AVK already accounts for more than half of the water utilities market and is now set to expand into the agricultural sector

When a report is produced on a major investment project, the focus is usually on buildings, bridges or spectacular structures. In the background, however, there is always a less spectacular but all the more important system at work: the water supply network.

„We often find ourselves in the strange situation where articles or reports are written about projects in which we are involved, yet we are nowhere to be seen. This is because most of our work takes place underground”

– said Tamás Bedegi, managing director of AVK Magyarország Kft., by way of introduction; we also spoke with him about the company’s operations, market position and future plans. The fittings manufactured by AVK – gate valves, check valves and fire hydrants – are essential components of the water supply network. To the layman, the fire hydrant is perhaps the best known, but the majority of the system operates underground.

What does the AVK do?

It is the unseen part of these projects that provides us with work. A good example is the Kvassay lock, which is not only a monumental structure but also perfectly illustrates our product portfolio. The 1,800-millimetre valves through which water is pumped into the RSD are our own products. Furthermore, the oil-hydraulic check valves in the valve assembly, located after the gate valve, are fitted with brakes that dampen system distortion.

We have developed a completely unique braking system here, which not only withstands the immense volume of water, but whose coordination and control with the pump allows them to operate simultaneously with split-second precision. No such solution has ever been created anywhere in the world; we are truly proud of the Kvassay lock.

We are, of course, active in the water supply sector, in countless industrial estates and on the country’s largest factory construction projects. The fire-fighting water system installed at the BMW factory, for example, features a unique pipe diameter; the FM-certified system of this scale that we installed here is the first of its kind to be built in Europe.

Where does the company stand in the Hungarian market?

When it comes to premium players, there are roughly three companies to consider in Hungary, and in total we may have around 8–10 competitors. Over the past six years, we have become the undisputed market leader in our segment – to such an extent that we supplied roughly three-fifths of the Hungarian market’s demand for sliding locks in 2025.

This trust is down to our joint warehouse with our trading partner, which is now worth 1.5 billion forints; thanks to this, we can respond to requests immediately – we even keep very large sizes in stock. If, for example, there is an emergency at the Budapest Sewerage Works and they call us needing a 600-millimetre fitting, we can get it to the site within an hour and the fault can be rectified within two hours.

It is thanks to 30–40 years of positive operational experience that we are able to remain market leaders despite our relatively high price point. To achieve this position, we naturally needed partners such as Fővárosi Vízművek. It is particularly commendable that the company has placed its trust in us, not least because, despite the manufacturers’ and certifiers’ certificates, they re-test the products in real-world conditions.

This is a very rigorous test, one in which even a product from a premium manufacturer can fail.

AVK is based in Denmark, but our fire hydrants, for example, come from Germany, our sliding gate valves from Denmark, and our specialist products from Italy, Spain and Poland. Our company has a presence on every continent, yet we strive for local manufacturing, following the so-called ‘Glocal’ principle. Our in-house research and development department optimises our products, enabling us to respond to market changes and demands.

Where can a market leader in such a specialised field go from here?

Agricultural water management is set to become a rapidly growing sector in the short and medium term, where our reliability and experience can be put to excellent use. We are particularly keenly aware that European Union projects and major government investments have declined. We need to find a way forward, which we have found in the agricultural sector. We are already strengthening our presence here through product development and product integration as we enter the market.

We are bringing a product to the Hungarian market that no one else on the continent offers apart from us. Our Italian subsidiary manufactures a special irrigation valve that can be integrated into a smart system; as an AI-supported solution, it can significantly simplify the day-to-day work of those involved in agronomy.

We offer system components for both drip and large-scale irrigation that are not only of the highest quality but also open up new possibilities for operation thanks to their remote control capabilities. Provided certain conditions are met, farmers can even start irrigating several hectares from home, using just a mobile phone.

Whether to use them is up to the designer. How can they support the engineers?

We have signed a cooperation and strategic agreement with the University of Debrecen, where we are participating in a dual training programme at the Institute of Water and Environmental Management within the Faculty of Agriculture, Food Sciences and Environmental Management, specifically on the Agricultural Water Management course. We support our future colleagues who are undertaking their master’s degrees there. We are also in the process of concluding a cooperation agreement with another university, where we can focus specifically on young people studying hydraulic engineering. Our activities have attracted the attention of several prestigious organisations, and further partnership agreements are currently being finalised.

We have also filled a gap in the market by creating our own educational platform, where products can be tested in real-world conditions. Currently, there is no other company in Hungary involved in education in this way. We felt there was a need to incorporate the demonstration of cutting-edge technologies into training courses.

At present, there is a lack of vocational and further training in civil engineering in our country. For example, there is no formal training for pipe fitters, so anyone who can repair a burst pipe today is only able to do so because older colleagues have shown them how. Encouraged by this, we have launched a training programme comprising three modules:

Some are aimed at blue-collar workers, others at university students, and others still at designers and engineers working in construction and water utility operations.

Universities often fail to keep up with the latest technology, and the education system has been unable to keep pace with the development of smart solutions. Of course, opening a gate valve is done in exactly the same way as it was 40 years ago, but the hydraulics of pipe network fittings have changed dramatically in recent years, for example due to the rise of flow simulations. We can pass this on to the younger generation. In addition, we regularly welcome specialists from major construction firms to our training centre to show them the latest developments and supplement their existing expertise with practical experience.

Climate adaptation of water supply systems and technological change in agricultural water management present an exciting challenge not only for us, but for the students as well.

Our educational platform focuses primarily on students, as engineers who design water systems bear a huge responsibility: when they opt for a technical solution, it will determine how the service operates for decades to come. This is perhaps where the AVK knowledge platform plays its most important role: we help make the right decisions and participate in the process as a partner, from design right through to operation.