Historical Market Size and Growth

The UK valve market size averages around £1.1 billion per year, with parts and repair accounting for almost 19% of the total. Overall market growth is relatively slow and dependent on replacement demand because the installed base is large in relation to the need for expanded plant capacity. Replacement demand is therefore much more important than suggested by parts and repair, and may account for as much as 80% of the market. Although overall market growth is slow, there can be shifts in the structure of demand because of changes in the relative growth rates of different end uses. For example, there has been a significant growth of demand generated by public sector construction since the election of the Labour government in 1997. On the other hand, demand from oil and gas in the North Sea is in long-run decline. Demand by the chemical industry has been adversely affected by stagnant UK investment resulting from the rapid build up of chemical plant capacity in the Middle East and Asia.

The Importance of Exports
Exports probably account for around 60% of sales, although measurement problems prevent a clear comparison of exports with the level of total sales. The pattern of exports by destination is fairly stable, except that the table shows that China has become an important market since 2001. Competitiveness, given the high level of the £ sterling, is an important issue. The US is the largest export market, and a $2 per £ exchange rate will reduce export
profitability.

Future Prospects
Over the next 5 to 10 years we expect a marked growth in demand from new nuclear power plants which are needed to replace existing nuclear plants. A new source
of demand arises from the expected rapid growth in biofuel production. There will be a slower growth in demand from public sector construction projects.

Saudi Valve Manufacturing Establishment (Saudi Valves) is a valve manufacturer and repair company based in Jubail Industrial City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company has been acquired by the Saudi Pan Gulf (SPG) and Comid partnership and is the first stage in the development of a larger valve repair and supply company to service the massive petrochemical and other supporting industries in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Valves are one of the few national manufacturers of valves and pipeline accessories and traditionally, their focus for manufacture and supply has been the water and sewage sector with the industrial, petrochemical and oil & gas sector being a secondary activity. Saudi Valves’ servicing activities have catered mainly to the petrochemical sector and clients based mainly in the Jubail Industrial City.

SVM, Jubail, is pre-qualified with Aramco, SABIC and SABIC affiliates, Marafiq, Royal Commission Jubail & Yanbu, SEC, SWCC, Ministries of Water, Electricity, Agriculture.

Key to the success of the joint venture will be the development of a larger repair facility to cope with the full range of valves i.e. gate, globe, check etc. currently covered by Comid, the development of a new facility to overhaul, alibrate and test safety and safety relief valves and the development of the manufacturing facility to supply a broader range of valves to other sectors in the region.

With the investment in new equipment and machinery, training etc, it is the intention to provide not only Jubail Industrial City but Saudi Arabia and GCC with a first class service centre for all types of Valves and Actuators. Valve testing facilities have been installed to allow for independent testing and witness testing of end user valves prior to installation.

Comid have also introduced "veri-Test" to the Saudi market. veri-Test is Saudi Valves brand name for the in-situ testing of Safety Valves which forms part of the service facility. Saudi Valves currently manufacture a full range of gate, globe, check, butterfly and air valves in ductile iron. This together with a complete range of Flange adaptors, couplings, fittings, surface boxes etc represents a complete range of products for the water and sewage industries.

Partnerships with pedigree Steel Valve manufacturers compliment the product range to enable supply packages to all sectors of industry including Oil, Gas, Petrochemical, De-Salination, Power and Utilities. Penstock valves, both manual and with electric actuator are supplied manufactured in stainless steel, marine grade aluminium or cast iron.


Saudi Valves is a division of Pan Gulf Valve Services Co Ltd and can be contacted via: UK:
Comid Engineering Ltd Tel. 0161 6249592, email
sales@comid.co.uk


Saudi: Saudi Valves Co. Ltd Tel +966 3 341 8514, email
sales@saudivalves.com

Published: 25th September 2009