Valve producer Afrivalve has expanded its facilities to Randburg where it will manufacture its C-Tech knife gate valves (KGV), Red Roc pinch valves and pneumatic and hydraulic actuators.

Afrivalve group marketing manager Gregor Hopton explains that valves and actuators are currently still manufactured at their factory in Jet Park, in Johannesburg; however, the company has moved to its new location, in Randburg, because of the continued success of its sales and the increase in valve sizes being sold.

“We have grown quicker than expected, with the valves proving themselves in demanding applications, hence, the decision to expand our facilities. We have experienced similar growth in South Africa as we have in other African countries,” he says.

The C-Tech KGVs that will be produced at the new facility can be controlled with manual hand wheel, manual gearbox and pneumatic actuators – in single and double acting functions – and hydraulic actuators. He points out that Afrivalve supplies the valves with all ancillary instrumentation, which includes the limit switches, pilot solenoid valves, flow boosters and positioners to control opening and closing speeds of the KGVs and for proportional control on the pinch valves.

“With the rapid success of the C-Tech and Red Roc valves, we have removed the bottleneck in the production line [at Jet Park] by moving the assembly out of Jet Park. This will enable us to reduce our delivery times, among other challenges that a rapidly expanding range brings,” Hopton says.

The available C-Tech range has recently increased, owing to the addition of larger diameter KGVs, such as the DN700, DN750 and DN800. Larger sizes are available on request.

Along with the relocation of the product manufacturing, Afrivalve has also moved three sales offices to the new premises, as the “new premises will give us the capability to centralise our sales team”, he adds.

Established in 2015 as an expansion from slurry control valve designer and manufacturer eDART, Afrivalve has experienced rapid growth, says Hopton, adding that the company has expanded its product range by including valves from German valve producer Gemü Valve and Control Systems, as well as the AVi (Afrivalve industrial) range.

He further explains that the Afrivalve-endorsed AVi range of valves that will complement the C-Tech KGVs and Red Roc pinch valves include full bore and weir-type diaphragm in metal bodies, metal bodies lined in fluoropolymer, and full thermoplastic. Butterfly, ball, non-return angle seat, globe and solenoid valves in various materials of construction are also in the range.

He concludes that Afrivalve can handle abrasive, corrosive and demanding industrial applications with its increased growth and rapid valve production.