The Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Cluster of South Africa (VAMCOSA) was formed in July 2011 and works closely with the DTIC to keep the sector designated and promote supporting locally manufactured valves and actuators to the various government institutions. VAMCOSA’s focus is to bring local Valve and Actuator manufacturers together in order to create a common focus and goal for the respective industries. VAMCOSA is held under the auspices of the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), which is a private-public partnership between business and the DTIC.  

VAMCOSA, in conjunction with the SACEEC (South African Capital Equipment Export Council), is continually developing export marketing strategies which provide the opportunity for the local valve and actuator manufacturers to present their products at appropriate international trade shows and encourage the development of relations with key export markets.

A commitment to procure locally manufactured and beneficiated products that are competitively priced by both the public and private sectors increases aggregate demand and supply, supporting manufacturing and associated economic growth

The worldwide economic slowdown and ever-increasing drive to minimise costs and improve the profit margin over the past 7 to 10 years have had a negative impact on purchasing the correct valve for the right application. There is no such concept as the wrong valve - It is simply a case of the right valve in the wrong application or operating conditions.

The wrong valve selection often leads to premature valve failure, production loss, and unwanted cost implications. Lack of knowledge and experience can lead to loss of life when selecting a valve that should never have been used in that specific process or media.

Technical knowledge and valued expertise when selecting valves are becoming more difficult to come by and has also contributed to haphazard “grudge” purchases when buying valves for processing and manufacturing plants. When valves must be selected for “so called” non-critical applications then cost and lead-times often become more important than safety.

Selecting a valve even when considered as low risk or a non-critical process a Risk Aversion Strategy must be considered as the main component. How can valve selection become a vital part of a risk aversion strategy when selecting valves and their correct installation for the different processes in your plant?

Start by talking to the experts in the Valve Industry regarding recommendations for the correct type of valve and then discuss the recommended materials of construction based on the media, pressure, concentration, flow, point of installation in the line, operational requirements and temperature that will become vital in selecting the correct valve solution for the specific process.

Water as an example seems straight forward, harmless and would appear easy to select and source any type of valve with any materials of construction. This notion is a major risk because water can be any of the following – Raw Water; Contaminated Water (biohazard); Mine Water; Acidic Water; Process Water; Cooling Water; De-Mineralised Water; Clean Water (not for human consumption); Chlorinated Water; Potable Water; Fire Protection System Water; Low Pressure Water Systems and High-Pressure Water Systems.

The valve selection for the different types of water mentioned above will be different and the material selection will also change based on the type of water. The type of function the valve must perform in the line be it isolation, control or modulating to name a few will also determine the type of valve to be selected.

Cooling water is used in most plants and rated as a low-risk media, yet endless failures are experienced with valves due to wrong valve selection, incorrect point of installation in pipeline, little or no maintenance and wrong material selections. Due to cooling water being considered as a low-risk media the service intervals are often pushed out or left until complete valve failure occur. This frustration can easily be avoided if cooling water valves are included when more critical sections are shut down for routine maintenance and serviced at the same time.

Cooling water today poses a high risk on plants as the water is contaminated with bacteria and chemicals and if absorbed through broken skin or a cut will lead to serious infections. It has become an infectious risk that should be rated higher than some of the other risks normally associated with cooling water.

This is why it has become a vital requirement for companies to seriously consider formulating and implementing a Safety Risk Aversion Strategy as part of their Valve Selection Process. Selecting the correct valve solution from the onset will reduce risk and liability on the plant. The initial cost of the correct valve solution even if considered pricy at the onset will be justified. When overall cost for unplanned premature valve failure due to incorrect valve selection are considered together with production losses, then the overall cost effectiveness of this strategy becomes very evident.

Organisations that are interested in adopting and implementing a Safety Risk Aversion Strategy should consult with a valve industry experts for all their technical valve solutions and recommendations on how to optimise their plants are welcome to reach out to VAMCOSA direct or through SACEEC.