South African manufacturer achieves API-600 certification – first in Africa

A 100% black-owned, Level 1 broad-based black economic empowerment company has achieved its vision of manufacturing its own range of valves, becoming the first company in Africa to be granted an API-600 licence and certification. 

Starting out as an importer and distributor of industrial valves, pipes and fittings, LVSA Group has long been recognised as the largest stockists in Africa and has now added local manufacture to its portfolio.

“Each day, the oil and natural gas industry depends on equipment to produce, refine and distribute its products. The equipment used is some of the most technologically advanced available in the search for oil and gas and allows the industry to operate in an environmentally safe manner. Designed for manufacturers of production, drilling, and refinery equipment, the API, or American Petroleum Institute 2022, Monogram Program verifies that manufacturers are operating in compliance with industry standards,” says LVSA CEO Sagren Pillay.

In addition to API-600, LVSA is also SABS, or South African Bureau of Standards; MSS, or Manufacturers Standardization Society; ASR, or American Systems Registrar; and ISO 9001:2015, or International Organization for Standardization, certified. The company asserts that it strives to design, manufacture and market quality products at competitive prices.

With its manufacturing facility based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, LVSA has distribution and repair centres in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Mozambique. It currently services the local and African market in accordance with national and international standards and specifications. The company notes that it provides complete solutions with a fully traceable in-house quality control system and it has been acknowledged by engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)/EPC mangement contractors and end-users as a 100% local manufacturer of high-quality industrial valves.

The LVSA product range is used in a number of industries such as water and waste, sugar, and power, petrochemical, oil and gas, and includes categories such as gate, globe, check, ball, butterfly, resilient seated gate, metal seated gate, knife gate, diaphragm, air release and sleeve valves.