During each harvest, high-temperature vegetable steam degraded the valves retainers. The damage extended to the seat and valve body, forcing annual replacements.
Case Study
High-Performance Valve Solution for Guatemala’s Sugar Industry
Client: Ingenio Madre Tierra
Reliable Steam Handling for Agro-Industrial Evaporation:
DelVal Series 44/45 at Ingenio Madre Tierra
Client Background & Context
Ingenio Madre Tierra is an agro-industrial organization in Guatemala dedicated to producing cane sugar, refined sugar, and electric energy. The plant relies on a wide range of butterfly and ball valves and actuators across its operations, each exposed to demanding process conditions and high material requirements.
In the sugar evaporation stage, high-pressure valves must handle high-temperature vegetable steam. This steam is particularly harsh on conventional valve materials, leading to rapid wear and frequent replacements.
Industry: 
Sugar 
Marine 
Energy Industry
Sugar Marine Energy Industry
Client Challenges
-
1
Severe Steam-Induced Wear
-
2
Costly Downtime & Maintenance
Frequent valve replacements disrupted operations, added maintenance costs, and increased production risk during critical harvest windows.
-
3
Need for a Durable, Long-Term Solution
Beyond evaporators, multiple process areas required valves and actuators built to handle aggressive conditions. A scattered mix of shelf options weren’t lasting, leaving the team without a reliable, long-term solution.
DelVal Solution
To address these challenges, we deployed our Series 44/45 high-performance butterfly valves, optimized for the evaporation process:
Engineered for High-Temperature Steam
The Series 44/45 features a rugged carbon steel (WCB) body designed to handle the extreme pressures and high-temperature vegetable steam typical in sugar evaporation. Its construction withstands the thermal and mechanical stresses that quickly degrade conventional valves during harvest cycles.
Upgraded Stainless Steel Retainers
Given recurring retainer damage, DelVal replaced the standard carbon steel retainers with stainless steel retainers. This prevented erosion and protected the other downstream components like valve seat and body from premature wear.
Impact
Our solutions deliver measurable results that go beyond immediate performance gains. From extending equipment life and minimizing maintenance costs to ensuring uninterrupted operations, DelVal’s reliability translates into long-term value and trust across industries.
Extended Service Life
Since implementation in the year XXXX, the Series 44/45 valves have completed three full harvest cycles without the need to replace retainers or seats. This drastically reduced unplanned maintenance and kept evaporation operations running reliably during peak demand.
Uninterrupted Operations & Lower Costs
By eliminating annual valve replacements and avoiding emergency downtime, Ingenio Madre Tierra cut maintenance overhead and minimized production risks tied to harvest schedules.
Industry Adoption & Trust
Proven success in the evaporation process led Ingenio Madre Tierra to standardize on DelVal valves across all evaporators and much of the plant, strengthening DelVal’s presence in Guatemala’s sugar industry.
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