Our Story

From local shop to global scale

In 1941, Aage Valdemar Kjær established AVK as a local machine shop which carried out a number of tasks in the local community. Subsequently, the main task of the business became the production of compressors for refrigeration and refrigerating plants, with customers from all over Denmark.

The guiding principles were quality, continuity and close customer relations. He knew that the products were in order, and therefore he was able to offer an extensive product guarantee.

These were important values, which I brought along when I took over his machine shop in 1970, and the production of valves was initiated. Values, which have allowed AVK to grow from a local firm with just 5 employees to a group of more than 4,400 employees supplying customers worldwide.

Still, we must deliver products that we know are in order, and quality, continuity and close customer relations must always be the core values and guiding principles of our business.

However, this is not all. We want to build a continuously stronger brand, and to always be the preferred choice of our customers. This is the best way for us to follow, to ensure the continuity of AVK in the years ahead.

Our Expect...AVK brand concept helps us reach an even higher level. We must expect more from ourselves and deliver products and services that live up to and exceed our customers' expectations. This is why I expect that every single one of our employees worldwide will do their utmost to live up to these goals.

The guiding principles and the connections back in time must form the basis of our business in the time ahead. To choose AVK is the right choice.

Niels Aage Kjær
Owner and CEO

AVK going international

Up through the 70's demands quickly rise, and products are exported to Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and England. Own rubber production is initiated at AVK Gummi A/S, the FLONIDAN gas division is founded in Denmark, and the tooling factory AVK Tooling A/S is acquired.

By the late 90's, AVK also exports to Saudi Arabia, the Far East, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Canada, South Africa, Latin America, Australia, the Baltic States, Israel, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Factories and sales companies have been acquired in France, the Netherlands and South Africa, and sales companies have opened in Hong Kong, Poland and in the Philippines.

AVK

AVK Maskinfabrik A/S is founded in 1941 in Galten by Aage Valdemar Kjær.

1970s

Niels A. Kjær develops the first gate valve, and the production of valves begins. A new factory opens in England, alongside new sales companies in Denmark and the Netherlands.

1980s

New factories are founded in Denmark, the USA and Saudi Arabia, and additional sales companies open in Norway and England.

1990s

Sales companies are introduced in Belgium, France and Spain. The AVK Overseas sales division is founded, and AVK Maskinfabrik and AVK Scan Wass Group merges into AVK International A/S.

AVK going global

10 years into this millennium, export now also covers Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina and Turkey. Companies have been acquired in the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy, Brazil, India, the UK, Denmark and Switzerland, including shares in a Japanese company.

In the following years and up until today, large investments and acquisitions have been increasingly in focus, counting multiple acquisitions in Australia, Brazil, England, Spain, Germany, South Africa and the UAE.

Download a detailed version of our timeline

2000s

Factory and sales company founded in China, and representative offices open in Finland, Romania and Bulgaria.

2010s

Factories open in India, Kazakhstan and Brazil, and sales companies in Korea and Finland. Focus in on acquisitions and large investments worldwide.

2020

The Group now counts +4,400 dedicated people and more than 100 companies.

Full focus on developing even more intelligent, efficient and sustainable solutions.