Zahroof Valves Inc. (ZVI), a valve technology provider for the gas compression industry, has appointed two new members to its executive team. Jim Ilaria has been named chief executive officer of the company and Javvad Qasimi has assumed the role of senior vice president. In the near term, the team will oversee multiple new product launches while accelerating the company’s growth, customer service, and operational excellence.
Prior to joining ZVI, Ilaria led seven corporate transformations as CEO or president of private-equity-sponsored middle market firms in industrial and consumer businesses. Ilaria was previously an operating partner with Allied Capital, where he worked closely with portfolio company management and deal teams to drive enterprise value. Ilaria earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University.
Qasimi has more than 18 years of industry experience in various leadership roles. Most recently, he served the energy segment as global sales and marketing director for ChampionX. Prior to that, Qasimi held roles in engineering, product management, sales, and marketing with Eaton Corporation and Honeywell International. He has an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from The Ohio State University. He is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Project Management Professional (PMP), and inventor of more than a dozen patents related to engineering products geared towards the industrial businesses.
Headquartered in Houston, USA, ZVI offers compressor valves based on its modular reed valve technology. Its StraightFlo valve is a drop-in replacement compressor valve that is made up of replaceable reed valve modules designed so that the gas flows essentially in a straight line through the valve (See “Valve Protection,” July 2019 Gas compression Magazine, p. 34).
The StraightFlo valve has a design in which several standard and interchangeable modules are held stationary between the valve seat and carrier. The company offers eight standard modules in three materials, with the same external dimensions, that cover the entire speed range and operating conditions of existing industrial compressors. A module is selected for a valve based on the operating conditions of the cylinder in which it is installed. Modules are interchangeable between valves, irrespective of the size of the valve, whether it be 1.5 in. (38 mm) in diameter or greater than 14 in. (355 mm) in diameter, whether it is a suction valve or a discharge valve.
“Our product line and our approach to the market is a genuine departure from the last 100 years of compressor valve development,” said Ilaria. “In short, what we do best is what the marketplace now needs the most. We have compelling proof of cost savings and efficiency, but what resonates strongly with customers in an ESG-sensitive environment is the ability of our valves to stop emissions – not just incrementally, but dramatically across all of their compression assets.”
