The family-owned business is seeing growing world demand for its hand-crafted control valve technology from a range of industries including mining, water utilities, water treatment, pumping and irrigation. Aluminium producers in Australia and the US are among Maric Flow Control’s biggest customers.
Over the past three years Maric Flow Control has recorded a 10% increase in exports which now account for 40% of total sales. The company’s export markets include Europe, the UK, the US, South America, New Zealand, South Africa, the Middle East, China and Scandinavia. Overall turnover has surged 15% in the first four months of 2013-14.
Director Grant Schroeder said recent investment in new production equipment is helping the business keep up with its expanding order book.
“The fact that we can deliver hundreds of different configurations involving different materials, body specifications, flow rates and pressure ranges is quite unusual in the marketplace,” said Schroeder. “It’s why we’re now regarded as a leading manufacturer and supplier of flow control valves internationally.”
The original Maric flow control valve was developed by Grant Schroeder’s father Eric who established the business in 1963 manufacturing instantaneous electric water heaters for the domestic market.
To improve the heater he needed a valve that could deliver a constant flow of water despite fluctuating water pressures. The only valve available was produced in the US and cost half the price of the heater – so he studied rubber chemistry and set about designing his own valve.
The Schroeder solution was a precision-moulded rubber control ring that varies in diameter depending on the pressure.
www.maric.com.au
