What Waterous does

Waterous Company is a U.S.-based manufacturer of fire pumps and fire suppression equipment, headquartered in South St. Paul, Minnesota, with operations dating to 1886. The company designs and produces centrifugal fire pumps spanning vehicle-mounted (split-shaft, PTO-driven, direct-engine mounted, rear-mounted), ARFF/fireboat, motor pumps for wildland applications, portable pumps, and high-flow industrial units up to 4000+ GPM. Its core technology platforms include the CSU dual-eye impeller pumps, the C22 aluminum-case split-shaft transmission, the ECLIPSE and ECLIPSE GEN 2.0 Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS), and the AQUIS ULTRAFLOW industrial foam proportioning system with magnetic flowmeter-based precision control. All products are cast, machined, assembled, and tested in America.

Waterous generates revenue primarily through hardware sales (fire pumps, CAFSystems, foam systems, hydrants, valves, and accessories) to municipal fire departments and via OEM fire apparatus manufacturers who specify Waterous pumps during truck construction. A secondary revenue stream comes from parts, warranty service, and a global network of factory-trained service centers, supplemented by paid training programs (Mechanic Seminars, CAFS Training). Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contracts; no public pricing is disclosed. The customer base spans municipal fire departments, ARFF/fireboat, wildland/forestry, hi-rise, industrial (nuclear cooling, decoking/descaling, insulator washing, high rail), military, and industrial foam fire suppression segments, with a documented global footprint across North America, the U.K., and Australia. Distribution occurs through OEM channel partners, direct enterprise sales, and an e-commerce storefront for accessories.

The business model is asset-heavy industrial manufacturing with deep OEM specification entrenchment, long product lifecycles (fire apparatus are built on multi-year refresh cycles), and an installed-base-driven aftermarket service tail. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, OEM channel partnerships, industry events (notably FDIC International), and content marketing through Waterous University. With 251–500 employees and 138+ years of continuous operation as a privately-held company, Waterous occupies a leading incumbent position in the global fire pump market with a brand claim of being the most-used fire pump manufacturer worldwide.

Name

Waterous

Legal name

Waterous Company

Website

https://waterousco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Waterous is a U.S.-based fire pump and fire suppression equipment manufacturer serving municipal, industrial, ARFF, wildland, and military firefighting applications globally. It produces vehicle-mounted pumps, CAFSystems, foam proportioning systems, portable pumps, and high-flow industrial pumps, all manufactured in America since 1886.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fire Pump and Fire Suppression Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)

akta.pro primary industry

Fire Protection Piping & Sprinkler System Components (IMADALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Refrigeration Components & Controls (Compressors, Valves, Sensors) (IMAHAKAH)

Keywords

• Fire pump manufacturing
• Fire suppression equipment
• Compressed air foam systems
• Industrial foam proportioning
• Fire apparatus components

Headquarters

HQ city

South Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fire Pump Equipment Sales: Waterous generates primary revenue from the sale of fire pumps (vehicle-mounted, portable, motor), CAFSystems, foam systems, and related firefighting equipment. Products are sold as original equipment to fire apparatus OEMs and as replacement/upgrades to existing fire departments. The company also sells accessories, hydrants, and valves.
2. Parts & Aftermarket Service: Revenue is generated through replacement parts, service manuals, warranty services, and support through a network of factory-trained service centers. Customer portal (MyWaterous) provides access to parts ordering and service resources.
3. Training Programs: Waterous offers paid training programs including Mechanic Seminars and CAFS Training. These provide revenue while also supporting customer adoption and product differentiation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Waterous designs and manufactures fire pumps, compressed air foam systems (CAFS), foam proportioning systems, reversing transmissions, hydrants, valves, and related accessories for fire apparatus OEMs, municipal fire departments, industrial fire protection, wildland fire agencies, and ARFF/fireboat operators. Its portfolio spans vehicle-mounted and portable pumps, motor pumps, foam tanks and refill systems, and complete pump-to-nozzle foam solutions engineered and assembled in the United States. The company also provides replacement parts, factory-certified training, and after-sales service through its technician network.

Product overview

Waterous is a firefighting equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of fire pumps, foam systems, and related products. The core offerings include Vehicle-Mounted Pumps (split-shaft, PTO-driven, direct-engine mounted, rear-mounted, and ARFF configurations), Motor Pumps for specialized vehicles, and CAFSystems (Compressed Air Foam Systems) including ECLIPSE and ECLIPSE GEN 2.0. Supporting products include Foam Systems (AQUIS ULTRAFLOW, FireTroll), Hydrants & Valves, Industrial Products, and Pump Modules/Accessories. The product line serves municipal fire departments, aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), wildland/forestry, industrial, and military applications. Key recent products include the ESU1 end-suction pump (2024) and PB18 portable pump with wrap-around frame (2024). All products are manufactured in America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FireTroll: Fire Troll Foam Proportioning System - an easy to operate system for fire engines and hose lays
• AQUIS
• ECLIPSE
• ENDURA
• FoamFill
• CAFSystems

Products and services

• Vehicle-Mounted Fire Pumps Centrifugal fire pumps designed for direct mounting on fire apparatus chassis and engines, supplied as OEM components to fire truck builders and as replacement units to municipal fleets.
• CR / CRU-1 Fire Pump Single- and two-stage centrifugal fire pump used as a core vehicle-mounted pump on pumper and rescue apparatus.
• CRU-2 High Flow Series Pump High-flow centrifugal fire pump for applications requiring elevated flow rates, including industrial and ARFF apparatus.
• CPT Series Pumps Compact pump series for tight-mount and specialty fire protection applications.
• ESU1 Pump Specialty fire pump designed for fireboat, ARFF, and industrial service where space and flow constraints apply.
• Motor Pumps Self-contained engine-driven pumps for wildland, mobile, and auxiliary fire protection use.
• PB18 Series Portable Pump Portable high-pressure pump for wildland firefighting, water transfer, and remote scene support.
• TMR Reversing Transmission Split-shaft reversing transmission that mates a vehicle drivetrain to a fire pump, allowing the apparatus to drive and pump simultaneously.
• ECLIPSE GEN 2.0 CAFSystem Compressed Air Foam System that combines compressed air, water, and foam concentrate into a firefighting foam stream on apparatus.
• FireTroll Foam Proportioning System On-board electronic foam proportioning system that automatically meters foam concentrate into the water stream at variable flow rates.
• AQUIS ULTRAFLOW Foam Proportioning System Magnetic flowmeter-based foam proportioning system that measures flow without moving parts and meters foam concentrate into the discharge.
• FoamFill Foam Tank Refill System On-apparatus system for refilling foam concentrate tanks directly from sealed shipping containers, designed to reduce firefighter exposure during foam handling.
• Foam Systems Integrated foam solution offering that combines tanks, proportioners, and associated hardware for class A and class B foam deployment.
• Pump Accessories Aftermarket and OEM accessories including valves, gauges, controls, plumbing kits, and related components that complete a fire pump installation.
• Hydrants & Valves Industrial and municipal fire hydrants, control valves, and associated fittings used in fixed fire water systems and on apparatus.
• Industrial Products Pumps, foam systems, hydrants, and valves configured for industrial fire protection use at refineries, terminals, marine facilities, and other high-hazard occupancies.

Quantifiable outcome

• CAFS increases fire-stopping effectiveness of first-arriving resources up to 5x compared to water alone
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz8R3sGRsVDjyEYVP3K2vmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/waterous
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterous-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/waterous

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Waterous