000 HIAS line) for marine tank ventilation. HIAS technology prevents suction blocking. Products are cast from seawater-resistant aluminum, maintenance-free for 5 years, with proven 20+ year service lives. Now stocked in North America through World Wide Metric.
- WenconminorWencon provides metal repair and protection solutions. Co-exhibited at WorkBoat Show 2023 with World Wide Metric.
- DressercoreDresser pipe couplings including standard products, underwater products, high-performance couplings, repair kits, and accessories. Distributed by WWM.
- BentelerminorBenteler compression fittings, flared fittings, hydraulic adapters, and hose fittings distributed through World Wide Metric.
- GarlockminorGarlock gasket and sealing products distributed by World Wide Metric as part of its industrial flow control product range.
- UNI GRIPminorUNI GRIP composite repair products for permanent pipe repair without hot work. Handles corroded, damaged, or leaking pipes on metallic and non-metallic systems up to 1,500 PSI.
- FrabominorFrabo products distributed by World Wide Metric as part of its fitting and coupling product portfolio.
- PCSminorPCS brand products distributed by World Wide Metric.
- Wieland EucarominorWieland Eucaro products distributed by World Wide Metric.
- STI Marine FirestopcoreSTI Marine Firestop products including sealants, EZ-Path cable penetration sealing, and firestop collars distributed by World Wide Metric for marine fire prevention applications.
- DewalminorDewal brand products distributed by World Wide Metric.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
World Wide Metric competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Imtra: Imtra is a US marine equipment distributor serving commercial and leisure marine markets with a comparable specialized catalog and technical sales model. It is the closest direct comparable to WWM's metric/marine distribution niche.
- Hydraulic Supply Company (HSC): HSC is a US fluid power distributor specializing in hydraulic and pneumatic components, fittings, and tubing. It directly overlaps with WWM's fluid power customer base and metric/SAE fitting portfolio, especially in Florida and the Southeast US.
- SunSource: SunSource is a US fluid power and motion control distributor with hydraulic, pneumatic, and electro-mechanical offerings. It is comparable to WWM's fluid power segment and sells overlapping lines of valves, fittings, and couplings to industrial customers.
Broad incumbents
- W.W. Grainger: Grainger is the largest US industrial MRO distributor with millions of SKUs and a national distribution footprint. It overlaps with WWM on industrial valves, fittings, and fluid power components, but operates at vastly broader scale and serves a much wider buyer base.
- MSC Industrial: MSC Industrial Direct is a major US metalworking and industrial MRO distributor with deep catalog coverage of cutting tools, fluid power, and fittings. It competes with WWM for industrial buyers but lacks WWM's metric marine specialization.
- McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is a US industrial supplier with an exceptionally broad catalog of fittings, tubing, valves, and fluid system components. It competes with WWM on commodity fittings and tubing, especially for buyers who value next-day delivery and self-serve ordering.
- Applied Industrial Technologies: Applied Industrial Technologies is a large US distributor of industrial bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and flow control products. It competes with WWM across fluid power and industrial flow control but is broader and lacks the marine/metric specialization.
- Watts Water Technologies: Watts Water Technologies manufactures and sells valves and flow control products for plumbing, HVAC, and industrial markets. It overlaps with WWM's valve category as a competing brand/source, particularly in HVAC and water-side flow control.
- Kaman Distribution Group: Kaman Distribution is a US industrial distributor focused on bearings, power transmission, and fluid power products with aerospace and industrial customers. It overlaps with WWM's fluid power and industrial flow control business but does not serve the marine metric niche.
Emerging players
- Brennan Industries: Brennan Industries is a US manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic fittings, adapters, and tubing. It is comparable to WWM's Benteler- and DIN 2353-style compression fitting offering, though Brennan is a manufacturer rather than a multi-brand distributor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
World Wide Metric social profiles
Digital presenceWorld Wide Metric financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
World Wide Metric leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
World Wide Metric funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
World Wide Metric 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 World Wide Metric
What does World Wide Metric do?
World Wide Metric is a B2B industrial and maritime distributor supplying over 50,000 SKUs of metric (DIN, JIS) and ANSI-standard valves, flanges, fittings, tubing, couplings, expansion joints, gaskets, and protective solutions. The company distributes branded product lines from Frese, Wouter Witzel, Winteb, Youngnam Metal, Raccorderie Metalliche, Benteler, Garlock, Dresser, and others to shipyards, marine vessels, industrial facilities, and OEMs, and offers Ship Check onboard audit services for preventative maintenance.
Is World Wide Metric a public or private company?
World Wide Metric is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was World Wide Metric founded?
World Wide Metric was founded in 1970. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is World Wide Metric based?
World Wide Metric is headquartered in Bridgewater, United States, in the North America region.
How does World Wide Metric make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are World Wide Metric's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Imtra, Hydraulic Supply Company (HSC) and SunSource. Broad incumbents are W.W. Grainger, MSC Industrial, McMaster-Carr, Applied Industrial Technologies, Watts Water Technologies and Kaman Distribution Group. Brennan Industries is listed as an emerging player.
Does World Wide Metric have an API?
No public API is recorded for World Wide Metric.
What industry is World Wide Metric in?
World Wide Metric's product category is Industrial Flow Control Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAFAD, Electrical, Automation & Navigation MRO (Power, Controls, Comms, ECDIS/Radar), with a secondary code of IMAJAKAI, Fasteners & Joining Consumables (Bolts, Rivets, Welding Wire/Rods, Flux). Its NAICS code is 423510 and its SIC code is 5084.