On 4 November 2024, Switzerland-based Georg Fischer (GF) announced plans to transform its business through the sale of its Machining Solutions Division to United Grinding Group for approximately US$721.5 million. The company is also evaluating the divestment of its GF Casting Solutions Business. On the whole, the firm is strategically moving away from its more diversified industrial roots to concentrate exclusively on water and flow solutions.
This move—reinforced by GF’s 2023 acquisition of Uponor— mirrors similar moves by other Top Companies in Water: Kemira, Pentair, Danaher (renamed water business as Veralto), and DuPont, who all made strategic shifts to unlock greater value in the water sector through a simplified business.
In 2023, GF achieved total sales of US$5.7 billion, which was segmented into four primary business units: GF Piping Systems which remains the core of its water-focused portfolio, GF Casting Solutions, GF Machining Solutions, and GF Building Flow Solutions. Building Flow Solutions represents the company’s more recent 2023 acquisition, GF Uponor. This unit added US$182 million in revenue, reflected only in the last two months of the year.
In this Research Note:
- Water-only focus expected to deliver stable growth to GF
- Strategy reinforced through targeted water acquisitions
- GF joins other top companies in reinforcing strategic shift to water pure-play
