Alco Valves Group announces acquisition by Graco Inc

Yorkshire based Valve Manufacturer is pleased to begin work with Graco, a leading manufacturer of fluid handling equipment. The Company will maintain its manufacturing and engineering base in the UK

Alco Valves Group, the West Yorkshire based valve manufacturer is pleased to announce that on Oct. 1, 2014 the well-known Multi-National Business called Graco Inc a leading manufacturer of fluid handling equipment, acquired the Alco Valves Group. Graco is registered on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GGG.

Established nearly four decades ago the Alco Valves Group has consistently designed and manufactured a wide range of high quality valve products for various applications. Alco was recently the recipient of the esteemed Queens Award for Enterprise and recognised as one of the top 10 Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in Yorkshire (through the Yorkshire Post Awards). The Group offers a portfolio of known brands, including Alco Hi-Tek, Alco Valves, Alco Sub-Tek, Alco Components and Alco Process. Through these five companies which will carry on trading as normal are able to provide an extensive range of high performance isolation valves, double block and bleed valves (DBB’s), a large range of manifold valves for varied applications including topside, subsea, critical service, severe service, low temperature, high and super high pressures as well as low, medium and high pressure instrumentation valves and pipeline interface solutions. Throughout the years Alco has developed global business relationships with Oil & Natural Gas industry customers who are well known and recognized as market leaders in their industries. It is this extensive industry experience and quality of products that was key to Graco’s interest in purchasing the Alco Group. Graco identified it as a logical extension and a strategically important initiative that will support its long-term sales and profit goals by expanding into the Oil & Natural Gas industry.

Graco, believes that the Alco Valves Group, and its comprehensive range of technically advanced high integrity valve products, to be a strong fit with the company’s core competencies of designing and manufacturing advanced flow control technologies. The oil and natural gas industry’s growth trends are positive and Graco believes that enhancing its position in this industry will pave the way for future growth opportunities. These opportunities will also benefit the local communities in West Yorkshire by creating more jobs. Alco has always worked to enrich the local community and feels this is part of its corporate social responsibility. This theme will continue with Graco now taking the Group forward, Alco’s core values of maintaining high levels of customer service, delivering quality products and investing and developing people will stay the same.

Alco will still maintain its manufacturing and engineering base in the United Kingdom operating from its facilities in Brighouse and Manchester along with its warehousing and sales operations in Houston, Texas, Toronto, Canada, and Singapore.

‘This is a terrific opportunity for Alco and our employees,’ said Stuart Lomax, Alco Managing Director. ‘Graco has the financial resources to invest in and grow the business, and I am confident that this is the right move at the right time to take our company to the next level of global competition.’

Alco Valves
Tel (UK): 01484 710511
www.alco-valves.com

Published: 18th November 2014