Industrial-Grade Valve Classification and Product Overview

As of 2021, the number of valve manufacturers in China was estimated to exceed 10,000, with approximately 1,800 enterprises classified as large-scale or above. Taking Zhejiang Province, a major hub for China’s valve industry, as an example, it is home to several thousand valve companies. According to published data on the total industrial output value of the valve sector, the leading firms in key segments—such as those in the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments—are predominantly concentrated in regions that host China’s major valve‑industry clusters, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan.

China’s valve industry began to take shape in the 1960s. Prior to the 1980s, valve development in China largely relied on replicating Soviet‑era designs, resulting in a relatively low overall technological level. Following the reform and opening-up policies, the industry accelerated the introduction, assimilation, and localization of advanced foreign technologies. Since 2010, it has experienced rapid growth and prosperity, with significant improvements in its own R&D capabilities, and has emerged as a global leader in the mid‑ and low‑end valve segments.

In certain cases, industrial valves are not subjected to strength testing during initial service; however, valve bodies and bonnets that have been repaired, or those that have sustained corrosion damage, must undergo strength testing. For pressure transmitters manufactured in Shanghai, the set pressure, reseating pressure, and other test parameters of the valve shall comply with the manufacturer’s instructions and relevant regulations. Upon installation, all valves shall be tested for both strength and tightness. Low-pressure valves shall be subject to random sampling at a rate of 20%; any non‑conforming units must be inspected. Medium- and high-pressure valves shall be fully inspected. Common test media for ball valves include water, oil, air, steam, and nitrogen. The pressure‑testing procedures for various types of industrial valves, including pneumatic valves, are as follows:

Following more than four decades of industry consolidation since the launch of reform and opening-up, China’s valve industry has undergone a realignment of its industrial layout, giving rise to an emerging structure centered on the Yangtze River Delta region—comprising Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai—and supported by other key areas such as Hebei, Shandong, Liaoning, and Henan.

China’s valve industry now offers a product portfolio spanning high-, mid-, and low-end segments. Mid- and low-end products boast strong cost‑performance advantages, while certain high-end offerings have either approached or reached internationally advanced standards.

By 2025, at the tail end of the forecast period, global valve output value is expected to reach approximately US$90 billion, and China’s valve industry will enjoy even greater growth. It is recommended that the industry adopt a sense of urgency and accelerate its transformation, focusing on the following key areas: first, aim to cultivate internationally competitive, large‑scale leading valve enterprises by means of restructuring and mergers, thereby scaling up and strengthening top players, continuously raising market concentration, and securing a stronger voice in the global valve market; second, steadily enhance the industry’s level of intelligent manufacturing, bolstering R&D and innovation in smart valve products; third, expedite efforts to upgrade product and service offerings and deliver comprehensive solutions; and fourth, overcome technical barriers in high‑performance, high‑end valve technologies, achieving breakthroughs in technological innovation and enabling domestic substitution.

When a butterfly valve is required for flow control, the key is to select the appropriate size and type. The design of butterfly valves is particularly well suited for large-diameter applications. Butterfly valves are widely used in general industrial sectors such as petroleum, gas, chemical processing, and water treatment, and they are also employed in the cooling‑water systems of thermal power plants. The two most common types are lug‑type and flanged butterfly valves. In a lug‑type butterfly valve, double‑ended studs secure the valve between two pipe flanges, whereas a flanged butterfly valve has integral flanges that are bolted directly to the pipe flanges at both ends.

At present, the global valve manufacturing industry is undergoing a period of structural transformation. Driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the new‑energy revolution, the sector’s transition is set to accelerate.

(1) Valves shall be selected based on the design temperature, design pressure, medium characteristics, and intended application of industrial pressure pipelines, and consideration shall be given to the impact of external loads on the valve’s operational performance and sealing integrity.

Valve customization: According to calculations, the annual heat loss from an ordinary valve is equivalent to the calorific value of burning one unit of fuel oil. For industrial and residential valves—particularly low-pressure steam valves—if no thermal insulation measures are implemented, the wasted heat over a year can equal the energy content of four standard coal units. The quality of insulation and thermal protection for valves and piping directly affects both operational safety and significant heat‑energy losses. With a strong R&D and design team, professional installation expertise, and high‑quality materials, we tailor specialized thermal insulation solutions to meet diverse customer requirements, and we undertake sheet‑metal insulation projects as well as rare‑earth insulation applications.

Valves, ranging from simple shut-off valves to the highly complex types used in automated control systems, come in a vast array of types and sizes. Their nominal diameters span from extremely small instrument valves to industrial pipeline valves with diameters as large as 10 meters.

Valves are among the critical components of modern industrial infrastructure, finding application in virtually every construction project and control system. Consequently, they are widely used across diverse industrial sectors. Currently, the primary areas of valve application include oil and gas, power generation, chemical processing, municipal water supply and wastewater treatment, paper manufacturing, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, food processing, mining, non‑ferrous metals, and electronics. Among these, the oil and gas, energy and power, and refining and chemical industries represent the most significant markets for valves. According to available statistics, within the downstream demand landscape, the oil and gas sector—encompassing drilling, extraction, transportation, and petrochemicals—accounts for 17% of total valve demand; followed by the energy and power sector, which captures 14%; while refining and chemical processing rank third and fourth, with shares of 13% and 11%, respectively. Together, these top four sectors account for 55% of overall valve market demand.

Qingyuan City’s manufacturer of wafer‑type butterfly valves employs a truss‑type design for the large‑size butterfly disc in its wafer‑type hard‑seal butterfly valves, ensuring high strength, a large flow area, and low flow resistance. To accelerate the localization of valve production, following the issuance of relevant directives, the competent authorities, in line with the national policy on domesticating critical equipment, have successively implemented a series of major initiatives. Under the leadership of [name/organization], in collaboration with [partner organization], they have formulated localization plans for valves used in key sectors and have coordinated repeatedly with related departments. Today, valve localization has become a widely shared consensus within China’s valve industry.

When a butterfly valve is required for flow control, the key is to select the appropriate size and type. The design of butterfly valves makes them particularly well suited for large-diameter applications. Butterfly valves are widely used not only in conventional industries such as petroleum, natural gas, chemical processing, and water treatment, but also in the cooling‑water systems of thermal power plants.

As China intensifies its economic development, an increasing number of industrial projects are relying on valve products. Check valves constitute an important subcategory within the valve family and play a vital role in the country’s industrial infrastructure. (Text/SUNMEDIA) Return to Sohu for more.

Having been included in the 2021 Provincial Enterprise List, the company focuses on valve product design and manufacturing, becoming a renowned provider of industrial valves and water‑system valve solutions both domestically and internationally.

From the perspective of product R&D, on the one hand, domestic capabilities in product development and reliability remain relatively underdeveloped; on the other hand, given the economic significance of such products, major equipment‑related technology projects frequently include high‑end valve‑equipment R&D initiatives as part of national strategic programs for technological advancement. High‑end valve equipment for the oil and gas, power, and chemical industries is set to become a key investment priority for China’s leading valve manufacturers.

Valve customization; Suzhou specializes in providing liquid nitrogen. Foods produced using the oil-frying method are also highly durable. As a highly flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and poorly soluble in water, it is now increasingly widely used in industries such as manufacturing, ballistics, and hydrogen energy. So, what precautions should be taken before industrial filling? For industrial filling: place cylinders on racks and slightly open the valve to introduce pressure.

Yes, pneumatic valve manufacturers produce valves that are installed in piping systems to connect or shut off the medium, regulate its flow rate, and change the direction of flow to ensure safety. These valves are essential pipeline accessories, significantly impacting operational safety and cost-effectiveness. In piping systems, the following basic requirements apply to valve performance:

Encouragingly, thanks to the concerted efforts of the entire industry, China’s valve sector has now become a major global force. We have also achieved a series of significant milestones and breakthroughs on the path toward domesticating valve production. With the continued dedication and ingenuity of Chinese valve professionals, we are confident that, in the future, we will ascend to the pinnacle of the world’s leading valve‑manufacturing nations.

The head of valve product management said:

The company specializes in manufacturing a wide range of pneumatic and electric control valves, self‑acting regulators, pressure-reducing valves, vacuum valves, check valves, hydraulic control valves, and custom‑made valves, available in numerous specifications. These products are extensively used in automated control systems across diverse industrial sectors, including papermaking, synthetic fibers, petrochemicals, oil refining, power generation, metallurgy, chemical processing, environmental protection, light industry, pharmaceuticals, and building automation.