Top Knobs, operating as a Dimora company, has announced a significant strategic expansion within the high-end architectural hardware and plumbing sector with the acquisition of Jaclo Industries. Based in Cranford, New Jersey, Jaclo is a well-established decorative plumbing company that brings along its sister brand, Durst. With this transaction, Jaclo officially joins Watermark Designs to form a cornerstone of the parent company’s dedicated Luxury Brands division, signaling a major move toward creating a more integrated, comprehensive resource for high-end interior designers, architects, contractors, and specialized plumbing showrooms across North America.
As a prominent manufacturer and distributor within the trade, Jaclo has built its operational foundation by serving the intricate needs of the plumbing, interior design, and contracting markets. Its primary distribution channels include high-end showrooms and specialized dealers spread throughout North America, supported further by a dedicated hospitality division that caters to commercial, hotel, and large-scale residential projects. Alongside Jaclo, its sister brand Durst functions as a trusted supplier of in-stock valves, fittings, drainage systems, and essential water supply components, catering directly to commercial wholesalers and the professional plumbing trade.
Within the architectural and design communities, Jaclo is best recognized for its extensive portfolio of decorative specialties, which encompass the intricate, exposed working parts of a bathroom. These specialized offerings range from supply lines and drains to designer grab bars and escutcheons, all meticulously finished to match the primary plumbing fixtures, such as faucets and showerheads. The company’s expansive product collections span state-of-the-art shower systems—most notably including the design-patented Rain Machine—as well as high-end faucets, decorative grab bars, channel and decorative drains, and a wide array of coordinated bath accessories.
One of Jaclo’s primary competitive advantages in the luxury market is its mastery of specialized finishes. The company offers its products in more than 35 coordinated finishes, maintaining strict finish matching across diverse product families to ensure design continuity throughout a project. All of these specialized plumbing items are warehoused and distributed directly from the company’s primary New Jersey facility, ensuring efficient logistics and fulfillment for trade partners.
Market analysis reveals that Jaclo’s core customer base—particularly high-end showrooms—overlaps closely with the existing clientele of Top Knobs and Watermark Designs. Industry experts note that bringing these respected brands under a unified corporate umbrella creates a powerful synergy. Together, the combined brand portfolio provides showrooms, interior designers, architects, and professional contractors with a singular, highly coordinated source for luxury kitchen and bath fixtures, specialized architectural finishes, and decorative hardware. This alignment simplifies the specification and sourcing process for complex residential and hospitality projects, allowing design professionals to coordinate finishes and styles seamlessly across different rooms and product categories.
Corporate leadership from the parent company has expressed immense enthusiasm regarding the strategic addition of Jaclo and Durst to the enterprise. Matthew Farwell, vice president of Luxury Brands, highlighted the historical prestige and enduring market reputation of the newly acquired entities during the announcement. For well over a century, Jaclo and Durst have cultivated an enviable reputation built on uncompromising quality, dependable performance, and superior customer service. Their products have earned the trust of professionals across diverse environments, ranging from exclusive design showrooms and specialized hardware stores to massive commercial hospitality projects.
Farwell emphasized that the primary strategic goal moving forward is to honor and build upon that rich legacy. By combining the distinct operational strengths, market reach, and design expertise of all the brands within the Luxury Brands group, the company aims to elevate its service standards and better support trade partners and end customers across every distribution channel.
To ensure a seamless transition for clients, vendors, and partners, Jaclo and Durst will continue to operate under their established brand names. The operational framework ensures that there will be no immediate disruptions or modifications to existing product lines, manufacturing specifications, or established ordering procedures. Furthermore, key leadership members who have guided the companies to their current positions of prominence will remain in place to maintain continuity, stability, and ongoing relationships within the industry.
Reflecting on the acquisition and the future trajectory of the business, Larry Brodey, Jaclo’s longtime chief executive officer and strategic advisor, shared his perspective on the transition. Brodey noted that his single most important priority throughout the evaluation process was ensuring that the legacy company and its associated brands were placed in the most capable and secure hands possible for the long term. He sought out an established industry leader possessing the necessary financial resources, visionary strategic direction, and corporate dedication required to propel the brand into its next phase of growth. Ultimately, Brodey concluded that Top Knobs represents the ideal strategic partner at the precise right moment to author the next exciting chapter in the storied history of Jaclo and Durst.
