Harland Pumps, Indeng Pumps, IEL Pumps, Johnston Pumps & United Pumps brief history & heritage brand overview
Harland Pumps (Harland Engineering Australia)
Harland Engineering Australia (Harland Pumps) was a 50/50 joint venture initially formed in 1941 between Harland of the UK (Alloa Scotland) and Industrial Engineering Ltd (IEL or Indeng)
In the 1970’s, Harland UK was acquired by Weir UK who sold their 50% stake in Harland Australia to Indeng, so Harland Engineering Australia then became IEL Pumps, also known as Indeng Pumps.
IEL Pumps – Indeng Pumps
Indeng Pumps or IEL Pumps manufactured many models of pumps for water supply, irrigation, sewage, industry and oil and gas industries. The oil and gas pumps were United Pumps under licence from United Centrifugal Pumps (UCP) USA with the first API 610 pump made in Australia in 1959. In the mid 1980’s Indeng closed and became United Pumps Australia maintaining all heritage brand intellectual properties (IP) including designs, hydraulic and development data, patterns and drawings for Harland, IEL and Indeng pump products.
Indeng end suctions pumps remain in use today in 2020. Models such as the VRB, VRC and VRD series are available In Australia and New Zealand under the Monoflo and Indeng branding.
An Indeng VR series end suction pump 
Indeng branded pumps are also manufactured under licence to United Pumps Australia by Gilles Manufacturing Co Ltd of NZ.
Johnston Pump Company
Johnston Pump Company of Glendora CA, est 1909 is another heritage brand of United Pumps, first distributed in Australia by Indeng from the 1960’s. The Johnston Pump Co range consisted of a broad range of submersible pumps and mixed flow and axial turbine pumps up to 60”. During that relationship, all of the intellectual property (IP) including hydraulic and development designs, patterns and drawings were transferred to enable full local manufacture. This product range moved to United Pumps and the evolution of those products continues to today.
United Pumps Australia (UCP Australia Pty Ltd)
United Pumps Australia was formed in 1984 after Indeng closed. All of the Intellectual Property (IP) of Harland Pumps, Johnston Pumps, IEL Pumps and Indeng Pumps transferred to the new United Pumps.
This was a 50/50 joint venture with United Centrifugal Pumps (UCP) USA with a manufacturing licensee and transfer of all intellectual properties (IP) as required to build its API 610 market and manufacturing capabilities. Australian manufactured API 610 pump had hydraulic and mechanical designs identical to United (UCP) USA up until 1993.
In 1988, BWIP acquired UCP USA and maintained technology transfer to United Pumps Australia. This technology transferred continued up until 1993 after BWIP was acquired by Flowserve. The licence agreement ended in 2012.
The United Centrifugal Pumps heritage brand dates back to 1886 with the founding of the Oakland Iron Works in California USA, later to become United Iron Works in 1903 and in 1952 United Centrifugal Pumps (UCP) USA.
From July 1990, United Pumps Australia became wholly owned by the staff and completely independent from USA ownership.
The manufacturing license continued ending in 2012. Since 1992 United Pumps Australia had become technologically independent from UCP USA and fully independent from 2012.
United Pumps Australia is Australia’s only API 610 manufacturer offering a diverse range of pumps for the Oil, Gas, LNG and industrial sectors including;
ATC series (OH2) Over Hung, back pull out end suction pumps, on Axially or radially split case pumps
VPC series (OH3, OH4, OH5 and OH6) closed coupled vertical in line overhung pumps
MSN series (BB3) horizontal, axially split multistage, between bearing pumps
DDHF series (BB5) double casing, horizontal, radially split multistage, between bearing pumps
VSP, VMS, VCD, VCMS series (VS1, VS2, VS3, VS4, VS5, VS6 and VS7) vertical pumps
Many of the United Pump API 610 models are available in lower specifications for use in general industrial, mining, fire protection and rural water pumping applications too.
In June 2020, United Pumps Australia was acquired by Sterling Pumps, an Australian pump Company. Sterling is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) who also manufactures turbine and submersible pumps in Australia and is a part of the Aturia/WPIL Group of Companies. Sterling plans to utilise the pump models and IP of its heritage brands of Harland Pumps, IEL Pumps, Indeng Pumps, Johnston Pumps and United Pumps to further expand both Companies.
