Mumbai-based control-valve manufacturer Uniflow Controls is investing ₹50 crore ($5 million) to expand its annual production capacity more than fivefold. The expansion will increase output from 8,000 units to between 40,000 and 50,000 units annually, as domestic demand rises from power companies, refiners, petrochemical producers, and LNG operators.
The investment funds a new Industry 4.0-compliant manufacturing facility in Ambernath, near Mumbai. According to the company, the new plant will support its entry into nuclear-energy and LNG applications while strengthening its presence in the domestic market and building capabilities for global exports.
Industry data indicates that an estimated 35 to 40 percent of critical severe-service control valves are currently imported. Procurement cycles for these imported components typically run between 26 and 40 weeks. This reliance creates potential bottlenecks as India expands its capacity in refining, petrochemicals, power generation, and nuclear energy.
Severe-service control valves—including high-pressure, cryogenic, anti-cavitation, and corrosion-resistant variants—regulate the flow, pressure, and temperature of liquids and gases. These components are utilized across refineries, chemical plants, LNG facilities, power stations, and pharmaceutical manufacturing units.
Managing Director Manoj Mishra stated that the objective is to build a future-ready manufacturing ecosystem that integrates automation, engineering capabilities, and operational flexibility alongside production scaling.
The Ambernath facility will deploy CNC machinery, Industrial Internet of Things systems, AI-enabled predictive maintenance, computer-vision inspection, and automated inventory and storage systems. This technological integration aims to support flexible manufacturing, enabling faster prototyping and production of customized valves.
Substituting high-end imports requires meeting stringent safety and reliability requirements to handle extreme pressures, temperatures, and corrosive or cryogenic fluids. Greater domestic availability of high-specification and smart control valves is expected to shorten delivery and replacement cycles, reduce overseas supply chain exposure, and provide faster access to spares and engineering support for brownfield expansions.
Uniflow has operated in the control-valve industry for 17 years. The company has developed approximately 35 stock-keeping units (SKUs) and holds over 30 design patents, having executed more than 4,300 projects for over 1,250 customers to date.
"Uniflow Controls' investment highlights a critical shift in the Indian manufacturing sector toward import substitution in heavy engineering. By scaling production and adopting Industry 4.0 technologies for severe-service applications like nuclear and LNG, the company is addressing long supply chain bottlenecks. For industrial ecosystems, reducing reliance on long overseas procurement cycles is essential for maintaining efficient project timelines during capacity expansions." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
