Valve and pump manufacturer KSB Pumps and Valves Southern Africa (KSB) continues to invest in service equipment and facilities to meet growing demands for workmanship that is able to meet strict local regulations and satisfy international quality standards, says KSB valves services manager Ryan Croker.

“To offer world-class maintenance and repair services for its local customers, the company has invested million of rands in machinery and technologies to enable it to perform work on the valves that conforms to its own precision design standards,” he says.

As part of its investment, the company acquired two large-scale test rigs, which will – for the first time in South Africa – also allow local pressure testing of oversize high-pressure steam and other engineered valves, Croker notes.

Simultaneously, the company acquired new, larger premises located near its head office in Germiston, Gauteng, and is currently outfitting the premises to meet growing demand.
“Once completed, the new premises will be geared to meet current and future service and repair from across the country and throughout the entire sub-Saharan African region,” Croker notes.

Further, he adds that the company can now service all its valve products from industrial, petrochemical and water supply valves, to high-pressure stream valves for large-scale applications in mining and power generation plants.

New thinking
In the past valve owners would simply make use of third-party repair companies for maintenance or small-scale repairs, while larger or more complex repair work was usually sent to one of KSB’s specialist repair centres overseas, which resulted in varying standards of work being carried out, Croker notes.

In addition, repairs sent overseas were sometimes subject to unbearable delays, owing to transport and clearing issues.

“However, now requirements are far stricter, while tightening legislation surrounding the servicing and repairs of pressure vessels – including valves – is prompting companies to seek professional repairs, which are done to original equipment manufacturer standards and include the completion of all the necessary paperwork and tests in accordance with requirements.

"As KSB is the only company which has the design drawing and parameters needed to effect professional repairs on its products, it is advisable that owners use our service centre to ensure work is carried out according to our own specifications,” says Croker.

Beyond durability
Further, he adds that a valve has the potential to last for many years and even decades in certain environments, provided it is correctly serviced and maintained.
However, Croker highlights that, while valves seem to be in perfect condition, severe wear, damage from corrosion or steam cracks may be found inside the valves, particularly in welded in-line valves.

“These valves are often not checked, owing to the difficulty of removing and rewelding them, once maintenance has been carried out.”

Further, he highlights another difficulty, which is experienced when trying to test large butt-welded valves, is that they do not have flanges to couple them onto test equipment.

Nevertheless, the company, with its new equipment and facilities, can maintain, repair and check these valves properly to ensure flawless performance between scheduled removal and maintenance periods, he adds.

"When one considers that 90% of all large-scale engineered valves and high-pressure steam valves are built overseas, they are understandably expensive and warrant being well-maintained. The correct maintenance and repair of valves can save a company a lot of money in direct costs, as well as prevent failures that may lead to injuries or result in lost production,” Croker says.

He concludes that it is the company’s intention to continue enhancing its services and offerings to clients to ensure that they can undertake effective preventative maintenance of valves both onsite and at the company workshop.

“Our investment in service and repairs means that KSB valves can be properly serviced and supported to ensure the integrity of our valves anywhere in the region – under all operating conditions.”