Socla SAS

Name

Socla SAS

Legal name

SOCLA SAS

Website

https://socla.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Water Control Valves

NAICS

Industrial Valve Manufacturing (332911), Metal Valve Manufacturing (33291)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing Valves & Controls (Shutoff, Mixing, Backflow) (IMADALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Valves, Regulators & Backflow Prevention (Control Valves, Pressure Regulators, Check/Backflow) (AFABAHAG), Seals, Valves & Auxiliary Components (for Pumps/Compressors) (IMAHANAH)

Keywords

• Industrial valves
• Water distribution systems
• Backflow preventers
• Butterfly valves
• Pressure reducing valves

Headquarters

HQ city

Virey

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Valve product sales: Revenue generated from the sale of industrial valves including backflow preventers, check valves, butterfly valves, ball valves, control valves, and pressure reducing valves. Products are sold through direct B2B channels to installers, wholesalers, and industrial customers.
2. Spare parts and accessories: Sales of spare parts kits, actuators (pneumatic and electric), gear boxes, handlevers, limit switches, and other valve accessories. Configuration tools are available for selecting appropriate spare parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Socla SAS manufactures and markets self-acting and actuated valves for water distribution and industrial fluid systems. The portfolio spans anti-pollution backflow preventers (BA type, EN 12729 compliant), non-return/check valves (guided, plate, ball, membrane, metal-seated variants), butterfly valves (Sylax, XYLIA2, EMARIS, Sylax GAS, Sylax CNPP), ball valves, control valves, and pressure reducing valves (Desbordes brand). The company supports its valves with online configurators, spare parts kits, technical documentation (BIM, CAD, 3D animations), and the DIGISCO™ cloud-based solution for backflow preventer test and control workflow management.

Product overview

Socla SAS offers a comprehensive portfolio of anti-pollution and flow control solutions for water distribution and industrial fluid systems. The core product lines include backflow preventers (BA type disconnectors compliant with EN 12729), non-return/check valves (available as guided, plate, ball, membrane, and metal seated variants), butterfly valves under the Sylax brand (with variants including Sylax GAS for gas applications, Sylax CNPP for fire protection, XYLIA2, and EMARIS), ball valves, control valves (stabilizers, altitude, protection), and pressure reducing valves under the Desbordes sub-brand. The company provides supporting services including online product configurators (butterfly valve with 7 selection criteria, non-return valve selector), spare parts kits, technical documentation (BIM files, CAD models, 3D animations, datasheets), and the DIGISCO™ cloud-based workflow management solution for backflow preventer testing. With over 70 years of experience and operations in 77+ countries, Socla serves water distribution, industrial, marine, mining, and building/infrastructure sectors through a network of wholesalers and installers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sylax: Butterfly valves brand with several million units already installed worldwide.
• Desbordes
• DIGISCO

Products and services

• Backflow Preventers Anti-pollution protection devices for water distribution systems that prevent contaminated water from flowing back into the clean water supply. Includes BA type disconnectors for compliance with EN 12729 regulation.
• Sylax Butterfly Valves Leading brand of butterfly valves with several million units installed worldwide. Available in stainless steel (316/316L), ductile iron epoxy coated, and aluminum bronze. Includes manual gear box, handlever, electric actuator, and pneumatic actuator versions for water, gas, and industrial applications. DN sizes from 25 to 1200.
• Non-Return Valves (Check Valves) Check valves that allow fluid to flow in one direction only, preventing backflow in water distribution and industrial fluid systems. Available in various configurations including guided, plate, ball, and membrane types.
• Plate Check Valves (Series 800/600/400) Wafer-type check valves with single or double plate designs between flanges. Includes models 805, 815, 825, 895, 895V, 627E, 627V, 635E, 635V, 696V, and 405 for various applications including pumping, water distribution, hydrocarbons, and seawater.
• Ball Valves Quarter-turn ball valves for shut-off applications in water and industrial fluid systems. Available in stainless steel and brass-bronze materials.
• Control Valves Valves for regulating flow, pressure, and fluid characteristics in water distribution and industrial systems. Includes stabilizers, altitude valves, protection valves, and air valves.
• Pressure Reducing Valves (Desbordes) Valves that reduce and stabilize inlet pressure in water distribution systems. Includes the 11 and 11 BIS models, with the 11 BIS being a flagship product with 3D animation available. Desbordes is the premium sub-brand marketed for guaranteed longevity and reliability.
• DIGISCO™ Cloud-based solution that simplifies and manages test and control workflow of backflow preventers for improved operational efficiency.
• Other Products (Solenoid Valves, Filters, Meters, Joints) Supplementary products including solenoid valves, heating accessories, pumps control, water meters, filters, rubber expansion joints, and gauges.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6+ million butterfly valves installed worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Watts Water Technologies EMEAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocla is a division of Watts Water Technologies EMEA. The company operates as part of the larger Watts Water Technologies group, which provides global reach and resources. Related companies including Watts Industries France SAS, Valpes SAS, and Watts Electronics SA share general terms and conditions for sale, indicating coordinated operations within the group.
• Watts Industries France SASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company under Watts Water Technologies EMEA. Shares general terms and conditions for sale with Socla, indicating coordinated commercial operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Victaulic: US-based mechanical pipe joining and flow control solutions provider serving water, industrial, and commercial markets. Overlaps with Socla in water distribution applications but primarily competes in the Americas, with limited overlap in EMEA distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Mueller Water Products: US-listed manufacturer of water infrastructure products including valves, hydrants, and pipe fittings. Overlaps with Socla in water distribution valves and backflow prevention, primarily serving North American utilities.
• IMI plc: British engineering group with a critical engineering division focused on flow control, including industrial valves and actuators. Comparable to Socla in fluid control applications across industrial and HVAC markets.
• Kitz Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of industrial valves (butterfly, ball, gate, check) for water, gas, and industrial applications. A global incumbent competing with Socla in the same valve categories, particularly in Asian and European markets.
• Crane Co. US-listed diversified industrial manufacturer with a substantial process flow solutions segment producing industrial and water valves. Overlaps with Socla's butterfly, check, and control valve lines but at a much broader portfolio scale.

Direct peers

• Cla-Val: US-based specialist manufacturer of automatic control valves, pressure reducing valves, and backflow preventers for waterworks. Closely comparable niche focus on pressure management and anti-pollution products, serving the same municipal and industrial customers as Socla.
• Caleffi: Italian manufacturer of components for plumbing, heating, and water distribution systems, including check valves, pressure reducing valves, and balancing valves. Strongly comparable to Socla in European residential and commercial water distribution applications.
• AVK Group: Danish-headquartered manufacturer of valves, hydrants, and accessories for water and gas distribution. Directly comparable to Socla as a European specialist in water distribution valves with a similar installer/wholesaler go-to-market.
• Hawle Armaturen: German-Austrian manufacturer of valves and fittings for potable water distribution. Highly comparable product portfolio (gate valves, check valves, butterfly valves) and end customers (utilities, municipalities) to Socla.
• Velan Inc. Canadian manufacturer of industrial valves (gate, globe, check, ball, butterfly) for power, oil & gas, chemical, and water applications. Comparable in industrial valve manufacturing scale and product breadth to Socla's industrial offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wattsfrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wattswater

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Socla SAS