Smith & Loveless Inc. Celebrates 80th Anniversary

LENEXA, Kan. – Smith & Loveless Inc., a leading global manufacturer of engineered systems for the water and mining industries, celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2026. Since 1946, the company has served municipalities and utilities, federal and military facilities, commercial industries and mining operations worldwide by improving water and fluid purification and transfer infrastructure through industry-changing innovations focused on performance, installation and operational simplicity, and long-term value.

From its earliest packaged lift stations to today’s advanced pumping, solids separations and clean water treatment technologies, Smith & Loveless has remained committed to solving real-world challenges for both consulting engineers and end-user owners and operators. The company’s portfolio includes solids-handling pumps and packaged pumping systems, screening and grit removal headworks technologies, and complete wastewater treatment and fluid purification solutions used at municipal and industrial facilities across North America and in more than 75 countries on all seven continents.

“For 80 years, we have worked closely with owners, consulting engineers and operators to address the practical realities of designing infrastructure and running collection and treatment systems,” said Frank J. Rebori, President of Smith & Loveless Inc. “Our innovations in packaged pump stations, headworks technologies and advanced treatment and filtration technologies are driven by a consistent goal: delivering long-lasting systems that perform consistently while being easier to own, operate and maintain.”

A defining element of the company’s 80-year history is its 100 percent American-owned, American-manufactured status. Smith & Loveless designs and manufactures its systems in the United States while supporting projects worldwide, helping customers meet domestic sourcing requirements associated with federally funded infrastructure programs. This manufacturing platform is supported by application engineering, aftermarket parts and retrofits, and field service resources focused on long-term system reliability. As its ninth decade begins, Smith & Loveless plans to continue investing in developing technologies that help utilities and industrial users manage aging infrastructure, address workforce and operational challenges, and meet evolving regulatory requirements.

“We are 80 years young and just getting started. New products are the lifeblood of any enduring company and we have sustained our success because of a corporate culture of always wanting to innovate and improve.” Rebori added. “Looking ahead, we will continue developing innovations that better the environment, improve operator safety and reliability, and support resilient water and wastewater infrastructure for the long term. We will never be done getting better for our customers, our products and the environment.”

“These objectives underscore our corporate values and philosophy of Protecting Water. Protecting People.”

Across its product diverse product segments, Smith & Loveless has pioneered industry-changing technologies, advanced new approaches and solve operational and maintenance challenges, including:

• Introducing the first factory-built sewage pump station (1948)

• Introducing the first solids handling centrifugal pump designed exclusively for sewage transfer (1956)

• Developing the factory-built packaged wastewater treatment plant (1957),

• Introducing the vacuum-primed, (and first) above grade pump station for wastewater, Wet Well Mounted Pump Station (1970)

• Introducing the U.S.’ first flat-floor vortex grit chamber, PISTA® Grit Chamber (1973)

• Introducing the first-ever fixed-biofilm packaged wastewater treatment system, FAST® (1977)

• Introducing the first-ever solvent extraction pressure filter for copper electrowinning, DI-SEP® SX Filter (1980)

• Introducing the first-ever centrifugal pump designed exclusively for sewage grit pumping, PISTA® Turbo Grit Pump (1982)

• Introducing the first inline, 360-degree vortex grit chamber, PISTA® 360™ Grit Chamber (1988)

• Introducing the X-PELLER® pump impeller, which is still one of the most proven solutions to combat flushables (2001)

• Introducing Shade Aide®, control panel HMI screen protectors (2003)

• Launching era of advanced vortex grit removal systems with the PISTA® 360 with V-Force Baffle™ (2004)

• Launching a packaged MBR designed for small to medium flows, TITAN MBR™ (2006)

• Introducing the first U.S. designed and manufactured wastewater grit washer, PISTA® Turbo Grit Washer (2009)

• Launching a new level of intuitive touchscreen PLC controls with amplified intelligence and automation, QUICKSMART™ (2012)

• Introducing the first retrofit baffle system designed to optimize vortex systems to modern efficiencies, OPTIFLOW™ (2014)

• Introducing the first flat-floor vortex grit removal system with design-flexible inlet outlet channels, PISTA® VIO™ (2016)

• Introducing the first ever clean in place pump station check valve, RapidJack (2016) 

• Introducing the first advanced vortex grit system with inclined plates for ultra-fine grit capture, PISTA® INVORSOR™ (2022)

• Introducing the first grit screw classifier to handle up to 1,000 gpm flow, Model 19 PISTA® Grit Screw Conveyor (2024)

• Launching the first packaged membrane system for converting activated sludge plants to MBRs, TITAN MEM-BOX™ (2025)