Swanson Flo - An Industry Leader in Process Automation with a Long History of Unmatched Project Success

Founded in 1960, Swanson Flo has long maintained our position as an industry leader in process automation with unmatched project success leveraging industry preferred products and services.

Our team of skilled experts is uniquely equipped to rapidly apply resources and skills for the maximum benefit of our clients. We continue to adapt new technologies and solutions to build solid client partnerships.

Our mission is to provide innovative process control solutions for engineers, managers and maintenance professionals through quality equipment and experienced application engineering. These efforts combined with excellent aftermarket service yield reduced operating costs and improved production.

1960 Thomas B Swanson Co.
Tom B. Swanson saw a need for innovative technical products for industrial applications that was being underserved by the large PVF wholesale houses.  Tom started a rep company focusing on new specialty and engineered products.

1974 Swanson Flo-Systems Co.
Tom Swanson and his business partner, Dick Westphal, saw that industrial processes were changing from manual operation to automated systems and solutions to improve quality and gain efficiencies.  This forward thinking and vision inspired a new business model of actuation and fabrication to service their customers’ needs, providing automated solutions, while providing a high degree of technical support and customer focus.

1989 Evolution of Swanson Flo Systems
Expands our integration of products by adding control valves and specialty valves to their quality, technical product offering.

1991 Tom Howe acquired Thomas B Swanson equity.
Tom Howe and Dick Westphal continue to serve their customers with a vision to provide full control loop solutions and application engineering experience to the growing market by integrating our products to help customers develop more efficient, productive, and profitable process solutions.

1992 - Acquired Control Dynamics, Co.
The acquisition of Control Dynamics Co. added experienced personnel and additional instrumentation lines including Foxboro and Badger Meter Co. This addition allowed Swanson to provide experienced, technical personnel to assist in the evaluation, specification and application of valves and instrumentation for projects and customer needs.

2001 – Acquired Power Supply and Engineering Co.
Swanson Flo acquires PSE adding Ashcroft instrumentation and additional technical salespeople.

2001 – Acquired Limitorque Actuation Line
Swanson Flo continues their commitment to customers by adding an expanded automation offering with Limitorque.  This acquisition created a shift to incorporating services to our product portfolio.  Additional square footage was added to handle the services requirement.  Expanding in-house repair and field service, and remanufacture electric actuators across the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, Minnesota, and Western Wisconsin. 

2002 - Acquired Process Sales Inc., Wisconsin
Swanson Flo expands eastward into Wisconsin.  Adding Masoneilan Control Valves and Foxboro Instrumentation to the entire state.

2005 - Launched BioFuels Automation Co.
BioFuels Automation becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Swanson Flo launching the first exclusive renewable fuels focused automation company to serve this rapidly growing industry.  Providing a complete solution for automating newly constructed ethanol plants for the future.

2007 - Acquired Failsafe Company
Swanson Flo expands into more quality technical products and experienced people for Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

2013 - Acquired Valves and Automation Inc.
Swanson Flo adds Limitorque Electric Actuation across Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, with an expansive shop to repair, assemble and remanufacture electric actuators. 

2014 - Acquired Process Sales Inc.
Swanson Flo expands with Masoneilan Control Valves and Foxboro Instrumentation across Upper Illinois and Indiana with full control valve service, repair, and assembly facility.

2016 - Acquired Tech Sales and Marketing - Indiana
Swanson Flo grows in Indiana with additional lines and technical salespeople focused on quality products and customer service.

2021 – Swanson Flo is acquired by MCE to continue to service our customers with an extended offering of highly-engineered, technical solutions by providing leading process control products and services.

For Immediate Release: Motion & Control Enterprises acquires Swanson Flo

Acquisition Extends Offering of Highly-Engineered, Technical Solutions Offering by Providing Leading Flow Control Products and Services

With its second acquisition in the last month, Motion & Control Enterprises (“MCE”) announced on Feb. 4th that it has acquired Swanson Flo, Co. (“Swanson Flo”), a regional distributor of process instrumentation, flow control valves, actuators, and related equipment. Swanson Flo also provides critical value-added services including actuated valve assemblies, field services and shop repairs.

Based in Plymouth, MN, Swanson Flo employs 92 associates, servicing industrial and municipal markets in 13 states in the upper Midwest and beyond. That company has 4 warehouse locations in Plymouth, MN; Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN. As a division of MCE, Swanson Flo will continue to operate under the Swanson Flo name with the same leadership team, employees, and suppliers.

“The addition of Swanson Flo extends our offering of highly-engineered, technical solutions offering by providing leading flow control products and services”, said Charles Hale, Chairman & CEO of MCE. “Swanson Flo brings longstanding customer relationships and supplier partnerships, plus a highly regarded team of flow control experts. We welcome the Swanson Flo team to MCE and are looking forward to accelerated growth and continuing to bring innovative solutions to our customers.”

“The Swanson Flo team is excited to join with MCE”, said Tom Howe, CEO, and majority owner of Swanson Flo. “Our teams share a similar philosophy of providing the customer with a wide range of technical products, services and solutions. Together, we will be even better positioned to meet the ever-increasing needs of our customers and principals. With Swanson Flo’s leadership, locations and team members remaining intact, we look forward to a seamless transition.”

About Motion & Control Enterprises

Founded in 1951, MCE is a leading supplier of technical fluid power and lubrication solutions that solve customer problems across fluid connector, hydraulic, pneumatic, filtration, compressed air and lubrication technologies. The company services more than 15,000 MRO and OEM customers from 9 distribution centers and 16 retail locations across PA, MI, IN, IL, OH and WI. For more information, please visit www.mceautomation.com.

MCE is majority owned by Frontenac, a Chicago-based private equity firm that invests in middle market buyout transactions in the consumer, industrial and services markets. For more information, please visit www.frontenac.com.

About Swanson Flo

Founded in 1960, Swanson Flo provides innovative process and flow control solutions through quality equipment, experienced application expertise and a full suite of lifecycle services. For more information, please visit www.swansonflo.com.

The SCG Indu-Tech Level Transmitter Isolation Valve

Universal Mounting

The isolation valve has independent bolting patterns to mount the valve to the tank and the level transmitter. Separate mounting plates ensure a safe working environment when removing a level transmitter from the tank during routine operations.

Thin Cross Section

The isolation valve features a thin cross-section, ensuring the level transmitter is as close as possible to the process tank for better measurement accuracy.

Lever Handle with Simple Lock Out

The isolation valve includes a 90-degree ¼ turn on/off lever handle. With no exposed apparatus on the handle, operators can open or close on demand, even in situations of long term inactivity.

Light Weight and Compact

The Indu-Tech isolation valve weighs under 20lbs (9kg) and is straight forward to install, even in confined spaces that are difficult for larger valve designs. Installation does not require mechanized lifting gear.

Bubble Tight Seal

The isolation valve features a close-captured seated ball design, ensuring that the process medium does not build up internally as commonly experienced with open cavity ball valves. Every valve passes strict quality standards for a bubble-tight design before shipment.

Swanson Flo
800-288-7926
https://swansonflo.com

Happy Holidays from Swanson Flo

 

The Limitorque MX Series B Electric Valve Actuator

Where reliability is critical, the Limitorque MX B Series electric valve actuator performs across a broad range of challenging applications. These include the toughest environments in oil and gas production, commercial power generation, chemical manufacturing, water and wastewater, as well as across general industry.

MXb  Enhanced User Experience

An updated user interface coupled with a simplified, intuitive menu structure and larger, high-resolution LCD screen makes navigation easy and enables 50% faster commissioning, set-up, and operation. Users of any skill level can configure the actuator through various pre-configured or customization options for quick and error-free set-up and operation. A larger, higher-resolution LCD with a built-in ambient light sensor offers eight times the previous display's resolution to extend viewing distances up to 30 feet. Real-time torque graphs, alarm and event logs, and other data are accessible in higher-quality resolution.

MXb Advanced Diagnostics and Analytics

The MXb electric actuator's next-generation diagnostics and analytics capabilities help operators monitor and track its performance and quickly respond to upset conditions. The MXb actuator has 500 times the previous MX model's memory capacity, allowing increased data capture and storage for higher degrees of process monitoring, data logging, and information feedback. Additionally, a real-time clock enables data log time stamping to support asset management functions and lifecycle analysis.

MXb Improved Reliability

The actuator's design isolates critical components, protecting them from electrical shock and interference, typical in extreme environments. High-quality materials extend actuator service life, operating ranges, and mean time between failure.

MXb Simplified Maintenance

A new electric connector design removes the need for brackets and hold-downs, making maintenance more straightforward and faster. And the enhanced connector design ensures robust connectivity throughout the rated seismic and vibration envelope.

For more information about the Limitorque MXb contact Swanson Flo by calling 800-288-7926 or visiting their website at https://swansonflo.com.

Happy Thanksgiving from Swanson Flo

Bronkhorst ES-FLOW Flow Meter/Controller Achieves 3-A Sanitary Standards

Bronkhorst presents their new generation of ES-FLOW Ultrasonic Flow Meters for low flow rates of water, additives, and other liquid substances. The improved flow meters measure volume flow from 2 up to 1500 ml/min with even higher precision, high linearity, and low-pressure drop, using ultrasound in a small-bore tube. The instruments are liquid-independent, thanks to the unique measuring principle, which accounts for the flow calculation's actual sound velocity. Thanks to the combination of a straight sensor tube with zero dead volume, the flow meter is self-draining. The flowmeter with orbital TIG-welded flanges is CIP or SIP cleanable and now meets 3-A sanitary standards for hygienic applications. More information at the Swanson Flo website here.

Swanson Flo
800-288-7926
https://swansonflo.com