Flowmax strengthens group leadership with marketing and legal appointments

Coventry-based specialist fluid technologies operating partner Flowmax Group has strengthened its central resource team with the appointment of Mary-Kate Irving as Head of Legal and Michelle Jackson as Head of Marketing.

Mary-Kate will provide in-house legal counsel across the group, with her role giving businesses within the group direct access to trusted legal guidance, helping ease day-to-day pressures of contracts and compliance, while supporting them through pivotal milestones in their growth journeys. As a qualified solicitor, she has experience across litigation, commercial and corporate law, having worked across sectors including construction, property, IT, logistics, engineering and manufacturing. 

Michelle brings 13 years’ marketing experience in the fluid handling industry to Flowmax, giving her a strong understanding of its subsidiaries, their solutions, markets and customer bases. In her new role, she will support group businesses’ local marketing teams with strategic expertise, helping to strengthen positioning and communications, as well as sharing group-wide initiatives to keep pace with new trends and developments within the market.

The appointments also reinforce Flowmax’s continued commitment to strengthening its central team. Mary-Kate and Michelle join Lucy Cubitt, who has been Group Finance Director for 3 years. 

Graham Morrell, CEO of Flowmax Group, said: “It’s great to be growing the team and bringing more specialist expertise into the group. Mary-Kate and Michelle both bring a wealth of experience, and their appointments strengthen the support we can offer our businesses.

“That support is a key part of how we work with our businesses – adding expertise where it’s needed, sharing knowledge across the group and helping them realise their potential while protecting the autonomy and culture that are central to their success.”

Mary-Kate Irving, Head of Legal at Flowmax Group, said: “Flowmax is built around long-term partnerships with owner-managers, so having legal expertise in-house means we can provide practical, consistent support when our businesses need it. Ultimately, it’s about making things simpler, being pragmatic and giving our teams the confidence to make decisions and move forward with their plans.”

Michelle Jackson, Head of Marketing at Flowmax Group, added: “Flowmax’s businesses are highly specialist, and that means their marketing needs to reflect the expertise. I’m looking forward to helping our businesses build on what they already do well, strengthen how they communicate with customers and identify new opportunities for their local teams to leverage.”

The appointments follow a period of strong growth for Flowmax, with the group reporting 50% revenue growth over the past five years, driven by expansion into green energy and water sectors, alongside its recent appointment of Crowe to identify further targeted acquisition opportunities.

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Flowmax Group appoints Crowe as it targets acquisitions in the UK water sector

Flowmax Group, a specialist fluid technologies operating partner focused on supporting owner-managed businesses, has appointed national audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm Crowe to identify targeted acquisition opportunities within the UK water sector.

The partnership will see Crowe’s corporate finance team support Flowmax in identifying owner-managed SMEs that assemble and distribute products used across applications including potable water, wastewater, sludge treatment, water quality monitoring and network infrastructure within the UK water industry.

The search will focus on established SMEs that assemble and distribute fluid management and control products supporting critical water infrastructure, typically generating between £3 million and £8 million in revenue and employing around 10 to 35 people.

The partnership forms part of Flowmax’s long-term strategy to support the growth of specialist businesses across its portfolio and the wider UK water sector, combining complementary capabilities to better serve customers.

Flowmax’s approach is centred on supporting specialist businesses that share a common focus on fluid management and control. With more than 25 years of experience, 15 businesses across the Group, over 210 colleagues and annual turnover exceeding £60 million, Flowmax provides the platform and expertise to help its operating companies strengthen their offering, access new opportunities and continue their long-term growth while preserving the expertise and relationships that underpin their success. The Group has grown significantly in recent years, with revenue increasing by 50% over the past five years, including an 18% increase in the most recent financial year.

This approach is demonstrated by B&D Plastics, a Colchester and Aldridge-based specialist in plastic pressure pipework systems, which Flowmax acquired in 2024. The business has built a strong position supplying piping systems and related products into the UK water industry, providing a platform for further investment in complementary capabilities that strengthen its offering to customers in the potable water sector.

Building on this approach, future acquisitions will be considered where there is a strong strategic fit, with opportunities either strengthening existing operating companies such as B&D Plastics or complementing the wider Flowmax Group. The objective is to connect specialist businesses that can share expertise, broaden product offerings and create new opportunities across the water sector while preserving the strengths of each business.

Graham Morrell, CEO of Flowmax Group, said: “Our focus is on specialist fluid management and control businesses and on creating brighter futures for owner-managers and their teams. The UK water sector is a priority for us, particularly potable water, and we see a clear opportunity to support our operating companies by bringing together complementary businesses that strengthen technical capability, collaboration and the value we deliver to customers.

“Whether businesses join an existing subsidiary or become part of the Group directly, our objective is to create long-term value through complementary expertise, not simply greater scale. Working with Crowe enables us to identify businesses that share our focus on specialist fluid management and control, while creating opportunities for owner-managers to build on their success with the support of a specialist group.”

Ryan Niblock, Director – Corporate Finance at Crowe, added: “Flowmax has a clear understanding of the businesses where it can add value, and we are pleased to support its search for companies that align with its strategy. The UK water sector includes many highly specialised businesses with strong technical expertise and long-standing customer relationships. We look forward to engaging with companies that are considering their future growth plans and exploring opportunities to build on their existing success, and supporting Flowmax through every stage of the acquisition process from identification through to completion.”

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Investing in the people behind our businesses

Behind every successful business is a great leader. But the most successful of businesses have a leader who surrounds themselves with support and never stops learning. Flowmax Directors’ Days are just one of the ways we invest in the people who lead our businesses.

Last month, we welcomed owner-managers from across the Flowmax Group for our latest Directors’ Day, where attendees came together to strengthen their knowledge on the financial and legal side of business, whilst sharing experiences with their like-minded peers.

Hosted by our Finance Director Lucy Cubitt and our Head of Legal Mary-Kate Irving, the day combined practical workshops with plenty of opportunities to collaborate and discuss the challenges that leaders face across different businesses.

The finance session, The Story Behind the Numbers, explored how financial reporting can become a tool for better decision-making rather than simply a monthly reporting exercise. Working through a series of realistic business scenarios, the group used hypothetical financial data to identify trends, discuss what the figures were telling them and consider the commercial decisions that might follow.

The value in sessions like this to our owner-managers was summarised nicely by Mark Cusworth, General Manager at Whisper Pumps. “Not only did it re-affirm my own beliefs regarding profit vs turnover, but it helped me understand the Flowmax accounts better, and how small changes can have large consequences on the bottom line.”

In the legal session, the focus turned to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) and the practical implications for businesses. Mary-Kate explained the changes to anti-fraud legislation, including how organisations can be held liable for certain economic crimes committed by senior managers, even where there has been no direct board involvement. The session also explored what effective, proportionate and well-documented anti-fraud procedures look like in practice, helping directors understand how to reduce risk within their own businesses.

The day concluded with an evening at Edgbaston Stadium, home of the Warwickshire Bears, to enjoy a game of cricket. It was a great opportunity to continue conversations from the day, strengthen relationships across the Group and spend time with colleagues and external partners from HR, marketing, IT and audit.

Being part of Flowmax means owner-managers no longer have to tackle every business challenge alone. By sharing knowledge, building capability and strengthening our collaboration across the group, we’re helping to create brighter futures.

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Flowmax Group expands into the Middle East with new regional distribution hub

Flowmax Group, headquartered in Coventry, has announced the establishment of Flowmax Fluid Control Middle East Trading LLC, marking the Group’s first physical presence in the region. Based in the UAE, the new entity will operate as a regional distribution hub, enabling Flowmax companies to hold local stock and serve customers across the Middle East with improved access and lead times.

Flowmax is a specialist fluid technologies operating partner with a focus on value creation. It provides owner-managers with both continuity and opportunity, allowing them to achieve a partial exit, realise value and maintain operational autonomy while investing for growth. Its companies are experts in fluid technologies — a focused approach that enables the Group to truly understand the dynamics of the markets its businesses operate in and how to drive sustainable expansion.

Building a local footprint in the Middle East strengthens Flowmax Group’s portfolio of owner-managed fluid technology businesses and supports their ambitions to expand internationally. The region represents a high-growth opportunity, with the pumps market projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% to £4.6 billion by 2033, and the water-desalination equipment sector expected to reach £13.5 billion by 2033, growing at 10% annually, according to Grand View Research.

Graham Morrell, CEO of Flowmax Group, said: “The Middle East represents a hugely exciting growth region for the Group. Establishing Flowmax Fluid Control Middle East Trading LLC provides a channel for our Group companies to distribute locally and engage more effectively with regional partners and customers, reinforcing our competitive advantage and supporting future growth. It’s also a huge value-add for prospective businesses joining our Group, giving them the ability to participate in one of the fastest-growing markets globally for fluid technologies.

“This is about creating continuity and opportunity — for our people, our customers, and the exceptional owner-managers we partner with. Our new regional distribution hub is the latest step in our journey to create brighter futures across every market we serve.”

The Middle East expansion builds on Flowmax’s proud heritage as a specialist fluid technologies operating partner, supporting a network of owner-managed businesses across the UK and Europe. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Coventry, the group now operates 15 businesses with combined revenues exceeding £65 million.

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