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PRESS RELEASE
50 YEARS OF ARCO VALVES
As part of its recently celebrated 50th anniversary, ARCO Valves celebrates five decades of commitment to innovation, sustainability and its customers and employees.
Since its inception, the Valencian company has maintained its position as a global leader in the manufacture of regulation and control systems for water, gas and heating installations.
Valencia, April 2023 – Founded by José María Ferrer, president and inventor of the quarter-turn valve system and considered the father of modern plumbing, ARCO Valves was established in Valencia in 1973 with a clear purpose: to provide installers with innovative and functional solutions, as well as easy-to-install products that are, above all, safe, reliable, and of the highest quality. Today, having recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, it continues to be positioned as one of the leading companies in the design and manufacture of regulation and control systems for water, gas, and heating installations worldwide.
Thanks to the effort invested over these five decades, ARCO looks to the future ready to continue providing the market with more efficient and innovative solutions, without losing sight of the values that have guided this family business from the beginning: responsibility, trust and reliability; commitment to sustainability, proximity and respect for people and the environment.
ARCO boasts its own modern, Spanish-made industrial model, under which the entire production process is developed in-house: prototyping, mold making, stamping, machining, injection molding, chrome plating, etc. Within its market, its business lines include water ( ARCO is a leader in water supply system regulation and control products), gas (a pioneer in the design of safety and control systems for gas installations), and the development of solutions for heating systems.
TWO QUARTERS OF A CENTURY AND MORE THAN 40 PATENTED PRODUCTS
Since creating the world's first quarter-turn valve, the A-80, ARCO has actively contributed to the progress of the plumbing industry worldwide, thanks to its spirit of constant innovation and its concern for solving the needs and demands of installers and users, efficiently and simply.
The iconic A80 angle valve , a patent dating back to 1980, was a groundbreaking innovation thanks to its quarter-turn angle closure. It revolutionized professional installations by patenting a system that simplifies adjustment and prevents blockages and breakage. 100% Spanish-made, it remains one of the most widely used valves in the world today, thanks to the ingenuity of its creator, José María Ferrer.
All ARCO products respond to the same philosophy that led to the creation of the A-80 valve: they optimize the overall performance of installations, improve durability with less maintenance and maximum resistance, and offer solutions for non-toxicity, noise reduction, ease of installation, and reduced installation times.
With over 40 patented products and a catalog of more than 3,000 items, the company has recently added new products to its portfolio, demonstrating a clear commitment to efficiency, safety, and health, while maintaining the quality guarantee that defines the brand. Among these products are the Vitaq check valve, the Lipstick designer angle valve, the Twin double outlet valve, and the LIFE by Ferrer faucet, an innovative concept in faucet design and functionality that combines durability, versatility, and aesthetics, also created by the company's founder.
Launched last year, the LIFE by Ferrer faucet redefines the traditional concept of the brass body and lever handle, offering the market a product with surprising new features. The product's success has resulted in numerous awards and distinctions: it was awarded Most Innovative Product at the 2022 AÚNA Awards and took second place in the Technological Innovation in Construction Competition organized by the Fecons trade fair last October.
SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION
For ARCO, one of the main criteria for innovation is sustainability. With the aim of minimizing the impact of its industrial activity and thereby protecting the environment, ARCO is committed to using new materials that improve the efficiency and energy consumption of water, gas, and heating installations by up to 40%. Furthermore, its manufacturing is based on nickel-free products, lead-free brass, and the Vitaq anti-limescale system, which is 100% recyclable and non-toxic, guaranteeing a long lifespan for the valves and keeping them free of limescale.
In line with ESG criteria, the company adheres to demanding policies regarding environmental management, work-life balance and equality, integration of groups at risk of social exclusion, and occupational health and safety. This strong social commitment has led to its accreditation as a Family-Friendly Company (EFR) by the Más Familia Foundation, as well as its adherence to the Luxembourg Pact, and has earned it the FEMEVAL award in its latest edition in the category of Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility.
PRESENT IN THE GLOBAL MARKET
The Valencian company has experienced fifty years of continuous growth. Today, it markets its products in more than 90 countries through distributors, purchasing groups, large retailers, hardware stores, OEMs, and the contract channel. It has focused on areas such as building construction, residential construction, repair and renovation, civil engineering (through water channeling and regulation), and industry, with regulation and control systems in multiple sectors.
ARCO is currently one of the valve manufacturers with the most registered patents worldwide, giving it a distinctive position in its sector and a leading profile that it will continue to maintain thanks to its unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability. It has two of its own production plants in Valencia and Tunisia, four logistics centers in Spain, France, Poland, and Tunisia, and four sales offices in Spain, France, Poland, and Tunisia. This extensive logistics infrastructure allows the company to offer a local, flexible, and fast service globally.
50 YEARS IN NUMBERS
ARCO manufactures 34 million valves annually and has over 1 billion valves installed worldwide. With a global turnover of €90 million in 2022, the company markets and distributes its products in more than 90 countries where it operates.
From its inception, the company has been committed to ensuring control over all manufacturing processes to guarantee the highest quality, durability, functionality, and efficiency of all its products. That's why 8 out of 10 installers choose them.
Thanks to its more than 400 employees, from 10 different nationalities, ARCO is a company that grows every day and faces the next 50 years with the same enthusiasm and excitement with which it began two-quarters of a century ago.
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