Emerson’s new valve lab

02/14/2007

Emerson Process Management recently announced a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion of its Fisher control valves research and development facilities in Marshalltown, Iowa.

The project will create the Fisher Technology Development Center, which will be the industry’s largest and most advanced flow control research facility.  It will be staffed by employees from Emerson’s current research and development facility, with plans to add 15 R&D engineers.  Construction is expected to begin in 2007.  Ted Grabau, director of global technology for Fisher products, indicates the new facility will:

• Quadruple current air and water flow rate capabilities to permit testing of valves for larger and higher pressure applications.
• Increase pressure and flow sub-systems to support noise abatement research and product development.
• Provide new flow sciences research labs to support multi-phase, cavitation and real world fluid control problems.
• Expand dynamic performance test loops to accommodate larger valves.
• Support all new product development
• Improve customer demonstration and customer witness testing capability.

“Construction of this facility will allow us to continue to develop the innovative control valve technologies that help our customers maximize the performance of their plants,” said Terry Buzbee, president of the Fisher division of Emerson. 

“Process manufacturers have been relying on Fisher valves for well over 100 years, and this expansion of our R&D capabilities will enable us to broaden our global reach to better meet the needs of our global customers,” Buzbee said.