Clow Valve Company
Clow Valve Company, founded 1878 and a wholly owned subsidiary of McWane, Inc., is an Oskaloosa, Iowa-based manufacturer of ductile-iron waterworks valves and fire hydrants (including the smart iHydrant/iHydrantPlus analytics platform) sold through a 300+ distributor network to U.S. municipal water utilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1878
- HeadquartersOskaloosa, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Clow Valve Company does
Clow Valve Company is a U.S. manufacturer of ductile-iron waterworks valves and fire hydrants, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of privately held McWane, Inc. since 1985. The company runs an iron foundry, brass foundry, machine shop, assembly, and finished-goods warehousing at its Oskaloosa, Iowa headquarters (450+ employees, $43M+ annual payroll, $150M+ annual economic impact), with a West Coast distribution facility in Riverside, California. Its product portfolio spans resilient-wedge and double-disc gate valves, butterfly, check, and eccentric plug valves, plus dry-barrel and wet-barrel hydrants carrying AWWA, UL, FM, NSF, and ANSI/ASTM certifications; ductile iron components carry a minimum 100-year anticipated service life. Clow also sells the iHydrant and iHydrantPlus™ lines, which embed acoustic leak detection, pressure, and temperature sensors with machine-learning analytics for real-time water-system intelligence.
The business model is industrial hardware sales plus an emerging software/analytics attach. Revenue is generated by shipping valves and hydrants through a two-tier channel: a dedicated outside sales force covering all 50 U.S. states combined with an inside sales team in Oskaloosa, selling into a network of 300+ authorized distributors anchored by Core & Main, Ferguson Waterworks, and ACT Pipe & Supply. End customers are municipal water utilities, contractors, and waterworks engineering specifiers, served under published List Price Book pricing. Distribution is U.S.-only; international exposure is indirect through the broader McWane family of companies. Recent capital allocation has been heavily concentrated on an $80M, 36,000-square-foot foundry modernization (completed August 2025) that nearly doubled production capacity, positioning the company for the IIJA-funded municipal infrastructure replacement cycle.
Clow Valve Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clow Valve Company
- Legal name
- Clow Valve Company
- Website
- https://clowvalve.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1878
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Clow Valve Company, founded 1878 and a wholly owned subsidiary of McWane, Inc., is an Oskaloosa, Iowa-based manufacturer of ductile-iron waterworks valves and fire hydrants (including the smart iHydrant/iHydrantPlus analytics platform) sold through a 300+ distributor network to U.S. municipal water utilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clow Valve Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waterworks Valves and Fire Hydrants
- NAICS
- Industrial Valve Manufacturing (332911), Metal Valve Manufacturing (33291)
- SIC
- Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Valves & Cartridge Valves (Directional, Pressure, Flow Control) (IMAHAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Valves, Regulators & Backflow Prevention (Control Valves, Pressure Regulators, Check/Backflow) (AFABAHAG), Seals, Valves & Auxiliary Components (for Pumps/Compressors) (IMAHANAH)
Keywords
Where Clow Valve Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oskaloosa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Clow Valve Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Waterworks Valves and Hydrants: Clow Valve manufactures and sells waterworks valves and fire hydrants for water distribution and infrastructure systems. Products include resilient-wedge gate valves, double disc gate valves, dry-barrel and wet-barrel fire hydrants, UL-FM certified products, and specialty valves. Revenue is generated through direct sales to distributors and municipalities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Other | List Price Book available for distributor and customer reference |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Clow Valve Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clow Valve Company manufactures and distributes ductile iron waterworks valves and fire hydrants for municipal water distribution and fire protection systems. The product portfolio includes resilient-wedge gate valves, double disc gate valves, butterfly valves, check valves, eccentric plug valves, dry-barrel and wet-barrel fire hydrants, and UL-FM certified products. The company also offers iHydrant smart hydrant monitoring technology and the McWane Pocket Engineer mobile application.
Product overview
Clow Valve Company is a manufacturer of waterworks products for water distribution and infrastructure. The product portfolio centers on fire hydrants (including the smart iHydrant monitoring system) and waterworks valves (resilient-wedge gate valves, double disc gate valves, butterfly valves, check valves, and eccentric plug valves) for municipal water systems. Products are offered with UL-FM certifications for fire protection applications. The company also provides the McWane Pocket Engineer mobile/web application for technical calculations and product information access. All products are manufactured in the USA with American workers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- iHydrant: Real-time intelligence and analytics system for water systems monitoring, including acoustic leak detection, pressure monitoring and temperature data with machine learning tools.
- McWane Pocket Engineer
Products and services
- Fire Hydrants Dry-barrel and wet-barrel fire hydrants for water distribution and fire protection systems, including UL-FM certified products. Manufactured in Oskaloosa, Iowa from ductile iron with 100-year minimum service life. Used by municipal water utilities, contractors, and waterworks distributors across the United States.
- Waterworks Valves Water distribution valves for municipal water systems, including resilient-wedge gate valves (AWWA C509, C515), double disc gate valves, butterfly valves (AWWA C504), check valves (AWWA C508), and eccentric plug valves (AWWA C517). Manufactured from ductile iron and certified to AWWA standards. Used by municipalities, contractors, and waterworks distributors.
- iHydrant
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly doubled production capacity through $80 million foundry expansion
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Clow Valve Company
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clow Valve Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
Clow Valve Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Indian Hills Community CollegecoreIndustrial Maintenance Work-Based Learning Partnership providing students with hands-on career exploration and technical skill development. Clow Valve participates in career events like Community College Day on the Hill to showcase career opportunities in manufacturing and skilled trades.
- Habitat for HumanityminorMcWane team members have built homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity as part of community outreach programs.
- American Red CrossminorMcWane team members participate in fundraising walks and support Red Cross initiatives in communities where they operate.
- United WayminorMcWane team members have supported United Way through fundraising activities and volunteerism.
- Endeavors Puerto RicominorValve & Hydrant team members from McWane, including Clow Valve, teamed up with Endeavors Puerto Rico at annual sales meetings to provide supply packs to homeless veterans.
- EC&S (General Contractor)coreGeneral contractor for the $80 million foundry expansion project completed in 2025.
- Diversified Pattern and Engineering CompanycorePartner for the $80 million foundry expansion project, supporting foundry modernization and automation.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clow Valve Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EJ Group (East Jordan Iron Works): U.S./Canadian manufacturer of iron waterworks products including gate valves, fire hydrants, and municipal castings. Direct competitor in the same AWWA-spec municipal waterworks procurement channel as Clow.
- Kennedy Valve: Sister McWane subsidiary manufacturing waterworks valves and hydrants in Elmira, NY. Competes head-to-head with Clow in the same U.S. municipal AWWA-spec waterworks market under the same parent; comparable product lines including UL/FM hydrants and resilient-wedge gate valves.
- Mueller Water Products: Leading U.S. manufacturer of waterworks valves, hydrants, and pipe fittings for municipal water and fire protection systems. Closest publicly traded direct competitor to Clow in iron gate valves, butterfly valves, and dry-barrel hydrants serving the same AWWA-spec municipal market.
- American AVK: U.S. manufacturer of ductile iron resilient-wedge gate valves, fire hydrants, and AWWA-spec waterworks products. Direct North American competitor in municipal valve and hydrant tenders, with comparable certification profile.
- M&H Valve Company: Sister McWane subsidiary producing waterworks valves and hydrants in Anniston, AL. Direct U.S. municipal competitor with overlapping AWWA-certified gate valve, check valve, and hydrant SKUs, sharing distribution and parent-level resources with Clow.
- Tyler Union: Sister McWane subsidiary producing ductile iron fittings, valves, and hydrant components for U.S. waterworks. Direct competitor serving overlapping municipal and distributor customers; shares McWane's national sales coverage.
Others
- Core & Main: Largest U.S. waterworks distributor; a Clow channel partner that also distributes competing hydrant and valve brands. Materially comparable as a counterparty shaping Clow's route-to-market, though not a manufacturer peer.
Emerging players
- Star Pipe Products: U.S. manufacturer and distributor of ductile iron waterworks fittings, valves, and related products. Competes with Clow in municipal waterworks procurement, particularly through shared distributor channels, though more focused on fittings than hydrants.
- U.S. Pipe and Foundry: U.S. manufacturer of ductile iron pipe and fittings for water and wastewater infrastructure. Adjacent to Clow's hydrant/valve business; competes for the same municipal project budgets though it does not directly make hydrants or gate valves.
Broad incumbents
- Watts Water Technologies: Larger publicly traded manufacturer of water products spanning valves, backflow preventers, drainage, and plumbing. Overlaps with Clow in waterworks/municipal valve categories but serves a much broader product portfolio beyond ductile iron hydrants.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clow Valve Company social profiles
Digital presenceClow Valve Company compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance14 records
Clow Valve Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clow Valve Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Clow Valve Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clow Valve Company 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 Clow Valve Company
What does Clow Valve Company do?
Clow Valve Company manufactures and distributes ductile iron waterworks valves and fire hydrants for municipal water distribution and fire protection systems. The product portfolio includes resilient-wedge gate valves, double disc gate valves, butterfly valves, check valves, eccentric plug valves, dry-barrel and wet-barrel fire hydrants, and UL-FM certified products. The company also offers iHydrant smart hydrant monitoring technology and the McWane Pocket Engineer mobile application.
Is Clow Valve Company a public or private company?
Clow Valve Company is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Clow Valve Company founded?
Clow Valve Company was founded in 1878. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Clow Valve Company based?
Clow Valve Company is headquartered in Oskaloosa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clow Valve Company make money?
One revenue line is on record: waterworks Valves and Hydrants.
Who are Clow Valve Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EJ Group (East Jordan Iron Works), Kennedy Valve, Mueller Water Products, American AVK, M&H Valve Company and Tyler Union. Core & Main is listed as an others. Emerging players are Star Pipe Products and U.S. Pipe and Foundry. Watts Water Technologies is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Clow Valve Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clow Valve Company.
What industry is Clow Valve Company in?
Clow Valve Company's product category is Waterworks Valves and Fire Hydrants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAE, Valves & Cartridge Valves (Directional, Pressure, Flow Control), with a secondary code of AFABAHAG, Valves, Regulators & Backflow Prevention (Control Valves, Pressure Regulators, Check/Backflow). Its NAICS code is 332911 and its SIC code is 3561.