Chinese nuclear company places $15 million order with Flowserve (VA based company)

[Statistical]

A Chinese nuclear energy company has ordered more than $15 million in parts that Flowserve Corporation makes in factories in Lynchburg and in Raleigh, N.C.

Flowserve announced the deal on Wednesday.

China’s State Nuclear Power Engineering Company Ltd. ordered safety-related valves and actuators for Westinghouse AP-1000 nuclear reactors being built in China. The two reactors are expected to begin operating in 2014 and 2015, according to a news release.

The actuators will be built in Flowserve’s plant on Woodall Road in Lynchburg. Flowserve bought the former Limitorque facility in 2002. It employs about 250 people there.

The valves for the order will be made at Flowserve’s facility in Raleigh, N.C.

“This order further strengthens our long-standing relationship with the Chinese nuclear power industry and with our customer, State Nuclear Power Engineering Company Ltd.,” said Mark Blinn, Flowserve President and Chief Executive Officer, in a news release. “We are proud to be a part of renewable energy production in China, which will reduce emissions and improve the environment.”

http://www2.newsadvance.com/lna/business/local/article/chinese_nuclear_company_places_15_million_order_with_flowserve/24927/

Couple of points:
1) Glad to see China accepting that they can't build everything themselves. Safety valves (my guess is for emergency coolant system) is not something you want to try and make domestically to save a couple bucks (or yuan).

2) The United States does still manufacture stuff. High precision manufacturing is something we still do better than virtually anyone on the planet.

3) Since in the United States the AP1000 is a certified design I wonder if Flowserve's valves are part of the design spec approved by NRC. It could be huge revenue stream for Flowserve if they are. NRC design certification program requires all reactors to be built to spec down to the bolt. Depending on how many valves are required and how many are built that could be a nice guaranteed stream of orders for next couple decades. Orders for replacement parts could generate even more revenue.