50 years ago, Niels Aage Kjær took over AVK from his father, Aage Valdemar Kjær. Through a great development, he transformed AVK from a small workshop to a successful worldwide group of companies.
Niels Aage Kjær is born and raised in Galten, Denmark. Already from a young age, he helped his father in the workshop on Søndergade in Galten. Later on, he was taken in as an apprentice before starting his studies. In 1967, he graduated from Odense Technical College as an engineer, but he prefers to be called a factory owner.
On 1 June 1970, Niels Aage Kjær and his father became business partners. Sadly, his father passed away only a week after. At this time, AVK was a small workshop with only three employees that manufactured refrigeration systems and provided plumbing work in the local community. In 1970, Niels Aage Kjær developed the first AVK valve for water supply and built the first factory on Smedeskovvej in Galten.
With his drive and enthusiasm, Niels Aage Kjær has managed to turn the small, local workshop into a global group of companies with a billion Kroner turnover. Today, AVK is the leading manufacturer of valves and fittings within water and industry with factories and sales companies across the globe. Besides, AVK has also become an important player in the work towards greener solutions, clean drinking water, and effective and sustainable solutions.
AVK’s headquarter is still located in Galten, but today, the company employs more than 4300 employees in more than 100 companies worldwide.
