The history of AVK

From local shop to global scale

In 1941, Aage Valdemar Kjær established AVK as a local machine shop. The main task of the business was the production of compressors for refrigeration and refrigerating plants for customers from all over Denmark.

His guiding principles were quality, continuity and close customer relations. He knew that the products were in order, and therefore he was able to offer an extensive product guarantee. These guiding principles were important values, which I brought along when I took over his machine shop in 1970.

These values have made AVK grow from a local firm with 5 employees to a Group with more than 4,000 employees supplying products to customers worldwide.

Our Expect...AVK brand concept helps us reach even higher. We must expect more from ourselves and deliver products and services that live up to and exceed our customers' expectations. This is why I expect that every single one of our employees worldwide will do their utmost to live up to these goals.

The guiding principles and the connections back in time must form the basis of our principles in the time ahead. This way, AVK will also be the safe choice in the years to come.

Niels Aage Kjær
Owner and CEO

AVK going international

Up through the 70's demands quickly rise, and products are exported to Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and England. Own rubber production is initiated at AVK Gummi A/S, the FLONIDAN gas division is founded in Denmark, and the tooling factory AVK Tooling A/S is acquired.

By the late 90's, AVK also exports to Saudi Arabia, the Far East, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Canada, South Africa, Latin America, Australia, the Baltic States, Israel, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Factories and sales companies have been acquired in France, the Netherlands and South Africa, and sales companies have opened in Hong Kong, Poland and in the Philippines.

AVK

AVK Maskinfabrik A/S is founded in 1941 in Galten by Aage Valdemar Kjær.

1970s

Niels A. Kjær develops the first gate valve, and the production of valves begins. A new factory opens in England, alongside new sales companies in Denmark and the Netherlands.

1980s

New factories are founded in Denmark, the USA and Saudi Arabia, and additional sales companies open in Norway and England.

1990s

Sales companies are introduced in Belgium, France and Spain. The AVK Overseas sales division is founded, and AVK Maskinfabrik and AVK Scan Wass Group merges into AVK International A/S.

AVK going global

10 years into this millennium, export now also covers Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina and Turkey. Companies have been acquired in the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy, Brazil, India, the UK, Denmark and Switzerland, including shares in a Japanese company.

In the following years and up until today, large investments and acquisitions have been increasingly in focus, counting multiple acquisitions in Australia, Brazil, England, Spain, Germany, South Africa and the UAE.

2000s

Factory and sales company founded in China, and representative offices open in Finland, Romania and Bulgaria.

2010s

Factories open in India, Kazakhstan and Brazil, and sales companies in Korea and Finland. Focus in on acquisitions and large investments worldwide.

2022

The Group now counts 4,886 dedicated people and more than 100 companies.

Full focus on developing even more intelligent, efficient and sustainable solutions.