About Flotec

Flotec, Inc. began business in June of 1983 for the purpose of manufacturing specialized fluid power connectors, diesel fuel fittings and valves, liquid oxygen valves, relief valves, fill-to- vent valves and quick-disconnect fittings.

In addition to Cummins Engine and other automotive and industrial customers, Flotec, Inc. sold to many manufacturers of liquid oxygen equipment including, but not limited to Andonian, Cryofab, MVE (Caire), Penox and Puritan Bennett.

Flotec, Inc. also manufactured oxygen regulators under private label agreements for B & F Medical, Penox, and Ambu. 

In 1992, Flotec introduced a regulator series under its own name.  Since then, the medical gas regulator market has never been the same.  The effects are still being seen fifteen years later. 

The Flotec design team endeavored to create a product with the end user in mind.  The goal was to produce a regulator that would be easy to read, easy to attach to the cylinder, easy to adjust, easy to identify, and at the same time, be reliable, accurate, durable, and above all, safe.

The RW series, the first generation of Flotec regulators, met many of the design team’s goals.  It also began a tradition and an expectation that the Company would be the innovator in the oxygen regulator market.

This regulator was the first to feature a low profile contents gauge positioned to prevent breakage, the first to offer a large window through which to read the flow rates, the first to have high visibility night-glow numbers, the first to feature a soft seat, finger tight post valve seal with a stay-put design. (This meant that the yoke seal washer would “cling” to the pin on the post valve and that the regulator could be attached to the post valve using minimal hand strength).  Flotec was the first to offer custom colors.  No longer were regulators available in only silver or green.  Customers began ordering regulators in 12 distinct colors.  Because the flow-meter section could be ordered in a different color from the main body, Customers took advantage of this feature to further individualize their regulators.  Flotec began the service of offering permanent and custom dot peen marking.  No more paper decals.  The Flotec RW regulator was first to feature an all-brass high-pressure inlet zone. Snap ring construction, common at the time, was eliminated.  This was a safety feature.  Finally, the modular design enabled Flotec to easily customize the features of the regulator to the individual customer’s demands.  The Flotec Customer could choose from 4 trillion possible regulator combinations.

These innovations spurred demand for Flotec to create other related products incorporating these innovations.  The product line increased to include flow meters and pressure reducers.  In response to market demand, Flotec also began to manufacture regulators for other medical gases and various gas blends.     

Flotec was establishing itself as a specialty manufacturer. 

In May of 1998, Flotec relocated to the current state-of-the-art manufacturing location at 7625 West New York Street in Indianapolis .  This new space enabled Flotec to expand and improve the research and development department as well as the assembly lab.  Once in this new facility, Flotec set out to become ISO certified.  Underwriters Laboratories assessed Flotec’s quality systems and on December 16, 2003, found them to be compliant.  Flotec was issued ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 13485:1996.  Flotec continued to maintain this certification and work toward further improvements.  In April of 2005, Flotec was issued ISO 13485:2003. 

UL International assigned CE 0843 to Flotec on January 15, 2004.

During this time, Flotec began answering the call of the international market.  Because of the modular design, Flotec was able to easily adapt to producing regulators according to the requirements of Canada , Australia , and European countries. 

Flotec also began to branch out into the accessory market.  It developed a line of resident nipple (Christmas tree) adapters which could be further customized to a particular liter flow and pressure. Custom hose assemblies in various lengths and with a variety of available end fittings became available.   Now, Flotec offers a complete line of medical gas connectors and adapters.

In 1999, Flotec introduced the INGAGE TM Series regulator.  With this new product, Flotec perpetuated its’ mission to be the marketplace innovator.  Although the low profile contents gauge and its position on the old RW regulator did lessen the possibility of damage, the problem still existed.  In response, Flotec created a regulator with a unique internal contents gauge which assures complete protection against all potential external impact damage.  Like the RW series, this new contents gauge features glow-in-the-dark, easy to read numbers. The INGAGE was born.  The internal gauge wasn’t the only new innovation to be included in this new series.  The engineering team devised a unique method for double filtering the incoming gas.  A special sintered depth filter was mounted on the inlet orifice.  Additionally, the rotor flow orifice was designed with a filter.  This process ensures that the laser drilled flow orifices are kept free of debris.  In order to provide the user with the freedom to position the outlets and the contents gauge to their own satisfaction, the swivel body was designed.  This unique swivel body can be rotated a full 360 degrees.  To further ease the process of attaching the regulator to the oxygen tank, a dynamic finger tight post valve seal was created.    This seal was permanently mounted on the regulator’s inlet.  This eliminated the need for reinstalling a washer on successive uses.  The new dome handle securing knob was introduced to eliminate the possibility of damage to the helicoil.  Finally, because the basic appearance of the RW regulator had been copied by others, it was decided to change from a round shape to a dodecagon (12 sided) body.

In 2005, Flotec introduced Flopac a unique, all-in-one lightweight portable oxygen delivery system designed with the hospital and the EMS market in mind.  This new product incorporated many of the features from its predecessors, at the same time it eliminated the need for a post valve by attaching the regulator directly to the tank.  Flotec’s endeavor for constant improvement led to the development of this product.  The new features included a manual pressure shut off knob, a solid stainless steel “halo” style protective handle which allowed for protection of the regulator and easy cleaning, an all brass high pressure conduit, no metal to metal contact points along the internal gas flow pathway, full time burst disc protection, tri-metal plated solid brass high pressure connector module with oligodynamic and anti-germicidal characteristics.  Finally it meets EN738-3 specifications.

In anticipation the need for equipment to meet the demands of disaster preparedness, Flotec has developed several mass casualty items.  The first of which was the Mass casualty oxygen manifold system which is available in various lengths and styles.  This would allow the responder to supply the optimal amount of oxygen required by each patient from one oxygen source.

The other innovative product is the O2 Tactical rescue system.  The O2 tactical system combines the Flotec mini regulator in a CGA 540 inlet configuration with a small size aluminum or composite cylinder.  It uses many of the same features as the Flotec regulators.  However, it eliminates the need for a post valve key; a simple thumb wheel is all that is needed to turn on the o2.   At less than 3 pounds and approximately 16 inches in height, it is compact and therefore ideal for Bicycle, SWAT and Ski patrols.  In order to enable Emergency Medical Services to be more independent, Flotec has developed a trans-filling system.  This system enables, the EMS responder to trans-fill their own tanks safely, efficiently and economically.