KDV Flow Limited is a world-renowned manufacturer of industrial flow control products and accessories. The company has over 40 years experience of providing abrasive and corrosive flow control solutions and high quality industrial valves such as diaphragm valves, plastic lined ball, butterfly, plug and check valves
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
KDV: KDV have grown into an international business that benefits from offices, warehousing and inventory held in the UK, USA, Australia and Thailand.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
KDV: KDV is looking to reduce emissions by promoting the use of diaphragm valves in place of other types of valves where appropriate. Most people don’t think about valves much. They just turn them on and off when they need to, but do you know how many different types of valves exist? One of the oldest is the Stainless Steel Diaphragm Valve, it’s available on the market and addresses this issue by nature of its design.
The reason is that the design of these diaphragm valves means that no packing or body gaskets are required. The material compatibility is also an advantage because it can be used with many different types of fluids, gases and solids without corrosion occurring on the metal parts. All bonnet components are isolated from the media by the diaphragm forming a hermetically sealed envelope with the valve body, thus eliminating the common leak path found in the other valves types.
It’s important to know that there are many ways you can reduce fugitive emissions. Most of the time, when people think about reducing emissions they focus on the plant or facility where the air is emitted. This is not always the best way to go because if you’re in a different state, it may be impossible for your plant to comply with regulations in other states. The best way to reduce fugitives is by stopping them before they escape into the atmosphere. Check for leaky valves, leaks from pipe connections or joints, faulty seals around doors and windows
The last thing you want is an emission problem at your plant and then find out it’s too late because all of the pollutions have already escaped into our environment!
The effects of fugitive emissions on the environment are significant, but there is a way for manufacturers and other entities to reduce this problem. For this reason, it’s important to consider using stainless steel instead of other materials because they don’t emit any hydrogen chloride gas during their normal operation cycle which can be harmful to both workers and the environment around them.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
KDV: First and foremost, Diaphragm Valves (its in our name KDV). Secondly, plastic lined valves – Ball, Plug, Butterfly and check valves are all within our product offering
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
KDV: KDV have traded for over 40 years and are the dominant brand in APAC, Well established in the USA, within the UK and Europe it wouldn’t be a an exaggeration to state KDV is rapidly becoming the manufacturer of choice for industrial Diaphragm Valves amongst our competitors
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
KDV: There are always up and downs when it comes to the valve market in general, our industry is impacted by so many geographical and political factors, however valves are everywhere and in such a vast amount of different applications and in so many different markets, the key is diversification ensuring products are fit for a multitude of applications – that’s how succeeded over 40 + years
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
KDV: With well overcover one hundred thousand combinations and configurations on our diaphragm valves alone, that is a difficult question to answer, it could be our ability to line in Glass, Plastics or Rubbers, it could well be our ability to automate via pneumatics, electrics or both. Maybe it’s our hermetically sealed design addressing Fugitive emissions or potentially its our consistent investment is reducing size and weight across our portfolio.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?
KDV: Growth, KDV is quickly becoming the brand of choice across the European and Middle Eastern geography for our range of valves and with covid restrictions easing and major industry restarting their long overdue shutdowns and maintenance schedules a heavily stocked manufacturer such as KDV is well placed to support these activities.