Global Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve Market Strategic Research Report

Scope of the Report

The global Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve market size is predicted to grow from US$ 1,637 million in 2025 to US$ 2,424 million in 2032; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2026 to 2032.

The forged steel trunnion mounted ball valve is essentially a "heavy-duty sealing switch unit for medium and high pressure long-distance transmission and key equipment." Its core value lies in solving the long-standing problems of traditional floating ball valves and ordinary cast steel ball valves under conditions of large diameter, high pressure difference, frequent opening and closing, and high-risk media, such as sealing instability, excessive torque, valve body stress concentration, and poor life-cycle predictability. In the first/last station of long-distance oil and gas pipelines, station connection lines, key cut-off points of refining and chemical units, and high-pressure natural gas city gate stations, if floating ball valves or general cast steel ball valves continue to be used extensively, under conditions of high pressure difference and unclean media, valve seat extrusion wear, eccentric force on the ball leading to damage to the sealing line, and excessively high valve stem torque peak causing amplification or even failure of the actuator selection will easily occur. Once internal leakage or jamming occurs, it will bring significant hidden dangers to downstream units, equipment, and even personal safety. Forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves, through the use of integral or split forged steel valve bodies, upper and lower trunnion-supported balls, double-piston-effect seats, discharge/venting structures, and fireproof, anti-static, and anti-blowout stem designs, transfer the ball load from the valve seat to the trunnion. This makes the valve body strength and sealing redundancy calculable and verifiable, transforming the critical valve's ability to "open, shut off, and relieve pressure" from experience-based selection to an engineering module constrained by standards (API 6D/6A, ISO 14313, etc.) and project specifications. It is one of the core isolation components in medium- and high-pressure oil, gas, and chemical pipelines, ensuring reliable and secure shut-off. In 2025, global sales of forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves across various applications reached approximately 478,000 units, with an average price of approximately USD 3,500 per unit and a gross profit margin of approximately 25%–31%. Forged steel trunnion mounted ball valves are heavy-duty ball valves used for shut-off and switching in medium and high-pressure pipelines. Their core structure consists of a forged steel valve body, a trunnion-supported ball, and a spring-loaded seat. Typical components include a forged steel valve body and cover (A105, LF2, F51/F53, etc.), upper/lower trunnions and ball assemblies (usually stainless steel or nickel-based alloy spray-welded/plated), a spring-loaded soft/metal seat, valve stem and stuffing box, fireproof and anti-static construction, a valve body drain/grease inlet, and a manual or matching gearbox/actuator connecting flange. Common parameters include: diameter range (NPS 2"–48"), pressure rating (Class 150–2500; API 3000/5000/10000; special applications are covered by dedicated structures), and operating temperature (−46~+200 ℃, cryogenic LNG). (And high-temperature operating conditions are extended through material and sealing design), full-bore/reduced-bore structures are available, and the typical leakage level meets the API 598/ISO 5208 zero-leakage requirements. In terms of typical usage: a 1 million ton/year oil refinery or integrated refining and chemical unit typically has 50-200 forged steel trunnion ball valves (distributed in high-pressure shut-off, key valve positions at the top/bottom of the tower, and flare/venting systems); a 300-600 km long-distance natural gas pipeline project often uses 30-80 medium and large diameter trunnion ball valves arranged in stations, valve chambers, and distribution points; a key process area of ​​an LNG receiving terminal/liquefaction plant is usually equipped with 40-120 trunnion ball valves of different specifications. The upstream mainly relies on high-quality alloy steel and stainless steel billets for medium and heavy plates and forgings, forging and heat treatment capabilities, hardfacing/plating processes for spheres and valve seats, springs and sealing materials, and valve-specific testing and experimental equipment; the downstream focuses on long-distance oil and gas pipeline and station projects, EPC general contracting for oil refining and chemical plants, LNG liquefaction and receiving terminals, underground gas storage and salt cavern gas storage projects, as well as power plant and high-pressure process pipeline system integrators.

Supply Situation

Upstream raw materials and key components mainly include alloy steel/low-temperature steel/stainless steel billets for valve body forging (such as A105, LF2, F304/L, F316/L, duplex steel, etc.), stainless steel and nickel-based alloys for the ball and trunnion, welding materials and plating materials for hardfacing and coating (Stellite, NiCr alloy, HVOF powder coating), valve seat sealing materials (PTFE, RPTFE, PEEK, metal springs), high-strength alloy steel for valve stems and fasteners, as well as fireproof packing, graphite/combined packing assemblies and grease injection valve/drain valve assemblies, etc. The total cost of raw materials and forging/machining/welding and testing usually accounts for 60%–72% of the total valve cost. Among them, the yield and time of large-diameter forgings, deep hole machining and valve ball hardfacing treatment have the greatest impact on the gross profit margin of a single valve. Typical upstream suppliers include Vallourec, Japan Steel Works, and Interpipe, which provide alloy steel and stainless steel forgings; Lincoln Electric and ESAB, which supply hardfacing and welding materials; and Garlock and Flexitallic, which supply seals and packings.

Manufacturer Characteristics

Warren Valve has been deeply involved in supplying various API 6D/ASME standard pipeline ball valves for oil and gas and refining projects in North America, emphasizing "rapid delivery + full range coverage"; Bonney Forge, relying on its forged steel valve platform, has a high success rate in winning bids for high-end refining and oil and gas projects in Europe and the Middle East, especially in the field of high-pressure, small and medium-diameter forged steel trunnion ball valves, where it has a strong engineering reputation; Hartmann Valves has been deeply involved in the field of gas storage facilities, underground gas storage wellhead valves, and valves for high-risk operations in Europe and the Middle East for many years, and its trunnion ball valves have a differentiated advantage in high-pressure, acidic gas, and underground gas storage processes.

Example

In 2024, a national-level integrated long-distance natural gas transmission and storage project in the Middle East explicitly required that the key shut-off valves in the main pipeline and gas storage manifold sections be forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves. The design diameter range was NPS 6"–36", pressure rating Class 600–900, suitable for both "wet" gas containing CO₂/H₂S and dehydrated natural gas. The valve body material was required to be a combination of low-temperature steel and stainless steel, with a double-piston effect seat and valve cavity self-relief function. The leakage level had to meet the API 598 zero-leakage standard and pass the ISO 15848 volatile organic compound (VOC) leakage test. The supplier was also required to provide fatigue and corrosion margin verification for a lifespan of no less than 30 years, as well as online grease injection and valve cavity discharge interfaces. Ultimately, Bonney Forge and Hartmann Valves supplied over 260 forged steel trunnion ball valves of various calibers and pressure ratings. Hartmann Valves was responsible for the high-pressure acid gas and gas storage wellhead sections, while Bonney Forge provided some standard pressure rating models for other sections, along with on-site commissioning and pre-operation functional testing services.

Applications

Forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves are widely used in long-distance oil and gas pipelines and distribution stations across regions, high-pressure process pipelines in LNG liquefaction and receiving terminals, critical shut-off and interlock valve positions in oil refining and chemical plants, wellheads and surface manifolds in underground gas storage and salt cavern gas storage projects, gas supply systems in natural gas power generation and combined cycle power plants, and some ball valve requirements for offshore platforms and subsea pipelines. They are an irreplaceable isolation valve in pipeline and process systems requiring "medium to high pressure + large diameter/critical media + shut-off capability." Typical downstream customers can be categorized into several dimensions: long-distance oil and gas pipeline operators (such as Saudi Aramco and Qatar Energy), LNG and integrated refining companies (such as ExxonMobil and Shell), national pipeline companies and city gas companies (such as China National Pipeline Company and Enbridge), and large power and industrial users (such as EDF and SABIC). These customers typically impose stringent technical and compliance requirements on forged steel trunnion ball valves through long-term framework agreements or project-based contracts with valve manufacturers or fluid control EPC contractors.

Product Advantages

For downstream oil and gas operators, refining and chemical plants, and pipeline EPC, the true value of forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves lies not in the "gross profit per valve," but in transforming what would otherwise be the most critical cutoff point dragging down plant availability and safety indicators into a designable, predictable, and maintainable "engineering fuse." The trunnion structure distributes the load between the ball and the valve seat, enabling the valve to maintain stable sealing and low opening and closing torque even under high pressure differentials and large-diameter conditions. Combined with the double-piston effect seat ring and the valve cavity self-depressurization design, it not only ensures zero leakage under bidirectional pressure differentials but also automatically depressurizes when the valve cavity experiences abnormal pressure increases, significantly reducing the hidden risk of "appearing closed on the outside but leaking inside." The forged steel valve body and standardized hard/soft seal modules allow the valve body strength and sealing performance to be verified through both calculation and testing, meeting API/ISO and various owner specifications, transforming "valve selection based on experience" into "configuration of solutions based on operating conditions." For EPC contractors and plant owners, this means a reduced probability of unplanned downtime, more verifiable interlocking actions, and extended maintenance cycles. Reducing valve failures by one or two times per pipeline or unit throughout its lifespan is sufficient to cover substantial initial investment in valves and engineering services, transforming forged steel trunnion ball valves from "high-priced valve equipment" into "cash flow tools that ensure safe and continuous operation."

Technology Trends

Technology upgrades mainly focus on four areas: First, upgrading materials and corrosion resistance. In high CO₂/H₂S, micro-solids, or acidic condensate media, duplex steel, super duplex steel, and nickel-based alloy hardfacing and plating are increasingly used to improve the lifespan of the valve body and seat under erosion, corrosion, and pitting conditions. Simultaneously, the combination of cryogenic materials is optimized to cover LNG conditions at -60°C or even lower. Second, strengthening sealing structures and low-emission technologies. By improving valve stem packing structures and optimizing graphite/polymer composite seals and spring loading schemes, valves can still meet more stringent low-emission standards such as ISO 15848 and API 641 under frequent opening and closing and temperature cycling conditions, enabling owners to achieve VOC emissions and ESG compliance. The indicators provide a basis for action; thirdly, there is the integration of intelligent technology and online monitoring. Some high-end trunnion ball valves have begun to be deeply coupled with intelligent actuators, position feedback, and valve cavity pressure/temperature sensors to form "intelligent valve units" capable of remote diagnosis. Early jamming, internal leakage, and seal degradation trends can be identified through torque curves, opening and closing times, and historical valve cavity pressure data. Fourthly, there is the optimization of manufacturing processes and modular design. Through CNC deep-hole machining, automatic welding and ball polishing processes, automated valve body welding, and modular valve seat and drive end interface design, delivery time is shortened, consistency is improved, and it is easy to cover different pipe diameters, pressure levels, and connection types on the same platform. The overall trend is to upgrade forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves from traditional "heavy-duty mechanical valves" to key fluid control units with "more reliable materials, more verifiable seals, perceptible capabilities, and digitally maintainable operation."

Market Influencing Factors

The growth of the forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valve market stems from two main factors. Firstly, the rigid increase in global oil and gas infrastructure and refining/LNG investment: in the Middle East, North America, and parts of Asia, the continuous commencement of long-distance pipelines, LNG liquefaction and receiving terminals, large-scale integrated refining and gas storage projects has led to a concentrated release of medium-to-large diameter, high-pressure trunnion-mounted ball valves within the project cycle. Secondly, the replacement of aging valves in existing pipeline networks and refining units with low-emission retrofits continues to release replacement demand, especially under the increasingly stringent regulatory environment of API/ISO standards and VOC emission requirements, where a large number of early cast steel ball valves and floating ball valves are being planned for replacement with forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves. In terms of cost and competition, price fluctuations in large-diameter forgings, rising costs of alloy materials, and increasing labor costs for welding and machining have significantly squeezed the gross profit margins of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Meanwhile, international and regional leaders with key forging, welding, and testing capabilities maintain strong bargaining power in high-end projects and critical work positions due to economies of scale and technological barriers. Simultaneously, emerging valve manufacturing bases in China, India, and some Middle Eastern countries are leveraging cost and delivery advantages to penetrate the medium-pressure and some high-pressure markets, further solidifying the stratified market structure where "high-end projects are dominated by European/American/Japanese/European brands, while regional and low-to-mid-end projects are undertaken by local manufacturers." Overall, forged steel trunnion-mounted ball valves are unlikely to experience explosive growth in the short term, but will maintain steady demand in the long term due to the combined effects of oil and gas and refining infrastructure construction, existing plant upgrades, and increasingly stringent safety and environmental regulations. The high-end market will concentrate on a few manufacturers with integrated material/process/engineering capabilities, while regional and general-specification competition will revolve around cost, delivery, and local services.

Key Questions Addressed in this Report

What is the 10-year outlook for the global Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve market?

What factors are driving Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve market growth, globally and by region?

Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?

How do Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve market opportunities vary by end market size?

How does Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve break out by Type, by Application?

This report presents a comprehensive overview of the global Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve market, covering market size and forecast, segmentation by product type and application, competitive landscape, leading players and regional and country-level outlook.

Segment by Type

• 2 Piece
• 3 Piece

Segment by Port Size

• Full Bore
• Reduced Bore

Segment by Material Grade

• A105N
• A182-F316 SS
• A350-LF2
• Others

Segment by Application

• Chemical Industry
• Water Treatment Industry
• Others

Who Can Use This Report?

This report is written for decision-makers who need a clear, data-backed view of the global Forged Steel Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve market:

• Manufacturers, suppliers and solution providers benchmarking their position and planning product, capacity and go-to-market strategy
• Distributors, channel partners and end users in Chemical Industry, Water Treatment Industry, Others evaluating demand and sourcing options
• Investors, financial analysts and consultants assessing growth opportunities, competitive dynamics and M&A potential
• Government agencies, industry associations and research institutions tracking industry developments and policy impact