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 |
0 Comments