2013 Technical Seminar Highlights Power Industry Changes and Challenges

While technological advances, like those developed for the fracing industry, have made possible many processes previously thought near impossible, there is still much work to be done by valve, actuator and control manufacturers and their suppliers to meet the continually changing needs of the power industry.

Many of these technical challenges and developments were covered during VMA’s March 2013 Technical Seminar, as were comprehensive analyses of the trends, technologies and influences affecting America’s power industry. One repeating theme from the presentations was that, while coal will not disappear as fuel to generate electricity, the potential for new coal plants in the U.S. is virtually non-existent. Additionally, because developed nations have basically reached the pinnacle of power requirements due to efficiency in production and use, developing nations will provide huge opportunities for the valve industry.

Distributors and Channel Partners: Completing the Valve Family Circle

After preliminary approval by the VMA Board in January 2013, the full membership of the Valve Manufacturers Association has overwhelmingly approved a change in the VMA Constitution to expand the associate member category to include distributors and channel partners serving the industrial valve, actuator and control industry. While the change in the constitution required approval only by a simple majority of members, or 30 companies, 55 of the 58 full members voted for the change.

VMA Leadership Forum: Fugitive Emissions, API Standards and More

Each year the Valve Manufacturers Association hosts a meeting specifically for member companies’ top executives. This year’s Valve Industry Leadership Forum, held Jan. 17-18 at The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, covered numerous issues of importance to industry leaders. Among the subjects addressed: the latest on fugitive emissions, updates on new API standards, results of a major valve reliability study, an overview midstream business, trends in asbestos legislation and a Wall Street perspective.

VMA Looks Back at 2012 and Forward to 2013

Contrary to dire predictions, the end of the Mayan calendar signaled only the end of one cycle and the beginning of another, while the end of 2012 signaled the end of another banner year for the Valve Manufacturers Association and the beginning of an exciting 2013.

Power Gen 2012: Our Review

VMA and VALVE Magazine staffers attended POWER-GEN International at the County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from December 11-13.

Valve World 2012 – Truly a Global Industry

Valve industry professionals from around the world attended Valve World Expo 2012 in Dusseldorf, Germany from November 27 to 29. VMA President Bill Sandler summed up the event as being "outstanding." Bill represented VMA and shared a stand with our friends from the British Valve & Actuator Association. Show organizers said there were approximately 10,000 attendees.

Mark Cordell Named Chairman at 74th Annual Meeting

Outgoing VMA chairman Bruce Broxterman, president, Richards Industries, handed the chairman’s gavel to incoming chairman Mark Cordell, president, Distributed Valves, Cameron Valves & Measurement at the VMA/VRC 74th Annual Meeting, Sept. 20-22.

He Will Be Missed

Thomas J. Hannafin, 71, a senior advisor to Kitz Corp. USA, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, Aug. 2, following a massive heart attack.

In a message to company members and colleagues, Jim Walther, president of KITZ Corp. USA, wrote: "It is with profound sadness that we announce our dear friend and colleague Tom Hannafin passed away this morning.

Energy Policy to Set America’s Future

The Valve Manufacturers Association held its annual Technical Seminar & Exhibits at the Hilton NASA Clear Lake in Houston, March 8-9. More than a dozen speakers presented on a variety of topics that centered around “Prevailing Challenges and Solutions for the Oil & Gas/Petrochemical Industries.” Following is the first of several articles highlighting some of these presentations.

At VMA’s 2012 Technical Seminar, keynote speaker John Felmy, chief economist of the American Petroleum Institute, Washington, DC, presented a series of oft-neglected or misrepresented facts about America’s energy policy. During his presentation, Felmy stressed how important it is for all members of the oil and gas industry to understand and get involved in developing a policy to accomplish the “energizing of America.”

VMA Delivers… Valve Education

Nearly 100 attendees gathered March 6-7 to learn valve and actuator fundamentals at VMA’s Valve Basics Seminar & Exhibits at the Hilton NASA Clear Lake in Houston. The 1½-day event included a Valves & Actuators 101 program that encompassed 10 hours of education, a “valve petting zoo,” an interactive panel discussion to test attendees’ knowledge of what they learned and a tabletop exhibition.

Participants came from all phases of the industry – valve and actuator manufacturing, end-user plants, engineering firms and distributors, as well as some soon-to-graduate students from Texas A&M University.