ZAHROOF VALVES: Appoints Two New Hires to Power Downstream Efforts and Business Development in Latin America

Larry Lapko, new Director of Business Development (left) and Rodger Duke, new Regional Director, Latin America (LATAM) for Zahroof Valves, Inc.
Larry Lapko, new Director of Business Development (left) and Rodger Duke, new Regional Director, Latin America (LATAM) for Zahroof Valves, Inc.

Zahroof Valves, Inc. issued the following announcement on April 16.

Zahroof Valves, Inc. (ZVI) today announced that it has appointed Larry Lapko as Director of Business Development and Rodger Duke as its Regional Director, Latin America (LATAM). Mr. Lapko will spearhead ZVI's efforts in the downstream sector, including refineries and petrochemicals, and in chemical and fertilizer applications. Mr. Duke will help define and develop ZVI's strategy for LATAM using strong international channel partners to add value and expand their global footprint.

Mr. Lapko is an award-winning, business development executive with a proven track record in start-up operations and turning around low producing markets with a focus in the oil and gas industry. He has spent 15+ years in the oil and gas industry managing sales teams and strategic accounts with Exterran, Archrock and Johnson Screens. Mr. Lapko earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Texas A&M University.

Mr. Duke is an international strategic business development executive with firsthand knowledge of the intricacies of working with foreign governments that own and operate their own oil and gas companies. Over the years he has led international initiatives in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa for several well-respected global companies such as SUNDYNE, WEIR, ROTORK, and SPX.  His technical background has been dedicated to Rotating Equipment and Industrial Valve Automation. Mr. Duke attended the University of Utah and holds a Mechanical Engineering Degree from URBE University.

ZVI introduced the StraightFlo™ valve to the upstream Oil and Gas market in 2013, where its superior reliability in high speed, dirty gas environments with liquids and solids in the gas stream, was quickly demonstrated. The increase in performance, ease of service of the valves on site, reduced inventory and emissions seen with this technology led to its adoption by several companies. These valves were quickly employed in higher molecular weight gas applications, such as CO2, propane and Ethane.

In 2016, ZVI introduced new innovative unloader technologies and expanded its presence in high speed midstream compressor applications.

In 2017, ZVI entered the downstream market in applications including Hydrogen, Nitrogen and waste gas. ZVI introduced concentric valves for Ariel compressors as well as GasJack compressors that increased the reliability of the compressors in CO2 and natural gas applications.

In 2018, ZVI introduced drop-in replacements for double deck valves, deck and half valves and single deck valves along with unloaders and deactivators for slow speed compressors, including old integral compressors.

Last year, they released a valve protection mesh that protects valves and cylinders from liquid slugs and solids providing a last line of defense against foreign bodies entering the cylinder. In acid gas applications the StraighFlo valves proved their reliability, increasing life from a couple of months to a year and a half and counting.

This year, ZVI has introduced valves for the chemical industry, for very corrosive applications. They have also added a new product to convert old jack-bolt restrained valves to the modern O-ring style cap and cage restrained valve, without the need for any modification of the cylinder or machining in the field. ZVI is offering scavenger valves for 2-stroke engines using the same modules that they use in their compressor valves. Some very innovative compressor manufacturers in the Permian are now converting engines to compressors where ZVI supplies the new head with ZVI modules embedded directly in the head instead of using separate valves.

The company launched a new rental program that allow companies to try their valves without any long-term commitment. Learn more at http://zahroofvalves.com/rental-program.html.

About Zahroof Valves, Inc.

Zahroof Valves, Inc. (ZVI) is an innovative company, headquartered in Houston, Texas, that develops and markets the revolutionary StraightFlo™ Valve for use in reciprocating gas compressors. The StraightFlo™ Valve delivers a step change in compressor valve performance, serviceability, and reliability. Thanks to these proven, measured improvements, ZVI is able to guarantee a 20% improvement in valve losses and a 100% increase in service intervals, with a 10-year warranty on the valve housing.

Original source can be found here.