AVK Group celebrates 80 years of manufacturing the worlds valves

AVK Group, the global valve manufacturing powerhouse with headquarters in Denmark, is celebrating its 80th Anniversary. During that time, AVK has only had two Chief Executives; Aage Valdemar Kjaer (AVK) its founder and his son, Niels Aage Kjaer, who has been at the helm for more than 50 years. 

To mark the event, Niels Aage Kjaer has written to all of AVK’s 400-plus British employees thanking them for their dedication and effort in making AVK the organisation it has become today.

The United Kingdom has truly played a pivotal role in the transformation of AVK into a global organisation. In 1979 it was the location for AVK’s first factory outside Denmark and, shortly afterwards, a UK-based sales company was established. In the 40 years since, many famous British water and gas sector brands have been added to the AVK portfolio including Peart, Glenfield, Invicta, Bryan Donkin, Bestobell, Syddal Engineering and Fusion Group.

As part of the celebrations, each employee received a luxury hamper. The hamper contained a smorgasbord of artisan foodstuffs including chutney from Northumbria, tiffin from the Lake District, and nuts from Hampshire. The wine was a cheeky black Bordeaux from Stellenbosch in South Africa, another market where AVK has a strong presence.

In addition to all employees receiving individual hampers, to mark the special occasion, the AVK UK and Glenfield Invicta board meetings were held at the newly refurbished Kilmarnock site, during which, board members and staff took time out to mark AVK’s 80th anniversary celebrations with a delicious celebration cake.