International Process Plants

What International Process Plants does

International Process Plants (IPP), founded in 1979 and headquartered in Princeton Junction, New Jersey, is a privately held global marketplace for buying, selling and redeploying used, new and refurbished process plants and industrial equipment. The company acquires entire idled plant sites (approximately 98% from plant liquidations involving Fortune 100/500 sellers) and resells them as complete plants, process systems or individual equipment pieces. IPP's inventory comprises 20 complete plant sites operated in place, 110 plants available for relocation, and over 15,000 process systems and major equipment pieces spanning reactors, heat exchangers, centrifuges, dryers, evaporators, tanks and related process gear. The company serves chemical, refining, petrochemical, polymer, pharmaceutical, fertilizer, and food ingredient manufacturers, with a primary buyer focus on small and midsize entrepreneurial companies that need cost-effective and rapidly deployable capacity.

IPP operates a consultative, sales-led go-to-market with experts in 15 countries, warehouses in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany, and a website available in 15 languages. Pricing is transaction-specific and quote-based, with financing available to qualified buyers; complete plant sales carry multi-year contract structures while individual equipment is sold on pay-as-you-go terms. Revenue is generated through margins on acquisition and resale of industrial assets, complemented by subsidiary revenue streams: Gale Process Solutions (GPS, new custom fabrication, launched 2023), Universal Glasteel Equipment (UGE, reglassed glass-lined equipment), Universal Turbomachinery Equipment (UTE, compressor/turbine upgrades), and Universal Vortex Inc. (UVI, patented non-freeze gas processing technology with 3,000+ installed units). The company serves more than 160,000 customers globally, with named relationships including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Dow, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, P&G, Lonza, Air Products, Mosaic and Cepsa.

The business model is asset-intensive rather than technology-driven: IPP buys and holds inventory rather than acting as a broker, capturing acquisition-to-resale margins and providing turn-key solutions to sellers seeking to divest idle assets without a 4-5 year distraction. Key strategic moves include the 2023 launch of GPS into the new equipment marketplace, the 2020 transition of UGE from a Pfaudler joint venture to a wholly-owned subsidiary, and recent mandates in the energy transition space (Shell Rotterdam biofuels and blue hydrogen divestiture) and fertilizer sector (Sage Potash €11M potash processing plant agreement with equity conversion rights). The company employs approximately 150 colleagues worldwide and remains privately held with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

International Process Plants

Legal name

International ProcessPlants and Equipment Corp.

Website

https://ippe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International Process Plants (IPP), founded 1979 in Princeton Junction, NJ, is a privately held global marketplace that buys and resells used, new and refurbished process plants and industrial equipment, serving chemical, pharmaceutical, refining, fertilizer and food manufacturers across 15 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Princeton Junction

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plant and Equipment Sales: IPP buys complete process plant sites, complete processes, and equipment systems and resells them as complete units, process systems, or individual pieces. Revenue is generated through margins on acquisition and resale of industrial process plants and equipment. They also sell new custom-fabricated equipment through sister company Gale Process Solutions (GPS) and provide reglassing/reconditioning services through Universal Glasteel Equipment (UGE).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

International Process Plants (IPP) buys idled and surplus process plants, process systems, and major pieces of industrial equipment from manufacturers and resells them to buyers as complete plants, process systems, or individual equipment pieces. The company also supplies new custom-fabricated equipment through its sister brand Gale Process Solutions and reglassed glass-lined equipment through Universal Glasteel Equipment, serving chemical, refining, petrochemical, polymer, fertilizer, pharmaceutical, and food ingredient manufacturers worldwide.

Product overview

International Process Plants operates as a unified platform for buying and selling process plants and equipment, encompassing several product lines. The core offering is the IPP marketplace for used, new, and refurbished process plants and equipment, supported by three subsidiary brands: Gale Process Solutions (custom fabricated new equipment with short lead times), Universal Glasteel Equipment (glass-lined vessels and parts), Universal Turbomachinery Equipment (turbomachinery upgrades), and Universal Vortex Inc. (energy-efficient gas processing). The company offers over 15,000 equipment pieces, 20 complete plant sites, and 110 plants for relocation, with inventory spanning reactors, tanks, centrifuges, dryers, heat exchangers, and other process equipment across chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and food industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gale Process Solutions (GPS): Custom fabricated process equipment supplier building inventory of new commonly used reactors, heat exchangers, dryers, mixers, centrifuges with zero lead time.
• Universal Glasteel Equipment (UGE)
• Universal Turbomachinery Equipment (UTE)
• Universal Vortex Inc. (UVI)

Products and services

• International Process Plants (IPP) Marketplace Global marketplace for buying and supplying used, new, and refurbished process plants and equipment, offering consultative solutions to manufacturers across chemical, refining, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, polymer, fertilizer, and food ingredient industries. Inventory includes 20 complete plant sites operated in place, 110 plants for relocation, and over 15,000 process systems and major equipment pieces.
• Gale Process Solutions (GPS) - Custom Fabricated New Equipment Custom fabricated process equipment and systems supplier offering new reactors, heat exchangers, dryers, mixers, and centrifuges with zero lead time inventory and 12-16 week delivery for custom items; 0-12 week lead times for stainless steels and 20 weeks for Hastelloy and exotic alloys.
• Universal Glasteel Equipment (UGE) Supplier of reglassed and new glass-lined steel equipment and parts for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Stocks over 700 glass-lined vessels and 2,700+ parts and accessories, and offers the 'Instant Glass' exchange program for rapid equipment replacement.
• Universal Turbomachinery Equipment (UTE) Revamps centrifugal compressors and steam turbines to improve throughput and efficiency, providing quick ROI for customers in fertilizer, refining, and power generation industries globally.
• Universal Vortex Inc. (UVI) Energy-efficient gas processing solutions for natural gas, CNG and LNG industries using proprietary non-freeze pressure reduction technology requiring no moving parts or external energy. Over 3,000 units installed globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save 80% of capital and 70% of lead time by buying complete plants for relocation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gale Process Solutions (GPS)coreOthers · 1 January 2023GPS entered the new equipment marketplace in 2023, supplying custom fabricated process equipment and systems with significantly shorter lead times than industry standard. Offers new cGMP U-stamped reactors, heat exchangers, centrifuges and dryers with lead times of 0-12 weeks for stainless steels and 20 weeks for Hastelloy.
• Universal Glasteel Equipment (UGE)coreOthers · 1 January 1995Founded in 1995 as a joint venture with Pfaudler (until 2020), UGE supplies reglassed and new glass-lined steel equipment and parts to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries globally. They stock over 700 glass-lined vessels and 2,700+ parts and accessories. UGE offers the 'Instant Glass' exchange program for rapid equipment replacement.
• Universal Turbomachinery Equipment (UTE)minorOthersUTE revamps centrifugal compressors and steam turbines, improving throughput and efficiency. Primarily serves fertilizer, refining and power generation industries globally.
• Universal Vortex Inc. (UVI)minorOthersUVI provides energy efficient solutions for natural gas and LNG industries based on patented non-freeze pressure reduction technology. Over 3,000 units installed globally. Products include pilot gas heaters, CNG decompression stations, and LNG feed gas precooling.
• Sage Potash CorpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSage Potash revised €11 million purchase agreement with IPP for plant and equipment (evaporators, crystallizers, and ancillary equipment) for potash processing up to 300,000 tonnes/year. Revised terms include €1,280,000 current payment, €11,900 monthly storage fees, and IPP conversion rights to 50% of remaining balance into Sage Potash shares.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Bid on Equipment: Online auction platform for used process equipment and complete plants. Adjacent competitor to IPP's online inventory system, particularly for individual equipment pieces.
• EquipNet: Online marketplace for used industrial equipment and plant asset dispositions, with a digital-first model. Comparable to IPP's marketplace motion but with a stronger software/auction tilt and less inventory carried on balance sheet.

Direct peers

• Hilco Industrial: Industrial asset disposition and valuation firm that acquires and redeploys manufacturing plants and equipment. Directly competes for large plant liquidation mandates and Fortune 100 seller relationships.
• Perry Videx: Global dealer of used and rebuilt process equipment and complete plants across chemical, pharma, and food industries. Closely comparable in catalog breadth, geographic reach, and consultative sales model.
• Loeb Equipment: Buyer and seller of used packaging and processing equipment, including full plant liquidations. Overlaps with IPP's chemical and pharmaceutical plant and equipment offerings.
• Aaron Equipment Company: One of the largest US dealers of used process equipment and complete plants, with inventoried reactors, mixers, dryers, and packaging lines. Directly overlaps with IPP's core marketplace and serves the same chemical, pharmaceutical, and food-processing buyers.
• Federal Equipment Company: US-based used process equipment dealer with full plant liquidations, appraisals, and brokerage services. Directly competitive on pharmaceutical, chemical, and food processing plant redeployments.
• CJM Asset Management: Specialist in industrial asset management, plant decommissioning, and redeployment of used process equipment. Comparable niche in plant liquidation and mid-market chemical/pharma buyers.
• Machinery & Equipment Corporation (M&E): Dealer of used processing equipment and complete plants serving chemical, food, plastics, and pharmaceutical end markets. Directly comparable inventory model and customer overlap.
• Phoenix Equipment: Used process equipment dealer focused on chemical, pharmaceutical, and food plants, with complete plant and individual equipment offerings. Closely mirrors IPP's mid-market buyer segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/internationalprocessplants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 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 International Process Plants