Knife gate valves are now part of Fluxo's range of products for the mining market. The novelty comes from the new exclusive representation agreement that Fluxo signed with Newcon, a maker of guillotine valves for ore slurry in June 2008. NewCon is an American company, headquartered in Hibbing Minnesota - heart of the extraction region from the USA, where it has been operating since 1979.
NewCon's main differential lies in the innovative design of its valves, which prevents the leakage of slurry to the external environment, one of the biggest limitations of conventional knife gate valves. Another advantage is the self-cleaning process, or “self flushing”, which keeps the seat free from impurities and contributes to a good sealing performance.
NewCon is recognized for the quality and reliability of its products, which have a differentiated design. NewCon customers such as Craig W. Kinsley, United Taconite's maintenance officer, attested to the valves' performance: “In our 30+ years of operation, we've tested all types of knife gate valves, and Newcon is without a doubt the best market solution,” says Kinsley.
Flow director Paulo Frank, responsible for business in the mining area, visited NewCon's plant in Hibbing Minnesota, in addition to United Taconite, one of its clients, where he verified the good performance of the valves and approved the company as the newest represented from Fluxo: “the decision to include Newcon is in line with our growth strategy in the mining market, for which we are already successfully working through the lines of ball valves from Valvtechnologies and hydraulic actuators from Shafer.” comments Paulo Frank.
Newcon's expansion philosophy is based on gradual entry into new markets. To operate in the Brazilian market, the company chose Fluxo to be its exclusive representative because it is a traditional company in the automation market, and because of the after-sales service structure it offers to its customers. Fluxo's service team is made up of more than 20 technicians and engineers, operating throughout the country.