Clayton Industries
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| Private | |
| Industry | Industrial equipment |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Founder | William Clayton Sr. |
| Headquarters | City of Industry, California, United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | John Clayton (President and CEO) |
| Products |
|
| Services |
|
| Revenue | €25,100,318 (Clayton of Belgium NV, FY 2024)[1] |
| Website | https://claytonsteam.com |
Clayton Industries is a privately owned industrial machinery company headquartered in City of Industry, California, United States. Clayton Industries designs and produces industrial steam generators based on the principles of forced-circulation and once-through boiler technology. Their products are used in process industries internationally.
History
Clayton Industries traces its origins to 1930, when founder William Clayton Sr. developed early steam equipment and the company began commercial activity in California.[2][3]
According to an article that was published by Voka, the company’s early work included a small portable steam cleaner. This formed the basis for later industrial steam generator designs used in process applications. VOKA also goes on to describe Clayton as an early adopter of a counterflow operating principle and a patented heating coil assembly. These are presented as key elements of the company’s equipment design.[3]
In the United States, Clayton Industries was formed from Clayton Manufacturing Company, which was founded in California by William Clayton in the early 1930s. It initially focused on steam cleaning equipment and related industrial machinery, before expanding into the design and production of industrial steam generators and thermal systems.
By the mid-20th century, Clayton Manufacturing operated large production facilities in Southern California whichw was the basis of their growth within the American industrial machinery sector. William Clayton led the company for several decades and remained closely associated with its industrial activities until his death in 1975. His death was reported by the Los Angeles Times, which noted his role as the founder and chairman of Clayton Manufacturing Company and his long involvement in the industrial scene of California.[4]
Following the Second World War, Clayton Industries expanded its operations internationally on the European market. On 31 January 1961, the company established a base in Bornem, Belgium[5], with the goal to serve industrial markets in Europe during the post-war period. The Belgian site was the company’s first European manufacturing location and developed into a long-term centre for production and engineering activities supporting regional markets.[3]
Over the following decades, Clayton of Belgium had expanded its manufacturing capabilities and workforce to reflect changes in industrial steam demand across different sectors. It also followed the physical size and production capacity of its installations. By the early 2020s, the Bornem facility had been in continuous use for over six decades. This prompted plans for infrastructure renewal and expansion to accommodate even larger scale steam generator products and modernise the production requirements. In 2021, the Bornem facility marked its 60th anniversary, which was covered by regional Belgian press.[6][7]
In the mid-2020s, Clayton of Belgium announced the development of a new production facility next to its existing site in Bornem.[8] Architectural documentation published by the firm CLVR describes the new production and office facility at the Clayton of Belgium site.[9] Alongside the start of this expansion came changes in local management, including the appointment of Levi Stenten as General Manager and the transition of Dirk Van Dijck to a board-level role.[8]
Operations
Clayton Industries operates as a global supplier of industrial steam generation systems. It combines product manufacturing with engineering support, commissioning, and after-sales services. The company maintains manufacturing facilities and subsidiaries in North America, Europe, and Mexico, where they serve industrial customers that require process steam.
Industry publications have reported on Clayton of Belgium’s role within the company’s European manufacturing and supply activities, more specifically a 2012 profile in Energy-Oil-Gas examined in more detail the effects of their steam generators replacing conventional firetube boilers.[10]. Third-party press coverage has also noted the use of Clayton steam generation systems in industrial facilities, such as an article in 2021 by StreetInsider, which reported on the installation of Clayton once-through steam generators at a brewery in the United States as part of a production expansion project.[11]
Increasing policy initiatives within the European Union require industries to invest in circular design, energy efficiency, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.[12] Steam and heat generation account for a significant share of industrial greenhouse gas emissions and as such become part of the focus of efficiency and emissions reduction efforts. Modernising existing equipment and processes, such as conventional firetube boilers, play a significant part to be able to meet modern standards. Clayton of Belgium NV have reported in publicly available annual accounts an increase in turnover since 2020 to 2024. Clayton of Belgium has gone from approximately €15.0 million in the 2020 financial year to €25.1 million in the 2024 financial year.[1]
Regional structure
Clayton Industries operates through a regional organisational structure which supports its global manufacturing, sales, and service activities.
Clayton of Belgium NV serves as the headquarters for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. It has been based in Bornem, Belgium since 1961 and functions as a primary production, engineering, and logistics centre for the EMEA region. From this facility manufacturing and regional operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa are coordinated.[8]
Outside the EMEA region Clayton Industries supports markets in Latin America through Clayton de Mexico. Additional national markets are served through local subsidiaries and distributors.
European subsidiaries
Within the EMEA region, Clayton of Belgium oversees several subsidiaries and affiliated entities. These are used for sales, service, and customer support provision across Europe, including:
Products
The steam generation systems of Clayton Industries are based on forced circulation and once-through design principles.[15] These systems are used to supply steam for industrial processes and are produced in various configurations to meet their different operational requirements.[16]
- Steam generators
- Electric steam generators
- Exhaust gas boilers
- Superheated steam boilers
- Auxiliary and control systems
COGEN Vlaanderen lists Clayton of Belgium as supplying steam generators from about 100 kW to 13 MW for saturated and superheated steam applications. It also lists their products using fuels including gas, biogas, diesel, or electricity.[17]
Technology
Clayton steam generators operate on principles associated with once-through steam generators and forced circulation boiler designs. In Clayton’s systems, boiler feedwater is pumped through a continuous tube under pressure and converted to steam in a single pass where as in traditional systems they are often being stored in a large steam drum.
This operating design is related to the Monotube steam generator concept, characterized by low water content and controlled circulation achieved through mechanical pumping. Forced circulation allows for regulated water flow through the heating surfaces and enables the steam production process to respond to changes in demand. Another advantage of monotube steam generator’s compared to traditional systems is their relatively small amount of water content and limited stored thermal and pressure energy. A large steam drum boiler contains a substantial volume of water and steam held under pressure in the drum and tube systems, holding a significant amount of potential energy. In the case of a pressure boundary failure, a traditional system can release far more energy than a monotube system which does not require a storage of pressurised water. Because of this there is a greatly reduced likelihood of explosions involving blast effects such as during rapid depressurisation and flash boiling of water in drum ruptures of traditional systems. Clayton steam generators are subject to regulatory safety testing, related to these effects, in jurisdictions where they are installed. An example of such testing includes controlled low-water firing procedures intended to evaluate equipment behaviour under low-water operating conditions, tested until the point of destruction. In an example of a specific test of this kind, the Clayton boilers ultimate destruction occurred without any steam explosion.[18]
More general descriptions of once-through and forced circulation steam generation systems are provided in articles on Steam generator (boiler), Forced circulation boiler, and Monotube steam generator.
Recent developments
In December 2025, Clayton Industries published a company statement discussing hybrid steam generation systems in the context of industrial decarbonisation. The article outlines configurations that combine electric and gas-fired steam generators and describes the use of dual energy sources to manage operational requirements under varying energy prices and electricity grid capacity constraints.[19]
Industries served
Clayton steam generation systems are used in a range of industrial sectors where process steam and thermal energy are required for production, treatment, or utility applications.[20]
In food and beverage manufacturing, industrial steam systems are used to regulate process temperatures, support thermal treatment, and maintain consistent production conditions. Trade publications have reported the use of industrial steam generators, including systems manufactured by Clayton Industries, in these environments. More specifically in situations where precise temperature control as well as rapid response to process demands are part of the requirements.[21][22][23]
Clayton Industries products are used in the following industries:[24]
- Animal feed
- Beverage production
- Breweries
- Chemical industry
- Distilleries
- Food industry
- Marine and offshore
- Oil and gas industry
- Paper industry
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Power generation
- Textile industry
Leadership
John Clayton serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Clayton Industries and represents the third generation of the founding family to lead the company.
In its European operations, Clayton of Belgium NV is led by a General Manager. In 2025, Levi Stenten was appointed General Manager of Clayton of Belgium, succeeding Dirk Van Dijck, who became Chairman of the board.[8][25]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Clayton of Belgium NV – bedrijfsinformatie en jaarrekeningen". Staatsbladmonitor (in Nederlands). Belgisch Staatsblad. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton Industries: 80 Years of Steam Generation Excellence". Energy-Oil-Gas.com. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Clayton zet bedrijven onder stoom". Voka Ondernemers (in Nederlands). Voka – Kamer van Koophandel Mechelen-Kempen. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ↑ "William Clayton, Caltech Trustee, Industrialist, Dies". Los Angeles Times (Obituary). Los Angeles, California. 18 October 1975 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Clayton of Belgium NV – BE 0400.800.634 – Bornem (2880)". Trends Top / Knack. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ↑ "Bornemse vestiging van Clayton viert 60ste verjaardag met stomend feestje". Gazet van Antwerpen (in Nederlands). 19 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Bij de zaak: Bornemse vestiging van Clayton viert 60ste verjaardag met stomend feestje". Nieuwsblad (in Nederlands). 19 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Clayton of Belgium bouwt aan de toekomst". Voka (in Nederlands). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ "Innovatief bedrijfsgebouw voor Clayton of Belgium". CLVR. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton of Belgium NV". Energy-Oil-Gas.com. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "A 'Full Steam Ahead' Brewery Charts Recent Growth Using Rapid On-Demand Steam Generators From Clayton Industries". StreetInsider.com. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Circular design and sustainable production". European Environment Agency. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton de France SARL company profile". Annuaire-Entreprises.data.gouv.fr. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ↑ "CLAYTON THERMAL PRODUCTS LTD - Overview". Companies House. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton generator principle of operation". Intech.eu. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Our products". Clayton Steam. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton of Belgium · COGEN Vlaanderen company profile". COGEN Vlaanderen. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "TSSA letter regarding low water firing test of Clayton steam generator, 29 November 2005". Internet Archive. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ↑ "Hybrid Steam Generation: A Smart Investment for a Decarbonizing Industry". Clayton Steam. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton of Belgium draait op volle stoom". Made-in.be. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton steam generators control process temperatures". BevIndustry. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ "Clayton Steam Master steam boiler". Food Engineering Magazine. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ "Old World Flavor Saved With an Assist From Newly Applied "Once-Through" Steam Technology". PRWeb. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ↑ "Industries". Clayton Steam. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ↑ "Publication of management change for Clayton of Belgium NV" (PDF). eJustice / Belgisch Staatsblad. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
External links
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