World-class Valves from Local Manufacturers Calls for World-class Quality Castings

Changes are abound in the valves sector as the formation of The Valve and Actuator Manufacturers’ Cluster of South Africa (VAMCOSA) gears up to provide significant demand prospects for local manufacturers. However, with great promise comes great responsibility, and local manufacturers need to step up to the plate to produce world-class valves that are able to compete with imported products.

The South African Valve Manufacturing industry has been in a steady decline since 1994 as a result of the higher quality and affordability that imported products provide. In an attempt to turn the industry around and promote the growth of locally sourced valves, VAMCOSA was formed in 2011. While this may mean that industry giants such as Eskom will now have to look closer to home for a supply of valves, the pressure is on to meet demanding requirements for the same level of quality as internationally produced products.

In the next five years, Eskom is expected to replace an estimated 5,500 valves in on-going operations and maintenance projects at existing power plants, significantly increasing demand for control valves, multi-turn valves, quarter turn valves, as well as electric and pneumatic actuators. It stands to reason that local valve manufacturers will benefit considerably from this massive replacement programme.

Now more than ever, local valve manufacturers need to seek out the support of a well-established foundry for the supply of raw castings. As the first South African PED-certified foundry and material supplier, Steloy Castings is able to produce as-cast and machined components that conform to stringent quality assurance requirements necessitated by the pump and valve industry. Being qualified to produce PED-class castings allows valve manufacturers to attach the coveted CE (Conformite Europeene) mark to each item of pressure equipment, and  ISO 9001 accredited facilities provides the added assurance of superior quality and product integrity.

Over 25 years of experience in the valve industry has put Steloy in a good position to provide the customer support and an understanding of the product requirements and specifications expected from globally competitive companies. This and other specialist competencies goes a long way to improving Steloy’s capacity for providing quality, delivery, fast reaction times and overall service excellence, which is invaluable when it comes to providing the cost effectiveness and time saving that the South African valve industry needs to grow.