Zhejiang Chaoda Valve Co., Ltd. (later upgraded to Chaoda Valve Group Co., Ltd.) obtained API 600 certification from the United States on November 17, 2003, certificate number 600-0011. The product range includes bolt-connected steel gate valves with bonnets.
API is the abbreviation for the American Petroleum Institute. Founded in 1919, one of API’s important tasks is to standardize equipment used in the oil and gas industry, ensuring the safety, reliability, and interchangeability of equipment used in this industry. API certification, which was once a potential need, became an explicit requirement during China’s accession to the WTO. Orders for oil machinery products increasingly emphasize API product quality recognition, due to API’s special status in the oil industry.
Currently, both global oil purchasers and manufacturers widely adopt API standards. Purchasers consider whether products meet API standards and whether manufacturers have obtained API certification as prerequisites and important qualification conditions for bidding. API certification can be divided into three main categories: API individual certification, API quality management system and environmental management system certification, and API product certification. Companies need to determine which type of API certification they should apply for based on the categories of products they manufacture.
API certification provides companies with a ready-made, actionable standard. API certification promotes equipment improvement and enhances manufacturing capabilities. It also drives brand building and improves a company’s international competitiveness.