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| Sloan Valve Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sloan Valve Company |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Founder | William Elvis Sloan |
| Headquarters | Franklin Park, Illinois |
| Products | Flush valves, urinal flushometers, electronic faucets, metering valves |
| Employees | 1,000–5,000 (est.) |
| Website | (omitted) |
Sloan Valve Company is an American manufacturer specializing in plumbing systems for commercial, institutional, and public facilities. Founded in 1906, the company developed the flushometer and expanded into sensor-operated fixtures, affecting fixtures used in airports, hospitals, schools, and government buildings. Sloan's trajectory intersects with innovations in sanitation, standards organizations, and supply chains across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Sloan Valve Company originated with William Elvis Sloan, an inventor who filed patents in the early 20th century related to plumbing fixtures and industrial equipment. The company's early growth paralleled infrastructure expansion in the Progressive Era and the rise of municipal sanitation projects, aligning with procurement by entities such as the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York City Subway, and the United States Navy. Throughout the mid-20th century, Sloan expanded product lines amid postwar construction booms involving contractors like Turner Construction Company and firms servicing institutions including Johns Hopkins Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In the late 20th century, Sloan navigated regulatory shifts influenced by standards from American National Standards Institute and water-efficiency initiatives tied to the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Leadership changes and family ownership dynamics shaped corporate strategy alongside interactions with trade groups such as the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors–National Association.
Sloan's signature invention, the flushometer, became a commercial alternative to gravity tank toilets used by manufacturers like Kohler Co. and American Standard Brands. Sloan diversified into sensor-operated fixtures that incorporated electronics from suppliers linked to the Consumer Electronics Association supply chain and component manufacturers such as Honeywell International and Texas Instruments. Product families include manual metering valves, electronic faucets, urinal flushometers, and waterfree urinal components competing with technologies from Toto Ltd. and Swan. Sloan pursued patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and collaborated with research institutions like Northwestern University and Illinois Institute of Technology on materials and fluid dynamics. Innovations addressed public-health concerns in facilities like Mayo Clinic and airports such as Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and incorporated accessibility standards referenced by Americans with Disabilities Act compliance guidance.
Sloan's manufacturing footprint encompasses assembly and machining operations in the United States with regional distribution centers serving markets in Canada, Mexico, and overseas. Facilities have been located in suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, benefiting from rail freight access to terminals such as Chicago Union Station and proximity to the Port of Chicago. Manufacturing equipment vendors have included firms like Rockwell Automation and CNC Machinery, Inc. Sloan's supply chain engages metal suppliers and foundries with ties to the American Foundry Society and logistics firms such as XPO Logistics. The company has adapted production practices in response to disruptions affecting manufacturers like Ford Motor Company and electronics producers during global events such as the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sloan sells through dealer networks, original equipment manufacturers, and institutional procurement channels used by organizations like General Services Administration and large property managers such as CBRE Group. Distribution partners include plumbing wholesalers tied to buying groups like Ferguson Enterprises and hardware chains that have stocked fixtures alongside competitors including Rheem Manufacturing and Bradford White. International sales reach regions serviced by distributors active in the European Union and Asia-Pacific markets, with competition from multinational brands such as Roca and Geberit AG. Sloan participates in trade shows hosted by organizations like the National Association of Home Builders and exhibitions such as AHR Expo to reach architects, specifying partners including Gensler and Perkins and Will.
Sloan has been led by executives and a board with backgrounds in manufacturing, finance, and engineering, interacting with advisors from firms like McKinsey & Company and auditors comparable to the Big Four accounting firms. Ownership has involved family stewardship alongside private ownership structures that engage private equity-style governance models similar to firms reviewed by Harvard Business School case studies. Sloan's governance adheres to regulatory reporting norms when engaging with public-sector contracts administered by agencies such as Department of Defense procurement offices and follows compliance frameworks promoted by Occupational Safety and Health Administration for manufacturing sites.
Sloan has advanced water-efficiency technologies that respond to standards from Environmental Protection Agency programs and certification schemes such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and voluntary labeling found in WaterSense. Product development targeted reduction of potable water use in facilities like Stanford University and University of California campuses, paralleling municipal conservation plans by cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Sustainability efforts include material sourcing policies consistent with guidance from the Sustainable Furnishings Council and lifecycle assessments informed by institutions like Argonne National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Sloan and its products have received industry awards from organizations including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and design recognitions displayed at venues like the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Products have been cited in case studies by architectural firms honored by the American Institute of Architects and have been selected for retrofit projects recognized by utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company for water savings programs.
Category:Manufacturing companies of the United States Category:Plumbing fixtures