Lorenz Acquires Flow Valves International

Canadian bulk material handling equipment supplier Lorenz Conveying Products (Cobourg, Ont.) has acquired Flow Valves International—the Evanston, Ill. based maker of control valves. Lorenz closed the deal to purchase Flow Valves International and its Syntron and SMS Iris flow control valve product lines on Sept. 10.

The Lorenz Conveying Products USA Inc. manufacturing plant, located in Normal, Ill. will remain with current employees and resources in place. Flow Valves International acquired Syntron’s valve business in 2007 from FMC Technologies. The Syntron and SMS Iris flow control valves serve a variety of applications and materials, including packaging and bagging of both free-flowing powder and granular materials. The Evanston, Ill. operation, including people and equipment, will be maintained following the acquisition.

Billed as an alternative to butterfly and slide gate valves, Iris-style valves are designed for free flow of materials without binding or seizing of the valve. This design also helps limit damage to the materials being conveyed. The valves come in in three types with openings from 4- to 15-inches and a selection of 11 sleeve materials.

In a release, Peter Lorenz, president of Lorenz Conveying Products, called the addition of the Iris flow valves a “perfect fit” that will help it better serve current and new clientele. “It gives us a new customer base that blends seamlessly with our existing clients,” Lorenz said. “The [Illinois] base is in the perfect location for extending our offering to our existing clients in both the U.S.A. and Canada.