International Standard Valve (ISV) has been busy adding new products and processes that satisfy client needs, strengthen its expertise, and perfect its already stringent quality measures. The quantitative changes are apparent, but what remains consistent is ISV’s drive to always be better.
Valve World Americas had the pleasure of speaking with Michael O’Quinn, President & CEO, and Pam Olson, Marketing Director, of ISV, to learn about the expansion of the company’s product line, its new cryogenic testing lab, and quality control as the foundation of ISV’s philosophy.
By Kristen Charles
Being Better Means Being Ready
After 16 years in business, International Standard Valve’s (ISV) commitment to ‘always be better’ has never faltered. The company recently introduced to the market a full array of cast steel gate globe and check valves, which complement its existing product line, offering a vast range of sizes from 2” to 36” with pressure classes up to 2500. It also introduced its new fully welded body floating ball valve that is suited specifically for the gas utility industry.
In addition to producing new products, ISV installed a cryogenic valve testing lab in its shop. The lab can perform cryogenic valve testing down to -320 F. “We are continuing to do what we have always done. The only difference is that we have gotten better at it,” said O’Quinn. “And we have grown bigger.”
The company’s success lies in the launch of new products that provide solutions for its customers and new processes that elevate quality. When ISV sees demand, the company is there to greet it. The addition of new products to its inventory and new features to its processes illustrate its prescient dedication.
“We are answering the market’s call and meeting the demand for our products to be present in those markets.”
ISV applies a market-driven approach and provides tangible solutions to its customers. There is ample demand for ISV’s products, which are crucial for its customers to keep their own operations running efficiently. “Our cast steel gate globe and check valves complement the valves that we already build. Many of our customers buy these kinds of valves. This is an example of a product that we recognized as being in demand in the valve market, specifically in the oil & gas, refining, chemical, and petrochemical industries,” said O’Quinn. “The cast steel gate globe and check valves are specific to the refining chemical and petrochemical industries. They are closely associated to what we are already selling, and this is what our customers demand. We have not created a product and tried to push it through the market; we are just improving on what we are already doing. We are answering the market’s call and meeting the demand for our products to be present in those markets.”
ISV’s multi-faceted abilities and flexibility speak to how it can provide services to an expansive array of customers and projects. “We are so easily able to customize our customers’ needs,” added Olson. The company’s expertise in specialized projects includes a contract with the United States government for strategic petroleum reserve, or SPR.
“Our company is big enough to fulfil large project requirements for multimillion-dollar projects. We are big enough to fill that demand and small enough to provide customized products,” said O’Quinn. “We are oil & gas people.”
Leveraging ISV’s Expertise in Cryogenic Valves
Throughout its 16 years, ISV has produced extensive quality valves, including a large number of cold-temperature service cryogenic floating type and trunnion-mounted type ball valves that range in size from a half inch to 24 inches. “Twenty-four inches is big for a cryogenic valve,” said O’Quinn. “I am not aware of many manufacturers that regularly make cryogenic ball valves with such a large diameter.” In keeping with its reputation, over the past 18 months, ISV has supplied an exceedingly prolific number of floating and trunnion cryogenic valves to its customers. “We have been very fortunate,” said Olson.
“I am proud to say that our products’ nonconformance rates are among the best in the industry.”
“We are stepping into our 16th year, and we are still going strong. We produce a comprehensive range of valves right here in the United States, all under one roof. We have not changed the value of the work we do here,” O’Quinn added.
ISV’s Stamp of Quality
“ISV offers consistent quality,” said O’Quinn. Redundant testing is one of the ways the company exemplifies this trait. All valves are tested in-house at the Stafford facility; in some cases, the facility manages redundant testing on internationally produced products in addition to the original testing that was conducted internationally.
QUALITY GUARANTEES
- ISV’s Quality Management System is maintained at all levels of production in accordance with ISO 9001 and API Q1.
- Each valve is serialized.
- Material test reports, including chemical and mechanical material characteristics and pressure test results are available with each valve.
- Each ISV valve undergoes pressure testing to applicable standards.
- Each valve carries full ISV warranty and warranty services.
ISV routinely performs positive material identification (PMI) on receiving inspection, which is not a common industrywide practice. “Quality control is where the high-quality guarantee begins. That philosophy runs deep with us,” explained O’Quinn. “We maintain a stringent approved suppliers list and actively perform receiving inspection, including PMI and other non-destructive examinations, as well as all parts and material received. We perform testing, assembly, and pressure testing in-house for most products. Several levels of QA, QC, and inspection are performed at the different stages of the manufacturing process, including the last step, inspecting material as it goes out the door. I am proud to say that the non-conformance rates on our products are among the best in the industry.” In addition to the company’s strict standards, ISV is audited annually by ISO and API and employs industry standards throughout all its processes.
High Expectations
Since the company’s inception in 2010, ISV’s valves have been entrenched in all segments of the oil & gas market – upstream, downstream, and midstream – and the company has extended its reach to include gas utility valves. These small valves range from two inches to eight inches. “While we recently started supplying gas utility valves, we have been servicing that market with our big trunnion-mounted ball valves for many years. We know this market well,” O’Quinn said. ISV plans to continue growing, surpassing expectations, and exceeding the standard simply because the company will have it no other way.
SAFEGUARDING ACCURACY
- All ISV products, component parts, material certifications, material verifications, serialization, performance tests, order entry, and shipping & receiving are managed through computerized ERP systems.
- ISV labels its products with bar codes as an added measure to improve handling and accuracy.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the profiled company and may not reflect the position of Valve World Americas.