BVAA Materials Working Group

Adam Bradley, Corrosion Resistant Materials

Adam Bradley, Director at Corrosion Resistant Materials, explains why the newly formed Materials Working Group was set up, and its key aims. 

The new Materials Working Group, launched in February 2023, was created to support, and promote the members who supply raw materials, and in particular metal products such as bar, sheet, plate, forgings, tube, pipe, into valve manufacturing companies. Following feedback from several material members it was felt that this group of members needed a forum to come together, and that valve manufacturers would benefit from being able to engage with this group and seek advice and information pertinent to their businesses. 

There are now 13 members (and this list is growing all the time) who provide expertise on specialist grades of metals that are used by most, if not all, valve manufacturing members, and the Materials Working Group was formed so that these two important groups within the BVAA could discuss and work together on a range of topic areas including: 

• UKCA marking
• Specification Development
• Additive manufacturing
• Hydrogen
• Materials availability

As the group develops one of the key aims will be for material suppliers and valve manufacturers to work together and support each other through knowledge transfer, project development and research and development. 

One strong hope is that manufacturers will seek advice from material suppliers that will help them in their day-to-day business. Help with issues they may have, stock shortages, specification advice, material advice etc. and it is also hoped that more inter-group business will take place and material suppliers will feel they are getting more from their membership. If this happens, I really do see the number of material suppliers within the BVAA growing. This group traditionally are very active at desktops, conferences, AGMs etc and it will give the BVAA another route and dimension. 

The newly formed Materials Working Group joins the excellent, established technical discussion bodies: Valve Working Group and Actuator Working Group - all of which are exclusively open to BVAA Members. 

If you are a member and wish to sign-up to one of our Working Groups contact karen@bvaa.org.uk. 

For all membership enquiries, contact Rob Bartlett, rob@bvaa.org.uk.

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