Flowflex Have Been Manufacturing Compression Fittings In The UK For Over 60 Years

Underpinning a quality job are quality fittings and although innovative jointing systems have emerged to offer increasingly cost-effective solutions, many of the benefits are based on the successes of mechanical compression joints which have been used in plumbing for decades.

Brass compression fittings are one of the most reliable and flexible fittings in the market and this belief is shared by Flowflex Components Ltd, who have been manufacturing compression fittings in the UK for over 60 years.

As installers seek the most cost effective jointing solution there has been a rise in alternatives to the traditional plumbing methods. Plastic fittings, push and press fit appear to offer benefits of speed, safety and versatility, however when you look closely, these are the same benefits as you get from using compression fittings, which despite the rise of alternatives, are still consistently used by installers.

Compression fittings are a heat-free mechanical system. Naked flame means there is no need for hot-work permits and it also eliminates the risk of flame damage. This also means that joints can be made quickly and safely without the need for specialist skills or tooling. All installers are trained to make a compression joint and, unlike some of the new jointing solutions, the only additional tool or material needed is a regular spanner!

Compression fittings are flexible in that although they can offer a permanent fix, they can also be demountable, taken apart, moved and remade without affecting their performance. They also reduce waste as compression fittings are, unlike some alternative fittings, fully recyclable. Operating at a wide range of pressures and temperature, compression fittings offer great versatility, in that they can be used to join a variety of different pipe materials including copper, MDPE and PEX. Compression fittings can therefore be used on a variety of domestic and commercial applications, including hot or cold-water services, heating installations, fuel services and industrial engineering applications.

Compression fittings are therefore ideal in enabling installers to complete a job in the most cost-effective manner, in many cases compression is the most reliable single system solution for all their application needs. Perhaps the biggest benefit of the compression fitting is the unrivalled quality of the fitting. Brass fittings are excellent in corrosion resistance and renowned for their strength and reliability. However, this quality can only be assured by the manufacturer and installers do not need to look further than Flowflex, the UK’s only manufacturer of compression fittings.

Flowflex: Quality First

Flowflex operate from a single 6-acre site in Buxton, Derbyshire. Throughout its history, Flowflex has seen huge changes in British manufacturing, and whilst it’s true that over the last 30 years, much of this manufacturing has moved overseas to China and the Far East, Flowflex remains a beacon of manufacturing in the UK. As a British Standards Institution registered company, with ISO9001:2015, Flowflex has been dedicated to engineering excellence and with extensive experience and technical know-how, installers can be confident that each component is manufactured to the highest quality.

Flowflex compression fittings are manufactured to British and European Standards, hold WRAS approval, are kitemark licenced and are guaranteed against manufacturing defects for 25 years. Flowflex has the capability to produce fittings in an array of patterns, sizes and finishes meaning they offer one of the most comprehensive fittings ranges in the market. Fittings can be manufactured in sizes from 6mm to 108mm and Flowflex can offer flexibility in the materials used to make the fittings. DZR brass fittings can be manufactured to be used in areas where there is the potential for dezincification. Fittings can also be plated; chrome plated fittings offer aesthetic appeal when fittings are visible. Alongside the extensive compression range, Flowflex offers a variety of services to facilitate the design, testing and manufacture of OEM components.

In using Flowflex fittings, installers can be confident that they are using an established, reputable product range supplied by a company with a proven reputation for reliability and quality.