Innovation. Quality.
Reliability.
Beginning with a line of automatic flow limiting valves built around David Griswold's automatic cartridge, the company became universally known for its state-of-the-art, quality product used in hydronic HVAC systems.
Built on Innovation, Family, and Engineering Excellence
For over six decades, Griswold Controls has been built by dedicated people who share a commitment to innovation, quality, and excellence.
We create an environment where employees can grow, contribute, and build lasting careers within our organization.
Founder of Griswold Controls
The Beginning of a Lifetime Dedicated to Innovation
Long before founding Griswold Controls, David Griswold developed a passion for engineering and problem-solving. Growing up around his father's hydraulic innovations, David was fascinated by creating solutions that improved the way systems operated.
His curiosity began at an early age and grew into a lifelong pursuit of designing products that solved real-world challenges.
David's entrepreneurial spirit emerged early, from building small ventures as a child to developing advanced mechanical projects as a young engineer. His fascination with steam engines and hydraulics eventually led to new technologies and business ventures that shaped the foundation of his future work in flow control.
After working alongside his father at Cla-Val Company, David's drive for innovation led him to establish his own independent path. That journey would ultimately become the beginning of Griswold Controls — a company built on precision engineering, reliability, and continuous improvement.
From a Home Workshop to a Global Flow Control Company
David started Griswold Controls early in 1960 with a staff of 3½ employees out of his home in Costa Mesa, California. He incorporated the business on October 16 of that same year.
Every room of his house served a different functional purpose, with the garage becoming the company's research and development space as David developed the stainless steel automatic flow limiting cartridge — the heart of Griswold Controls automatic valves.
Since the water pressure in his home was not high enough to fully test his designs, David "borrowed" water from a nearby fire hydrant, allowing the cartridge designs to be perfected.
Beginning with a line of automatic flow limiting valves built around David Griswold's automatic cartridge, the company became recognized for its state-of-the-art, quality products used throughout hydronic HVAC systems.
Costa Mesa, CA
Sixty-Five Years of Flow Control
Sixteen milestones, from a stainless cartridge to systems now cooling all over the world.
In California, David Griswold introduced the stainless steel cartridge for automatic flow control (balancing). This innovation became the key element of a line of single and multi-flow control valves. The stainless steel design resulted in ±5% accuracy due to the strength and consistency of the materials.
After years of success with their original line of valves, Griswold broadened their horizons with the introduction of the Combo Valve. This was the first valve to feature double union endpieces, making the flow cartridge easily accessible for changeout.
Hose kits were incorporated in 1984, offering a complete solution to specific piping needs. The kits featured one valve and one connector piece joined by a selection of flexible hoses and pipes. These kits were the beginning of Griswold's complete supply service.
1991 marked a shift in thinking from return to supply. This shift was brought about by the addition of the Griswold Ultra-Z Valve. This 3-in-1 valve incorporated an isolation ball valve, a strainer, and an automatic flow cartridge in the same valve body, making supply-side flow control more cost-effective than return side. This product was followed by multiple combination valves from 1999 through 2007.
Griswold's next innovation was the Hi-Flow cartridge. This gave engineers two things: more flow and a lower pressure drop across the automatic flow control valve.
Griswold realized early on that multiple sources can be a headache for the contractor. That's why we introduced the concept of Coil Piping Packages. These packages consist of pre-plumbed components that connect to a coil or terminal unit.
The Optimizer was Griswold Controls' next technology. The Optimizer provides Equal Percentage control in ball valves so that the heat output at the coil is linear when compared to the open area of the valve. The parabolic shape (based on the parabolic openings in the Griswold stainless steel cartridge) delivers a smooth, responsive flow curve during valve handle rotation. This entered Griswold Controls into both the manual balance valve market as well as the temperature control market.
Pressure Independent valves are Griswold Controls' latest innovation and expansion into the temperature control market. The parabolic optimizer insert was combined with a flow limiting valve to create a true pressure independent valve that has 100% authority all the time.
Griswold Controls was the first to recognize changes in the chemicals in HVAC systems as well as changes to installation practices and therefore introduced our field repairable stem.
After a successful 21-year relationship between David Griswold and Bjarne Ibsen, president of FlowCon International, the ownership was shared in 2014 between David Griswold, Bjarne Ibsen, and Torben Ibsen. This merger made the company the largest specialized manufacturer of balancing valves and pressure independent valves for the HVAC market in the world.
2015 marked a shift in thinking about how to control the flow at Griswold Controls. Borrowing technology from the plumbing industry, Griswold Controls launched its first ceramic disc flow control valve in the HVAC industry. The durability of the ceramic disc was now available to the HVAC market.
Pressure Independent valves are well accepted in the HVAC market but many end-users want not just pressure independence, but also temperature independence! Griswold Controls introduces the EPIC System that combines both features and allows end-users to control temperature drop across their system.
In 2018 Bjarne and Torben Ibsen became full owners of Griswold Controls and FlowCon International.
Today FlowCon International and Griswold Controls boast 65+ years of HVAC market experience. Our offices in Irvine, California (USA), Brazil, Singapore, Dubai and Denmark handle all sales and marketing world-wide to over 60 different countries.
