Armaturen Vertrieb Alms (AVA) has been a member of TÜV Rheinland e.V. for more than four decades and benefits from close, ongoing cooperation with the independent testing service provider. This results in significant advantages for the industrial valves specialist's clients.
For companies in the chemical, petrochemical, and food industries, compliance with quality and safety standards, ISO standards, and legal requirements is essential. To reliably meet these requirements, AVA relies on close cooperation with TÜV Rheinland and its partner companies. The wholesaler has been part of the testing service provider's network since 1984.
“The TÜV partnership enables us to carry out in-house approvals with tests and certifications for specific applications. This saves our customers a lot of time and money,” explains Jürgen Giesler, QHSE Manager at AVA.
Efficient testing directly in Ratingen
Four modern test benches are available for this purpose at the headquarters in Ratingen. Here, valves up to a nominal diameter of DN 500 and pressure ratings up to 600 bar can be tested—either directly by TÜV experts or under their supervision. All documentation is prepared so that the valves can be certified and shipped immediately afterwards.
“Much faster, easier, and more cost-effective than external testing,” summarizes Giesler. Final inspections, which customers can attend upon request, are also carried out on site with TÜV supervision.
There is a particular focus on components that are critical to safety. “Especially in the case of components that are critical to safety, it must be reliably ensured that valve failure does not have fatal consequences for the systems – and the protection of employees and the environment must also be guaranteed. This is creating an increasing need for critical testing and certification of limit ranges, such as temperature or pressure classes,” says Giesler.
AVA also relies on its partnership with TÜV for future technologies such as hydrogen and LNG applications. “We repeatedly see how much our customers benefit from the high level of expertise and flexibility of our permanent, long-standing contacts at TÜV,” reports Giesler.
Quality assurance even for in-house developments
In addition to standard products, the focus is also on in-house developments. “Reliability, good workmanship, and cost-effectiveness are top priorities for all components,” emphasizes AVA Product Manager Werner Kremer. This also applies to vacuum-compatible flow sight glasses: “Even before the first batch of housings was cast by our highly qualified manufacturing partner in Asia, we submitted the technical drawings and calculations to the TÜV experts for independent recalculation. They checked the dimensions and design down to the smallest detail for plausibility – with excellent results.”
Production at non-European partners is regularly monitored by AVA inspectors, usually without prior notice. New product variants, such as the adaptation of ASME valves to DIN standards, are also tested and recalculated by TÜV before they receive a seal of quality. “Our customers can rely on this 100%. Made in Asia, approved in Germany,” concludes Kremer.
AVA also works with TÜV organizations internally in many areas—for example, in training programs for employees, through an external TÜV data protection officer, and within the framework of certified management systems for quality (ISO 9001), the environment (ISO 14001), and occupational health and safety (ISO 45001). The company is currently working with TÜV to prepare for ISO 53001 sustainability certification.
