Valve Magazine - Winter 2011

There is also a movement toward not
using a pressure regulator at all, but
rather using a regular closed loop pro-
portional-integral-derivative (PID) con-
trol. “I would say that there’s a move
toward stepping away from regulators
[and] more towards proper feedback con-
trol loops,” says Butcher. The use of elec-
tronic sensors, electronic controllers like
programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
and electronic systems that can talk to a
central control room, can provide “con-
stant feedback as to exactly what the
temperature in the cooking vessel is, and
where the valve positions are,” he says.
This helps users maintain records of the
temperatures that have been used to cook
foods, but also, in maintenance of the
control loop and the control valve, the
data is “something they can’t get from a
remote setpoint regulator.”
However, going to full PID loops can
be costly, and not all plants or applica-
tions can justify the move. Lutkewitte
explains that remote setpoint control of
a pressure regulator is cost effective in
sizes below 11⁄ 2 inches. A small compa-
ny—like a small soup factory—may
continue to use pressure regulators, but
larger firms are moving toward PID
control, says Butcher.

Butcher sees another technical trend
occurring: more use of electric valve
actuators and positioners, instead of
pneumatic. One reason is that a lot of
the big plants are discontinuing the use
of compressed air-operated equipment
in their production processes. He’s see-
ing it at “one of our big [customers], in
fact, based in the Netherlands, and in
Europe, where the standard valve they
buy is electrically operated because it’s
been that way for a long time, and now
they’re starting to enforce that on the
U.S. headquarters of their company.”
One drawback to electrical valve
actuation in a food plant involves the
environment in which that actuation is
used. “It’s quite often difficult to pro-
vide an electrically operated valve that’s
suitable for an environment where
they’ve got to wash-down to maintain
cleanliness,” he explains. With wash-
down, there’s an inherent shock risk
with electrically actuated valves.

COMPETITIVE
CHALLENGES

In many industries where valves are used, foreign-made products, especially from Asia, have had an impact on what’s happening in America. However, “I don’t see that an awful lot in food service valves, in all honesty,” says Butcher. While some effect has occurred in product types such as isolating ball valves, when it comes to control valves, “most U.S.-based food companies still are using U.S.-based manufacturers. I don’t think I’ve been around plants where I’ve seen a miscellaneous control valve from China, unless it’s come in on a packaged system” such as a CIP skid, he says.

Lutkewitte, on the other hand, has observed considerable competition in some areas of the world. It’s strong in Asia—India or China, he says— especially in food and to some extent in oral pharmaceuticals, but not as much in more closely regulated pharmaceuticals.

The competition may soon increase,
however, in areas where the country is
toughening standards. In India and
China, for example, “Both countries are
making … a good effort at becoming
certified to meet FDA [current] good
manufacturing standards (cGMP).”
In contrast Kane, whose company
makes primarily high-end check valves,
hasn’t seen much foreign competition.
“If we were battling commodity against
a commodity, it would probably be
tough,” he says, but because his compa-
ny produces high end, plants usually
come to them for answers to more diffi-
cult applications—performance require-
ments that can’t be met with low-cost
imported goods.

A LOOK AHEAD

The economic slowdown of the past few years has affected the food industry the same way it’s affected the rest of the world, but the worst seems to be over, according to the people interviewed for this story. In general, the food industry suffered less than other segments of the economy, but what was affected has also started to recover. Lutkewitte attended a pharmaceutical show recently and found the mood to be upbeat, if still sober. The recovery in that industry has not occurred in “stunning amounts,” but the situation is certainly better than the previous year. The situation in the food industry seems even better with more projects underway, he says.

Butcher echoes these sentiments. “We monitor food production rates quite closely as part of our marketing,” he says, “and we certainly see food production looking very favorable at the moment.” He says growth began in 2009 and is expected to increase for the next couple of years.

SUMMARY

As with the rest of the valve industry, those who buy for or sell to the food industry are looking forward to better economic times. However, while people will always need food and companies to manufacture food products for them, the economy is still not out of the woods. Valve makers and users should tread carefully as they keep an eye both on the sometimes-confusing pronouncements of regulators and on the growing involvement of overseas manufacturers. VM

PETER CLEAVELAND, a contributing editor to Valve Magazine, writes extensively about issues related to the flow control industry. Reach him at pcleaveland@earthlink.net.