Top UK pump maker joins with Aussie pool industry innovator

Leading British pump manufacturer, Stuart Turner Ltd, has signed an exclusive agreement with Australian innovator New Fluid Technology (NFT) to develop and market their pump impeller technology.

Following an extensive review of the performance characteristics of the Supa-Stelth pump, originally designed for pool and spa applications, Stuart Turner agreed to develop a range of multi-stage pumps incorporating the patented NFT design.

The new pumps will be intended for both domestic and commercial water pressure boosting applications with flow rates up to 160 litres per minute at pressures between 150kPA and 600kPA.

The design provides substantial increases in centrifugal pump efficiency and significant reductions in noise as a result of its unique “solid body rotation of fluids” design which effectively eliminates turbulence within the pump.

Mark Williams, Managing Director of Stuart Turner says the NFT design was a significant departure from traditional centrifugal pump design with the potential to achieve world leading performance.

“We are looking forward to a really exciting outcome from our trans-global venture with NFT and hope that it heralds a wider collaboration in the future.”

Brian Bambach, Director of NFT, says the agreement with Stuart Turner was the second development venture to be signed by the company and that further deals were in the offing.

“It is a particular pleasure, as a newcomer to the field, to work with one of the world’s longest-established and best known manufacturers of water pumps,” he says.

Stuart Turner has long history in hydraulics. The company has been in the pump business since 1906 and in centrifugal pumps since the 1930s.

Co-chairman of Stuart Turner, William Barnard, says that over that time they’ve relied on innovation to keep the company at the forefront of the pump business.

“We have a fair degree of inventiveness from our own people but we keep our eyes open for good ideas from others as well.”

Most of the pumps Stuart Turner makes are for bathrooms, to boost the water flow or to help fill the header tanks which are popular in Britain.

In the past couple of years they’ve expanded into other domestic applications including spa pumps.

“With the NFT technology, we’re really more looking at applying it to domestic water supply. As you know, efficiency is becoming increasingly important. Australia is at the forefront of regulations do with pool and spa pump efficiency, but it’s having a big impact in other markets and in other industries apart from pools and spas,” he says.

“The other thing we like about the technology is that it’s quiet. That’s important for the domestic market in what we’re doing, going into houses and terrace houses and apartment blocks.”

Barnard says that Stuart Turner is in a number of countries around the world, including the Middle East, and they plan to take the technology into these international markets.

“We’ve signed an agreement – a kind of joint venture to develop a pump for the applications we’re interested in – and using that design concept on a wider basis. That development period will take some time, and at the end of that we’ll work out what form the agreement will take but it is something broadly along the joint venture lines,” he says.

“We’re excited about the technology and we see substantial opportunities on the road if it can live up to its promise. This represents an extension from NFT’s initial focus in the pool and spa industry, and underlines the potential of the technology.

“It is definitely a vote of confidence.”