Launched on September 10 during the Electra Mining Africa 2020 Connect virtual event, machining manufacturer Stanfra Trading showcased its new fully South African 100 mm quarter-turn segmented ball valve.

Stanfra Trading CEO Francois Marais states that this type of valve is the first to be produced in South Africa using 100% South African-sourced materials and designed for local applications, where imported quarter-turn segmented ball valves have failed.

He says the development of the quarter-turn segmented ball valve was driven by the needs of the market for a locally-made valve product that offers competitive pricing and a faster delivery time.

“At the moment all quarter-turn segmented ball valves are being imported from Europe and Asia. There is a big market for this type of valve but the delivery time is usually 8 to 12 weeks.”

Marais notes that it is, therefore, very difficult for companies that need spares for this type of valve to replace them in a timeous fashion and on a cost-effective basis.

The Stanfra valve is not only cheaper than imported equivalents, but it will also provide customers with a shorter delivery time and improved stockholding and availability of parts.

He says the Stanfra 100 mm quarter-turn segmented ball valve can be adapted to the end-user’s requirements regarding installation mountings and can also be adapted to service the oil and gas industry, as well as dry applications without additional structural changes.

“The concept around this valve is driven around my eight years’ experience in this industry, where there is a need for valves from 80 mm to 300 mm – the range through which Stanfra will provide models,” says Marais.

At the moment, he says, the company is filing patent applications for the products, which will take about six months to complete for all the different size valves. During this time, the company will also start the casting and machining processes involved with the development of the product.

The launch was part of a session hosted by the South African Capital Equipment Export Council under the theme of innovation and the status of the South African manufacturing sector. Creamer Media’s Engineering News & Mining Weekly is a partner of the Electra Mining Africa 2020 Connect virtual event.