Top five tips on buying valves

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Valves are an integral part of a project, yet a poor quality valve can result in disaster. UME finds out how to source the best on the market

Shopping for valves is not what most people would describe as a great day out. But valves are crucial to the utility sector and a huge number of companies work with them, and purchase them, regularly. A poor valve will very quickly make a mockery of your finely developed project plans, particularly in a climate as unforgiving as the Middle East’s. So when you’re going through the valve procurement process, it can help to follow certain protocols before taking the plunge.

1. Know your specs

A valve specification from one utility company is likely to be different from another, which means in some emirates and countries it is necessary for valves to meet several different standards.

 “On the valve side of the utility business, all of the utilities providers in the region have slight variations in their specifications. So the DEWA standard is not the same as the ADWEA specification and not the same as the Riyadh Water,” Pipeworks managing director Gary Brodie stresses.

“They are all different and it’s those little differences between them that make it difficult for suppliers. It’s not something that is likely to change, I doubt very much that they are all going to get together and say ‘lets standardise a specification to make it easier for ourselves’.”

A lack of standardisation in specifications is a familiar problem for the Middle East. Aeon general manager Jason Thomas echoes the frustration of this issue:

“One of the biggest challenges here is keeping up with the different specifications that each market requires. In Europe it’s a couple of standards, in the Middle East every country you go to, every department you go to, has its own unique requirements.

“You’ve got influences of American, European and British specifications, so it can be very difficult to come up with a product range for every single market.”

The suppliers and the manufacturers are frustrated by this lack of standardisation and it is only making matters more confusing for those selecting the perfect valve for their project.

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The valve market is like any other, in the midst of an economic crisis. But, with all the construction still underway in the Middle East, it is not in as much trouble as other sectors.

“The market has been growing in the last few years, particularly in infrastructure, water and irrigation. Obviously over the last six months or so we’ve seen a drop off in projects and requirements, enquiries have slowed down slightly but it’s still a booming market,” says Thomas.

Hydrolink, a firm which outsources its valves, while still working directly with them, is bullish about the future of the market. Eugenio, pump sales engineer at Hydrolink comments: “We do not market the valves as the primary product. A valve is only an accessory to the equipment we supply. Whatever equipment we assemble, if one is needed then we put it in there.”

“In our market, we have our own niche market for our product. We deal with hydraulics and our equipment is very good and I don’t see any problem in the future,” he said.

Brodie also reveals the market is not as badly affected by the current climate. “DEWA, ADWEA and these people are still continuing with infrastructure projects and it’s the same throughout the region.”

“Projects are still going ahead, there are still tenders coming from the utilities companies, so I wouldn’t say it’s buoyant, but I think they have said that they will spend more than they did last year, and I think they will.”

3. Get quality assurance

Quality in valves is imperative. In the Middle East, the climatic conditions increase the risk of corrosion greatly. Therefore, if the product isn’t up to scratch, then the overall project will suffer.

“It’s a growing problem anywhere, you are treating a lot of water and you are losing a sizeable percentage of it,” says Aeon chief executive officer Derek Watson. “Obviously in the Middle East, where water is a critical resource, if you can control that and guarantee that the valve will not leak, it is a big advantage.”

Companies manufacturing valves need to get approval for their products from utilities firms. This should theoretically reduce the number of poor-quality valves available, but Brodie thinks the system may be preventing some high-quality valves entering the market for the first time.