With accomplishments spanning nearly 40 years, Bray International Inc. is a premier manufacturer of flow control and automation products. Through its dedication to innovation, agility, and investments, Bray showcases its profound ability to continue its upward trajectory as a global company with a local presence.
By Charlie Evans, Valve World
Valve World had the pleasure of speaking with Craig Brown, Chairman and CEO, Zachry Brown, President, and Brindesh Dhruva, CTO/COO, about expanding Bray’s services and capabilities, its incredible new products, as well as an open invitation to Bray’s stunning facilities.
Bray International Inc. is a privately owned, global company with locations and employees traversing across six continents. At each location, Bray showcases its strength and stability by being a trusted solution-provider for the flow control industry, specializing in automation products, control and isolation valves, accessories, and more.
Agility, speed, and innovation are just a few keywords that can be used to describe Bray and its upward momentum. “Bray is a global company with a regional focus and a local presence,” said Craig Brown, Founder and CEO. “We take pride in our collaborative culture and the innovative solutions we offer across diverse industries. As an organization, we have invested in enhancing our manufacturing efficiencies.” Brown has established a lasting legacy through his strong emphasis on research and development (R&D) and building a technically proficient sales team that delivers quick and effective solutions.
Bray International remains at the forefront of innovation with a customer-centric approach in providing solutions across diverse industries. Through close customer collaboration, Bray has numerous successful examples of new technology & product introductions.
“Our goal is listening to the customer, understanding their challenges and providing effective solutions. That remains the number one priority – putting the customer first!” said Craig Brown.
Expanded services and capabilities
“At Bray International, our expansion into new regions including adding Valve Automation Centers and increased inventory warehouse locations in addition to the expansions of our cleanroom services – these are direct responses to our customers’ evolving needs. By broadening our service offerings and increasing our global presence, we are ensuring that we are not just meeting, but exceeding the expectations of those we serve,” said Zachry Brown. “Our commitment to this growth reflects our dedication to providing the highest quality solutions and support in every corner of the world.”
Bray has focused on strategically located Valve Automation Centers in multiple regions, such as the U.K., Mexico, Malaysia, China, the U.S., Chile, South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Peru. To support our customers efficiently, Bray also houses one of the largest inventories in the industry. The stock of inventory differs by region, based on our customer specifications and needs. “We have the ability to provide valve solutions in many forms, such as rotary or linear, isolation or control,” Zachry Brown continued. Each of these valves can be automated with a variety of pneumatic, electric, hydraulic or electro-hydraulic systems.
Bray has invested in the expansion of our cleanroom capabilities including upgrading our facility in the U.K. and completion of ISO Class 6 certification in Houston, TX to compliment our state of the art facilities operating in India and China.
“Consistent manufacturing with quality is the hallmark of a world class global manufacturer.” Said Brindesh Dhruva, “We achieve this through consistent manufacturing processes across all our global manufacturing facilities. We ensure this consistency to the highest standards with rigorous quality control processes. This is true for all of our global factories – UK, US, China, India, Brazil, Germany, Canada, Malaysia and other locations.”
Bray continues to invest in factory automation technologies within manufacturing processes including warehouse automation, robotic material movement and robotic manufacturing technologies. These technology upgrades have been critical in meeting the growing demand for the high quality valves, actuators, accessories and other controls products.
Putting people first
“Our greatest asset though, don’t appear on our balance sheets…and that is…our people. Their dedication and expertise are the driving force behind our agile expansion and innovative breakthrough. As we grow and evolve, we remain committed to investing in our team and ensuring they have the tools and support needed to excel. It is the unwavering focus on our people that enables us to deliver unparalleled service and solutions to our clients around the world,” said Craig Brown.
Bray’s is dedicated to ensuring an enhanced customer experience. The company puts a premium on customer relationships, emphasizing effective communication not just in sales and technical services, but also in shaping product innovation. It is imperative that both its technical sales force and clientele are actively involved in all facets of business, especially in the evolution of Bray International’s extensive (and ever expanding) product portfolio.
Bray International, they believe in a full-rounded education. With an intensive in-house training program called Bray School, individuals across all departments of the company are provided with in-depth training composed of more than 130 modules.
“Everyone from finance and accounting to marketing, quality and sales receives this training. We want all of our people to understand the product to a meticulous degree so that they can understand our customer’s applications and offer them the right Bray Solutions,” said Craig Brown.
With numerous product launches just within this year, Bray has completed a lot of internal training to make sure that all levels of employees understand the new products beyond just features & benefits. The training involves customer applications, challenges and value propositions for the Bray Solutions. This includes diving deep into a virtual plant, customer engagements, case studies and hands-on with the product/technology. “It is important that we are all well equipped to engage the customer with depth – not only on our product solutions, but also their application challenges.”
Driving innovation in product development
Bray International’s relentless pursuit of innovation has driven the development of several groundbreaking products in the past year. “Everyone got behind the ideas for the new products. We focused our efforts and worked together as a team to respond very quickly to the needs of the customer,” said Zachry Brown.
Among recent achievements, Bray includes:
- Bray Series 76 Industrial Electric Actuators: Engineered to deliver robust performance and reliability, these actuators are versatile, accommodating various power supplies, and designed for both on/off and modulating applications with up to79,000 In-Lbs (9,000 Nm) of torque.
- Bray Series 746HP Bidirectional Polyurethane Lined Knife Gate Valves: A game-changer for abrasive applications, this valve offers zero leakage shutoff with a one-piece polyurethane bonded liner, ensuring exceptional durability and performance. This product is made for applications such as mining, power, pulp and paper, and more.
- Bray Acris® Series 24/25 Lined Butterfly Valves: Designed for bidirectional bubble-tight shutoff, these valves excel in corrosive, chemical, semiconductor, and ultrapure water applications.
- Bray Series 98C Compact Yoke Pneumatic Actuators: This compact actuator is perfect for space-constrained installations while maintaining high performance and reliability. This exciting new product has been tested to a million cycles already and is debuting at GasTech in Houston, Texas, in September 2024.
- Bray Series 19L Control Valves: Featuring a new noise shield, this development addresses the needs of severe applications where noise control is crucial. The noise shield gives individuals the ability to not only control the flow but also slow down the transition across the valve product and reduce the amount of noise.
Experience the Bray difference
As they continue to expand their global footprint and product portfolio, Bray International invites customers across the industries to experience firsthand what makes Bray unique; to see the Bray Difference for themselves. “When visiting Bray, our visitors can feel the cultural difference – the customer-centric atmosphere, the attention to technology and the focus on Quality. Any of our partners are welcome to visit all our facilities. The doors are open, and we look forward to welcoming you. Experience the Bray Difference!” said Dhruva.
“Visit our global facilities and witness the innovation and excellence that defines Bray International,” said Brown. Join Bray in shaping the future of valve technology. The journey to unmatched precision and performance starts here.
About this Featured Story
This Featured Story is an article from our Valve World Magazine, September 2024 issue. To read other featured stories and many more articles, subscribe to our print magazine. Available in both print and digital formats. DIGITAL MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE NOW FREE.
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