ITT Corp. has announced its agreement to purchase privately held Godwin Pumps. Godwin is a leading supplier of automatic self-priming portable pumps used in the growing markets for drainage pump rental, services and sales serving the global industrial, construction, mining, municipal, oil and gas segments.  

ITT has agreed to purchase Godwin from its principal shareholders for $585 million. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2010, pending customary regulatory approvals.

“This acquisition is another example of ITT’s strategy to expand our core businesses and build on our strong global positions in water, wastewater and industrial process,” says Gretchen McClain, president of ITT’s Fluid and Motion Control group. “Godwin’s business is a great complement to our existing fluid technology portfolio, and is expected to establish ITT among the leaders in the growing and profitable $3 billion global market for dewatering pumps and rental services.”

Godwin Pumps, founded in 1976, is based in Bridgeport, N.J., and has approximately 800 employees located throughout the United States and at its manufacturing facility in Gloucestershire, England. The company operates a U.S. rental fleet of more than 6,000 pumps at 26 equipment rental facilities and a network of approximately 50 distributors worldwide. Godwin’s 2009 revenues were approximately $200 million, with full-year 2010 revenue projected to be about $235 million. When combined with ITT’s existing dewatering sales, the Godwin acquisition is expected to double ITT’s revenues from dewatering equipment and services.

Godwin is best known for its service capabilities in dewatering (the removal of unwanted water and other fluids) and the original Dri-Prime pump, an automatic self-priming centrifugal pump range capable of handling industrial sludges, oil, sewage, storm water, mine dewatering and other pumping needs. Upon closing of the acquisition, Godwin will become part of ITT’s $1.6 billion Water & Wastewater business.

“The acquisition presents a tremendous opportunity for ITT to grow its dewatering rental and services business internationally,” says John Williamson, president of ITT’s Water & Wastewater business. “We already have a solid history of partnership, with Godwin offering ITT’s electric submersible pumps since 2003. Adding the specialized products and skills of the world-class Godwin team to ITT’s broad Flygt and Grindex submersible pump portfolio and global sales network means our customers will have unsurpassed access to the broadest dewatering capabilities on the market.”

ITT today sells Flygt and Grindex brand dewatering pumps, and rents from its fleet of more than 11,000 pumps, through its global sales and distribution network serving customers in more than 140 countries. ITT’s Flygt pumps are the original submersible dewatering pumps, invented in 1948.

John Michael Paz, founder and chief executive officer of Godwin Pumps, sees the acquisition by ITT as a global expansion opportunity for Godwin’s products and services. “Over the last 30 years, Godwin employees and our strong distribution network have built the Godwin brand and reputation, and I am pleased to see this opportunity for future growth. The combination of these two talented teams should result in tremendous opportunities for both companies.”