EXHIBIT 99
                                                          INVATEC [ LETTERHEAD ]
PRESS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Dana G. Flores
          713/625-7001
          97-3

                      INVATEC CONTINUES ACQUISITION GROWTH

          HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 18, 1997) - Innovative Valve Technologies, 
Inc. (NASDAQ-IVTC) ("Invatec") announced today the acquisition of three
companies offering valve repair, distribution, and associated services.  These 
companies consist of Koppl Company of Montebello, California; Seeley & Jones,
Inc. of Milford, Connecticut; and Dalco Incorporated of Louisville, Kentucky.
These three companies add 11 locations to the Invatec organization, several of 
which penetrate new geographical markets. The annualized revenues of these three
acquisitions are $25 million; bringing Invatec's current revenue run rate to
approximately $124 million.

          Commenting on the acquisitions, Charles F. Schugart, Sr. Vice 
President - Chief Financial Officer of Invatec said, "We are very pleased with
these acquisitions and the progression of our acquisition program. These three
acquisitions, combined with the purchase of Performance Valve announced earlier
this quarter, give us additional annualized, acquired revenues of $32 million.
Our acquisition program is focused on companies that are simply the biggest, the
best and the most profitable in the industry. These three acquisitions are
consistent with this focus."

          Invatec is a leading provider of comprehensive repair and distribution
services for industrial valves and related process system components. Based in
Houston, Invatec's products and services are available through a network of 43
locations throughout North America.

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Note: Certain statements discussed in this press release (including those
related to acquisitions) may be deemed forward-looking statements that involve
significant risks and uncertainties. Although Invatec believes that such
statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that
actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied in the
forward-looking statements.