Brennan Industries, the Solon, Ohio-based manufacturer of hydraulic fittings, accessories and other components, is expanding its global network and product lines and embarking on several corporate initiatives to kick-off 2026 with a more powerful website.
Brennan recently announced that it had acquired Aussie Adaptors & Hydraulics P/L, an Australian supplier of specialized hydraulic solutions based in the Melbourne area. It is a supplier of fittings and associated fluid transfer products. Known for its expertise in hydraulic adaptors, quick release couplers, and ball valves, the company serves a wide network of customers domestically and internationally.
Frank De Cesare, Managing Director at Aussie Adaptors & Hydraulics P/L, will continue to lead the Melbourne team. “We’re looking forward to working very closely with Brennan,” De Cesare said. “This partnership aligns with who we are as a company and will allow us to bring even more to our customers while opening new doors for growth.”
Brennan recently announced that it had acquired Aussie Adaptors & Hydraulics P/L, an Australian supplier of specialized hydraulic solutions based in the Melbourne area.
Aussie Adaptors & Hydraulics P/L will operate under its current name only briefly before transitioning to the Brennan brand. This swift change will ensure a smooth integration while keeping the process seamless for customers and partners.
A growing network and product lines
In a recent discussion with Fluid Power World, David M. Carr, Chairman CEO for Brennan, said that the company is looking to expand through acquisitions to better serve their customers. “Our goal is to be able to support our customers in whatever market they may be. That’s why we wanted to be in Australia. Motion has a massive presence today in Australia. So does Applied Industrial. Pirtek is headquartered there, which is also another big customer, so we really wanted to be there to support them. And without having a distribution hub, it made it difficult to do that.”
Carr added that the goal is to eventually open a satellite facility elsewhere in Australia to serve other markets, like mining in the Perth area.
This is Brennan’s second major international acquisition in the past year, following the October 2024 purchase of Coterflex Industrial in Brazil. Not only did Brazil give Brennan a South American base, but it allowed the company to add a new product to its line — hydraulic cylinders.
Brennan’s Brazilian acquisition included not only fittings but hose and cylinders as well.
“Brazil’s focus is a little different. When you think of Brennan, most people think of hydraulic fittings and adapters and accessories. But in Brazil, 50% of our business is hydraulic cylinders. And today, we’re making 100% of those cylinders ourselves,” Carr said. “Then we sell adapters. We do a massive amount of custom tubing assemblies. That’s big growing part of the business. We also have a line of our own hose and fittings in Brazil.”
Carr said that when they purchased Coterflex, its cylinder business was just starting to ramp up but Brennan has been able to quickly nurture and grow that product line.
These acquisitions are another step in Brennan’s commitment to connect more markets, create new opportunities, and deliver on its promise of innovation and exceptional service. The company already has facilities in Mexico, the UK, Toronto, and Shanghai. Expanding into Australia strengthens the company’s support for key industries like aerospace, automotive, and energy.
Carr noted that aerospace is the biggest market its fittings and adapters lines are sold into, with most of its business being with distributors and OEMs in aerospace. “We sell to everyone, from Northrop, Lockheed and Collins Aerospace, to Boeing, the largest distributor ini the world within the aerospace market,” Carr said. “Our products are on the Boeing 787, and we supply to them either direct or through their distribution services.”
Growing its corporate health
Brennan also has several other key initiatives in the works, with the development of a corporate website which will make ordering simpler and faster. While many sales will be done still over the phone or in person, using AI and a streamlined ordering system will allow them to better serve customers.
“We want to be like the Amazon of the industrial space for ordering and dealing with a company. Using AI as a tool, we’re building a website that will make it faster and easier to do business with us while also maintaining customer care that’s second to none,” Carr said.
Brennan is also working on an automation strategy in its main Euclid, Ohio plant, which will be beta tested in November. If all goes smoothly, it will begin automating many of its manufacturing processes in other global locations.
Brennan’s corporate headquarters in Solon, Ohio is home to its management, sales and manufacturing training programs.
The company also emphasized its management and sales development programs. Opportunities in manufacturing and engineering are available as well. Students in these programs rotate through every role within a division, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how the company operates, explained Angela C. Sebesy, Global Vice President of Human Resources.
“This structure gives the employees a hands-on experience in each department and helps them answer the question, ‘What do I want to do after this program?’” Sebesy said. “Most companies in our industry don’t offer that. Typically, graduates are hired into one department and remain there. Our program, on the other hand, allows them to explore multiple paths. Some may begin thinking they want sales, but after experiencing different areas, they may discover a stronger interest in operations instead.”
It’s programs like these as well as other benefits, which have brought the company several employment accolades, Sebesy said. Most recently, Brennan was named an ERC NorthCoast 99 winner for the second year in a row. This recognition celebrates top workplaces in Northeast Ohio. In the last year, Brennan was recognized from Smart Business for the 2024 Family Business Achievement Awards. Carr was also recognized in 2024 by Smart Business with the 2024 Pillar Award for Community Service – Northeast Ohio.
Brennan is no stranger to awards, having been recognized countless times as a local best employer, for its philanthropy efforts, and more.
“We’ve been recognized many times in the past few years. I am really proud of everything that our company has been achieving,” Sebasy said. “We support over 20 different organizations a year. We’re trying to do a lot of things for our community.”
Brennan Industries
Brennaninc.com
Filed Under: Components, Couplings & Fittings, Fittings, Couplings & Adapters, News
