Manufacturer of hydraulic elevator control valves, safety valves, power units and accessories with in-house production in Heilbronn
Blain Hydraulics GmbH
Heilbronn (DE) · Service branches: USA · India · TurkeyNew on Amplifa
About Blain Hydraulics
Blain Hydraulics GmbH was founded in 1971 by Roy W. Blain in Heilbronn and specializes in the development and manufacture of hydraulic elevator control valves. The portfolio includes control valves of the EV and KV series, the VVVF control valve EV40, the electronic servo valve SEV, hose-rupture and pressure-lock valves (L10, L20, iL10, R10, RSL), pumps, motors, power units as well as accessories such as ball valves, hand pumps, tank heaters and levelling drives. According to the company, every valve is cast by hand in its own factory; production from design to final adjustment takes place in Heilbronn. Around 14,000 EV-100 valves are sold annually, and over one million valves are in use worldwide. Customers come from elevator construction, elevator maintenance, car parking systems, and the field of material and goods lifts. In addition to the service branches in the USA, India and Turkey, the company supplies customers in more than 75 countries with around 80 employees from over 14 nations.
- Site
- Heilbronn
- Processes
- Valve manufacturing (hand casting of valves in own factory), Development and manufacture of hydraulic elevator control valves (EV series, KV series, EV40 VVVF,, Manufacture of safety valves (hose-rupture valves R10/RSL, pressure-lock valves L10/L20, iL10), Manufacture of pumps, motors and power units for hydraulic elevators, Assembly of accessories: ball valves (BV), hand pumps (HP), tank heaters (TH), levelling drive, Modernization of existing elevator systems (component upgrades, Smart Panel, drive systems), Training (online and on-site, webinars in English, German, Spanish, Turkish, Hindi), Troubleshooting videos
- Materials
- Hand casting of valve housings, Rockwell-hardened bore surfaces (70 HRc), Operation with hydraulic oil VGA46
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, EN 81-20/50 (product standard), CSA approval
- Founded
- 1971
- Employees
- approx. 80
- Industries
- Elevator construction (hydraulic elevators), Elevator installation and maintenance, Car parking systems (car park platforms), Material lifts/goods lifts, Specialist consulting/system development, Car parking systems (car park platforms)
- 01
Design and engineering
- 02
Hand casting of valves in the company's own factory
- 03
Machining and component manufacturing
- 04
Assembly of valves, power units and accessories
- 05
Testing and factory adjustment
- 06
Sales and service (webinars, training, 24/7 support)
Processes and Manufacturing
Hand casting of valve housings
According to the company, every valve is cast by hand in its own factory to ensure quality and performance.
Rockwell-hardened bore surfaces (70 HRc)
Valve bores feature 70 HRc surface hardening for wear resistance.
Operation with hydraulic oil VGA46
The valves are designed for oil viscosities of 25–60 cSt at 40 °C and operating temperatures of 10–60 °C.
Locations
Heilbronn
DEHeadquarters, development and production
- Lot size
- Series production (approx. 14,000 EV-100/year)
- Materials
- Casting, metal
- Own machine park (modernized in the 1990s)
- Hand casting facilities
Blain Hydraulics Inc. (USA)
USService branch for North America
Blain India
INService branch for India
Blain Turkey
TRService branch for the Middle East and Africa
Components and Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valve manufacturing (hand casting of valves in own factory)Casting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Development and manufacture of hydraulic elevator control valves (EV series, KV series, EV40 VVVF,Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of safety valves (hose-rupture valves R10/RSL, pressure-lock valves L10/L20, iL10)Joining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of pumps, motors and power units for hydraulic elevatorsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly of accessories: ball valves (BV), hand pumps (HP), tank heaters (TH), levelling driveAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Modernization of existing elevator systems (component upgrades, Smart Panel, drive systems)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Blain Hydraulics is certified to ISO 9001 (certification in the period 1991–2000, data sheets show EN ISO 9001). The hose-rupture valves are type-certified under the EU directive; the products follow the safety standards EN 81-20/50 and CSA.
| Evidence | Heilbronn |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| EN 81-20/50 (product standard) | |
| CSA approval |
Company History
- 1971
Foundation of Blain Hydraulics GmbH in Heilbronn by Roy W. Blain; production and marketing of elevator control valves (EV & KV), initially 1, later 5 employees.
- 1981-1990
Range extended with KV models for small elevators/private homes; introduction of the pressure-lock valve L10 (today UCM-A3 valve); CSA approval for export to North America; expansion of infrastructure.
- 1991-2000
Modernization of the machine park; ISO 9001 certification; type certification of the hose-rupture valves under the EU directive; introduction of the electronic servo valve SEV, the fine levelling drive MD and the ball valve.
- 2001-2010
First company worldwide with explosion-proof solenoid valves MEX for elevators; during this period Blain became the world's largest manufacturer of elevator control valves (production capacity and installations); introduction of new hose-rupture valves.
- 2011-2020
Joint venture with YASKAWA to introduce the EV4 (VVVF control valve); export record; customers in over 75 countries; approx. 80 employees from more than 14 nations.
- 2015
Expansion of the presence in India through the integration of Blain India.
- 2015
Partnership with a Brazilian company to increase the presence in Brazil and South America.
- 2017
Presentation of the integrated valves iL10 and L20 as new UCM-A3 valves for more cost-effective modernization of existing installations.
- 2018
Foundation of Blain Turkey (Middle East and Africa) and Blain Hydraulics Inc. (North America).
- 2019
Presentation of the next generation of intelligent smart valves with easy installation and monitoring via Wi-Fi/smartphone.
- 2005
Anja Blain becomes CEO (with the company since 1991).