Industrial-scale agricultural operations face volatile weather patterns, dropping water tables, and razor-thin margin profiles, relying on uncalibrated, labor-intensive manual irrigation or inefficient flood watering is a severe operational liability. Over-watering rots root structures and leaches vital nutrients from the soil matrix, while under-watering stunts crop canopy development—directly decimating seasonal yields and wasting expensive energy reserves. Dictating the exact fluid dynamics of mechanized crop hydration and engineering the heavy-duty center pivot and linear irrigation systems required to maximize agricultural ROI is the undisputed domain of Valmont Industries (Valley).

Spanning an 80-year legacy of engineering and industrial grit, Valley does not merely manufacture pipe; they forge the advanced, structurally reinforced mechanized irrigation infrastructure that growers across more than 100 countries absolutely rely on to violently conquer drought, conserve water resources, and dictate global food security.

The Chronological Campaign of Irrigation Dominance

Raw agricultural dominance requires decades of continuous mechanical adaptation, metallurgical breakthroughs, and digital integration. Valmont systematically evolved from a modest Nebraska farm-elevator shop into a multi-billion dollar international infrastructure and agronomy titan:

1946 – 1954: The Center Pivot Genesis

Robert B. Daugherty invests his life savings into Valley Manufacturing, initially building farm elevators. In 1954, Daugherty recognizes the massive disruptive potential of Frank Zybach’s center pivot prototype and licenses the patent. Valley engineers spend the next decade converting the design from an unstable hydraulic drive to a sturdier, taller, and highly reliable electric drive framework.

1959 – 1969: Metallurgical Autonomy & Global Mobilization

Valley begins manufacturing its own high-tolerance steel pipe and tubing, quickly scaling into a primary supplier for public and private infrastructure projects. The company rebrands as Valmont Industries, Inc., executes its first international sale to Lyon, France, and introduces hot-dip galvanization to permanently protect water-drive structures from corrosive scaling.

1970s: The Mechanical Revolution

Valmont International is formed to aggressively capture overseas markets. The company unveils the industry’s first gear-driven systems riding on heavy-duty rubber tires, launches the iconic Valley proprietary gearbox, and introduces corner options for center pivots—allowing farmers to automatically swing outer spans into un-irrigated field corners.

1980s: The Computational Shift

Computers are integrated directly into standard farming operations via the CAMS™ Management System, enabling growers to automatically program chemigation, fertilization, and water schedules. To solve irregular field topographies, Valmont introduces the Linear (Rainger) and Universal Linear ditch-and-hose feed systems alongside low-pressure sprinklers.

1990 – 1999: Portfolio Rationalization & Global Scale

Valmont Irrigation consolidates its global segments, constructing massive new galvanizing plants to satisfy external industrial demand. Under CEO Mogens Bay, the enterprise divests all non-core assets to focus strictly on infrastructure and agriculture. Structural innovations like PolySpan® (corrosive water liners), the 8000 Series pivot, and localized Pro Panels layout the foundation for remote field management.

2000 – 2012: The Telematics & Precision Navigation Era

Control shifts from the field panel to the palm of the hand via cellular PDA networks, GPS guidance systems, and the Tracker remote product line. Valmont introduces Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI), allowing zone-by-zone water volume modulation. High-flex mechanical options like the Bender30, Bender160, and DropSpan™ allow pivots to literally bend around buildings or drop outer spans to bypass field obstacles.

2013 – 2018: Smart Panels & The X-Tec® Propulsion

Valley partners with global agronomy networks, integrates high-efficiency pumping systems via Valley Water Management, and launches the ICON® line of smart control panels featuring built-in AgSense® telemetry. The structural drivetrain is revolutionized with the high-speed Valley X-Tec® drive, delivering full torque at zero-to-double the speed of standard AC motors.

2020 – Present: The Connected Cloud Grid

Valmont unifies its entire digital ecosystem under Valley 365™, a cloud-based crop management platform that synchronizes AgSense hardware, individual sprinkler data (VRI-iS), advanced scheduling software, and predictive AI insights into a single, high-security dashboard.

The Advanced Irrigation Engineering Matrix

Traditional irrigation methods treat an entire field with a single, uncalibrated sheet of water. Valmont completely overthrew this inefficient dynamic by engineering modular, responsive mechanical and digital subsystems that allow growers to adapt their infrastructure to match the exact topography, water chemistry, and crop requirements of their operation:

Irrigation Subsystem

Valley X-Tec® Drive, Advanced high-torque, variable-speed motor utilizing full torque capacity at any RPM. Delivers up to twice the travel speed of standard AC motors, enabling rapid chemigation passes and preventing wheel-track rutting.

VRI-iS (Individual Sprinkler), Web-based software interacting with GPS panel hardware to cycle individual control valves every 0.1 degrees. | Grants absolute water-depth mastery, eliminating oversaturated low spots, rock hazards, and uncultivated zones.

Bender & DropSpan™ Tech, High-articulation structural joints paired with automated mechanical quick-release couplers. Allows a single massive pivot machine to walk around tree lines, barns, or topography barriers without getting structurally trapped.

PolySpan® & Stainless Liners, Concentric dual-wall pipelines featuring inert polymer or high-grade stainless steel internal barriers. | Shields structural steel pipe from highly corrosive wastewater, acidic chemigation fluids, or high-salinity agricultural water supplies.

The Closed-Loop Agronomy Mandate

Through strategic technology acquisitions like AgSense® and the development of the Valley 365™ architecture, Valmont transformed the traditional center pivot from a simple mechanical water pipe into an advanced, internet-of-things (IoT) data collector. By cross-referencing soil characteristics, crop development stages, real-time weather feeds, and individual sprinkler sequencing, Valley equipment eliminates guesswork on the frontline—allowing growers to execute data-driven prescriptions that maximize bushel output while minimizing input overhead.

By seamlessly fusing eight decades of American manufacturing heritage with cutting-edge fluid engineering and real-time cloud telematics, Valmont Industries ensures that when the electric drives engage, the gearboxes lock in, and the high-pressure water surges down the spans, the pipeline remains entirely protected, the tracking stays flawless, and the operator completely commands the precision hydrology.


Year Founded: 1946

Main Products: Center Pivots, Corners, Benders and DropSpan, Linears, Control Panels, Remote Devices, Pumping Solutions, Sprinklers, Drive Train,Floation and Traction, Polyspan Pipeline

Brand: Valley Irrigation

Country of Origin: USA

Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyIrrigationEnglish

Website: http://valleyirrigation.com/

Address: 28800 Ida St, Valley, NE 68064, United States

Contact No.: +14023592201

Email: https://valleyirrigation.com/about-us/contact-us