SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                                 (Rule 13d-102)

             INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
           TO RULES 13d-1(b)(c), AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED
                            PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(b)

                         (Amendment No.____________)(1)

                             Natco Group Inc. (NTG)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    63227W203
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                  March 7, 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

     Check the  appropriate  box to  designate  the rule  pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:

          [_]  Rule 13d-1(b)

          [X]  Rule 13d-1(c)

          [_]  Rule 13d-1(d)

----------
(1)  The  remainder  of this  cover  page  shall be filled  out for a  reporting
     person's  initial  filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
     securities,  and for any subsequent amendment containing  information which
     would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

     The  information  required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed"  for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934 or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).



CUSIP No. 63227W203
          ---------

1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)

     Trafelet & Company, LLC

2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [_]
                                                                         (b) [X]

3.   SEC USE ONLY

4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH

5.   SOLE VOTING POWER

     0

6.   SHARED VOTING POWER

     848,000

7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

     0

8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

     848,000

9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     848,000

10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES 
     CERTAIN SHARES*

                                                                             [_]

11.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     5.36%

12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

     00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


CUSIP No. 63227W203
          ---------

1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)

     Remy W. Trafelet

2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a) [_]
                                                                         (b) [X]

3.   SEC USE ONLY

4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     United States of America

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH

5.   SOLE VOTING POWER

     0

6.   SHARED VOTING POWER

     848,000

7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

     0

8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

     848,000

9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     848,000

10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES 
     CERTAIN SHARES*

                                                                             [_]

11.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     5.36%

12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

     IN

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


CUSIP No. 63227W203
          ---------

Item 1(a).  Name of Issuer:

            Natco Group Inc. (NTG)

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 1(b).  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

            2950 North Loop West, 7th Floor, Houston, Texas 77092

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 2(a).  Name of Person Filing:

            Trafelet & Company, LLC
            Remy W. Trafelet

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 2(b).  Address of Principal Business Office, or if None, Residence:

            900 Third Avenue
            5th Floor
            New York, NY 10022

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 2(c).  Citizenship:

            Trafelet & Company, LLC - Delaware
            Remy W. Trafelet - United States of America

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 2(d).  Title of Class of Securities:

            Common Stock

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 2(e).  CUSIP Number:

            63227W203

            --------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or
        (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

     (a)  [_]  Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

     (b)  [_]  Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act.

     (c)  [_]  Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange
               Act.

     (d)  [_]  Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
               Company Act.

     (e)  [_]  An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);

     (f)  [_]  An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
               Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

     (g)  [_]  A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
               Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

     (h)  [_]  A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal
               Deposit Insurance Act;

     (i)  [_]  A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
               investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
               Company Act;

     (j)  [_]  Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

Item 4. Ownership.

     Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and
percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

     (a)  Amount beneficially owned:

          Trafelet & Company, LLC - 848,000 
          Remy W. Trafelet - 848,000

          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

     (b)  Percent of class:

          Trafelet & Company LLC - 5.36% 
          Remy W. Trafelet - 5.36%

          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

     (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:

          Trafelet & Company, LLC:

          (i)  Sole power to vote or to direct the vote                  0
                                                             ------------------,

          (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote          848,000
                                                             ------------------,

         (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the  
               disposition of                                            0
                                                             ------------------,

          (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the 
               disposition of                                      848,000
                                                             ------------------.

          Remy W. Trafelet:

          (i)  Sole power to vote or to direct the vote                  0
                                                             ------------------,

          (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote          848,000
                                                             ------------------,

         (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the 
               disposition of                                            0
                                                             ------------------,

          (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the 
               disposition of                                      848,000
                                                             ------------------.

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

     If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than
five percent of the class of securities check the following [ ].

          Not applicable 
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 6. Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

     If any other person is known to have the right to receive or the power to
direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, such
securities, a statement to that effect should be included in response to this
item and, if such interest relates to more than five percent of the class, such
person should be identified. A listing of the shareholders of an investment
company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or the beneficiaries
of employee benefit plan, pension fund or endowment fund is not required.

          Not applicable 
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
        Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company or Control
        Person.

     If a parent holding company or Control person has filed this schedule,
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G), so indicate under Item 3(g) and attach an
exhibit stating the identity and the Item 3 classification of the relevant
subsidiary. If a parent holding company or control person has filed this
schedule pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) or Rule 13d-1(d), attach an exhibit stating
the identification of the relevant subsidiary.

          Not applicable
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

     If a group has filed this schedule pursuant to ss.240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J),
so indicate under Item 3(j) and attach an exhibit stating the identity and Item
3 classification of each member of the group. If a group has filed this schedule
pursuant to ss.240.13d-1(c) or ss.240.13d-1(d), attach an exhibit stating the
identity of each member of the group.

          Not applicable                                                       
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.

     Notice of dissolution of a group may be furnished as an exhibit stating the
date of the dissolution and that all further filings with respect to
transactions in the security reported on will be filed, if required, by members
of the group, in their individual capacity. See Item 5.

          Not applicable                                                        
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 10. Certifications.

          By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
          belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not
          held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing
          the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and
          are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
          having such purpose or effect.

                                    SIGNATURE

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

                                                     March 15, 2005             
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                                         (Date)

                                             Trafelet & Company LLC*


                                                  By: /s/ Remy W. Trafelet
                                                  --------------------------
                                                  Remy W. Trafelet
                                                  Managing Member


                                             /s/ Remy W. Trafelet
                                                 --------------------------
                                                 Remy W. Trafelet*

Note. Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties
for whom copies are to be sent.

Attention. Intentional misstatements or omissions of fact constitute federal
criminal violations (see 18 U.S.C. 1001).

* The Reporting Persons disclaim beneficial ownership in the Shares reported
herein except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.



                                                                       Exhibit A
                                                                       ---------

                                    AGREEMENT
                                    ---------

     The undersigned agree that this Schedule 13G dated March 15, 2005 relating
to the Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share of Natco Group Inc. (NTG) shall
be filed on behalf of the undersigned.

                                             Trafelet & Company LLC*


                                                  By: /s/ Remy W. Trafelet
                                                  --------------------------
                                                  Remy W. Trafelet
                                                  Managing Member


                                             /s/ Remy W. Trafelet
                                                 --------------------------
                                                 Remy W. Trafelet*

03388.0003 #555083