Forged Steel Valves Market Gets New Entry

China Valves Technology Inc. reports its subsidiary Henan Kaifeng High Pressure Valve Co. Ltd. has developed a process for producing “high-quality technology-intensive forged steel valves for use in ultra supercritical thermal power generating units.”

The company, a well-known brand in China, is a former state-owned enterprise that formed Henan Kaigeng last year. It has another operating subsidiary, Zhengzhou Zhengdie Valve Co. It produces high-pressure and high-temperature valves for power station units; valves for long distance petroleum pipelines; special valves for chemical lines; valves for water-supply and sewer systems; and valves for long-distance gas pipelines. It also produces gate, globe, check, throttle, butterfly, ball, safety, water pressure test, vacuum, and extraction check valves. The group has a significant domestic and regional market share for valves.

The new forged products are the result of a 48-month research and development effort that led to a number of patented products and manufacturing processes. It did not detail the production process.

China Valves states it already has purchase orders valued at about $1.7 million for over 30 types of its new forged products.

The new valves were tested and were approved for use by Zouxian Power Station in Shandong and Changzhou Power Station in Jinagsu. China Valves said the tests indicate its new valves perform “as well as similar advanced overseas products.”

It said its new valves are able to withstand very high temperatures and high pressure, and according to China Valves they will last longer with greater airproof characteristics than ordinary forged steel valve products — including imported ones.

Most valves used in Chinese power stations are sourced from the U.S. or Germany.

"We are the first manufacturer in China capable of producing high quality forged steel valves for use in ultra supercritical thermal power generators. We believe this new valve has strong market potential and we expect to receive more orders for them," according to China Valves chairman and CEO Siping Fang. "Manufacturing and selling this technology intensive forged steel valve is part of our plan to continue improving our product mix while increasing our production capabilities."