Metal Valve & Pipe Fitting Manufacturing

Companies in this industry manufacture metal industrial and fluid power valves; hose and pipe fittings; plumbing fixtures and trim. Major companies include units of integrated process control companies such as Curtiss-Wright, Emerson, Flowserve, and Parker Hannifin (all based in the US), as well as valve manufacturers such as Crane Co, Mueller Water Products, and Watts Water (all based in the US), and IMI plc (UK), Kitz (Japan), KSB (Germany), and Tianjin Dazhan Group (China).

The global industrial valves market is projected to reach about $110 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%, according to Spherical Insights & Consulting. Asia-Pacific is projected to have the fastest growth due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization, leading to increased infrastructure development.

The US metal valve and pipe fitting manufacturing industry consists of about 1,200 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $31 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand depends primarily on the level of manufacturing and construction activity. Construction activity in the chemical, petroleum, utilities, water treatment, and housing industries is especially important. Large companies have advantages in efficiency of operations and economies of scale. Offshore subsidiaries are frequently used for low-cost manufacturing. Smaller producers compete by focusing on specialized product offerings and superior customer service. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 70% of revenue.

Metal valves and pipe fittings compete with other materials, primarily plastics, in the residential market and with high-strength composites, fluorocarbons, and elastomers for high-end uses.

Leading import sources for the US market are China, Mexico, Germany, Japan, and Italy. US manufactured valves are exported primarily to Canada, Mexico, and China. Imports comprise about half of the US market; exports total about 45% of US production.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major product categories are industrial valve applications used primarily in water works and municipal water systems (about 40% of industry revenue). Fluid power valves are used in compressed or pressurized applications (35%); and plumbing-related valves and fixtures (about 20%). Valves control the flow of liquids, gases, slurries, or dry materials through a pipe or similar passageway, and may also control the rate of flow, volume, pressure, and direction. Some of the most common types of valves are gate, ball, butterfly, pressure relief, and custom engineered for special applications. Valve activation is controlled by an actuator that may be manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric. Valve sizes range from fractions of an inch to 25 to 30 feet in diameter.

Raw materials are primarily aluminum, copper, iron, and steel. Bronze and brass, frequently used in valve manufacturing, are copper-based alloys. Raw materials are bought from primary metal producers or secondary processors that alloy ingredients.

Manufacturing facilities frequently include foundry operations. Most valve housings are castings made from molten metals poured into molds, often made of baked green sand. Manufacturing processes include designing and building the molds into which the molten metal will be poured. After the valve housing is removed from the mold, the interior surface is cleaned, trimmed, and machined to ensure exact dimensions. To enable flow to occur as designed, flow control inserts are placed inside the housing and actuator mechanisms are attached. Quality assurance and testing ensure structural integrity, dimensions, and optimal performance.

Most valves are standard products and built to stock. However, some specialty applications may be one-of-a-kind designs and can be very expensive. Show more