Fluid power leader Flowtech leverages engineering expertise to transform industrial operations
With over 40 years of experience working across a wide range of industries, Flowtech is the largest supplier of fluid power products, systems, and solutions across the UK, Ireland, and the Benelux. Equipped with a strong brand reputation based on high service and engineering excellence, the company specializes in products, services, and solutions linked to fluid power and motion control. Mike England, Chief Executive Officer at Flowtech, gives us a detailed introduction to the company.
“When Flowtech was founded 41 years ago, its original purpose was a wholesaler, to provide products related to fluid power, such as pneumatics and hydraulic solutions, to a wide variety of local distributors. At that time, we operated as a catalogue company embracing a white label and mail-order model. This involved stocking products from various suppliers and serving as the go-to source for other distributors to acquire their catalogues and sell to market. For these distributors, we functioned as a silent partner, providing them with catalogues they could then personalize with their own branding on the front cover, back and inside covers. Subsequently, they would place orders through us, and we would handle the delivery process putting their labels on the delivery boxes. This was our modus operandi, running this white-label model and by the mid-1990s, Flowtech had become a £30 million business.
“After undergoing an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and becoming a PLC in 2014, we experienced rapid growth through acquisitions. The white label catalogue offering continued to stay core to our business but the expansion saw the addition of other Fluid Power product distribution companies, and we also acquired a range of diversified engineering businesses specializing in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of industrial assets related to fluid power. Over the four-to-five years preceding the pandemic, we expanded our capabilities by acquiring 17 different companies, although we still operated as several independent businesses.
New acquisition
I was privileged to joined Flowtech in April 2023 with the goal of harnessing the full power of our combined capabilities and consolidating all our companies into a single entity, under a singular brand and value proposition, One Flowtech. Furthermore, I initiated plans to scale the company for future growth. As a result, we now have a presence in virtually every industry sector, across waterways, infrastructure, agriculture, utilities and off-highway. We have the capability to supply anything from a single component to a highly complex engineered solution. At our core, we specialize in offering products, services, and solutions linked to fluid power, aiming to facilitate the seamless functioning of industrial processes but with the ambition to expand our offer out further into a world of motion,” he explains.
Building on the business’ technical expertise, Flowtech recently acquired Thorite, which Mike tells us more about. “One of the oldest companies in our market, Thorite has been in business for 174 years. A privately owned company under seventh-generation ownership, Thorite primarily supplied vacuum and pneumatic solutions and valves to the textile industries across the UK’s northeast and has grown to become one of the leading distributors and solutions providers for pneumatics, automation, air management, and compressed air, prevalent across a wide range of industries operating through a UK wide branch network. Strategically, it aligned perfectly, bringing specialist expertise and new capabilities within a world of motion and with plenty of growth potential now being part of the larger Flowtech Group. Thorite expands and complements our product and service offerings, and most importantly, I have been so impressed with the people. The cultural integration has gone brilliantly and it’s fantastic to see the Thorite people shining bright, with genuine motivation in now being part of Flowtech. The integration was further facilitated by our shared stated vision, ‘To keep industry moving sustainably’, so in many ways, we have been aligned from the get-go. Our aim is to support Thorite’s continued growth, give it the wings it needs to fly high rather than excessively changing things, given its longstanding success and impressive customer base,” he continues.
Exciting project
Turning to projects, Mike reveals that Flowtech is involved in some high value, prestigious major engineering projects. One recently completed was a multi-million pound project to design, build, install and commission a hydraulic ring main system for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in its test facility in Gaydon. “This site is where JLR’s vehicles undergo constant testing for suspension and related components, utilizing large hydraulic rigs. JLR consumes a significant amount of energy to do this, prompting the automotive giant to search for a more cost-effective solution. Consequently, we assisted the company in redesigning a completely new power system and hydraulic solution, which we have since installed and commissioned. What started as a simple product enquiry evolved into a complete turnkey solution that we successfully delivered working in partnership with the JLR team and our strategic supply partners. This significant initiative has reduced energy consumption by more than half and has provided the organization with a far more sustainable solution for the future, which is beneficial for everybody involved,” he says.
Additionally, Flowtech is working on some other new and exciting engineering projects which Mike is particularly proud of. “One project we are just getting started on is called the Narrow Water Bridge. Its purpose is to connect Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland via a new swing bridge currently under construction. As part of this scheme, we are designing all the hydraulics to facilitate the movement of the bridge, a contribution that will be worth several million pounds over a couple of years. Given that it is a road bridge, it must be able to allow ships to pass through, so it needs to move. This exciting project is kicking off imminently.
Progressive culture
“On top of that, we’ve some important initiatives that will really improve our customer experience and deliver a far more progressive and agile capability as we look to our bright future. One key initiative is to digitalize our company, as we noticed that our customers’ buying behavior is changing and our industry, like so many others is on a journey to adopt new digital technologies, tools and ways of working. Although we operate in a relatively traditional industry where people still tend to communicate through phone calls and emails, there is a growing preference among customers to search on Google or visit our website to obtain technical information and to seamlessly access products and services. A one stop shop if you like. To meet this demand, we are upgrading our existing websites with the introduction of a singular web platform for the entire Flowtech group, showcasing all our offerings internationally. Collaborating with a leading software company, we are in the process of building this new digital platform, which we are excited to launch in 2025. We believe that this platform will not only be transformative for our business but will also provide our customers with a more progressive way to access our full range of products and services and gain invaluable technical knowledge and information from across the industry and across our global supplier base. Moreover, the field of engineering is changing, with people coming out of school and university and entering the industry today typically showing a greater inclination towards digital interactions and procurement. We understand the importance of digitalization and keeping up with the evolving industry landscape to future-proof our company,” Mike adds.
Alongside digitalization, diversification is a key focus for Flowtech’s future as the company aims to promote a more balanced gender representation in this predominantly male-dominated industry. “I believe that the cultural aspect of our company and our drive for fostering a much more progressive culture are equally important. In the end, a business is defined by its culture and its people. Without them, there is no company. I am proud of our people, their experience, knowledge and passion to serve our customers. I will always prioritize placing people at the heart of our business and operations, closely followed by our customers,” Mike ends.
Flowtech’s proven expertise and innovative solutions position it as a trusted industry advisor and leader, empowering customers with future-ready products and services. Keeping industry moving sustainably.