Top 3 Reasons to Choose Automatic Controls of Virginia

When a valve fails at a water treatment plant, or a power generation facility needs a custom-actuated valve that doesn't exist off the shelf, who do you call? If you're in Virginia, West Virginia, or D.C., there's a good chance the answer is Automatic Controls of Virginia — and there are very specific reasons why.

If you're weighing your options and wondering why choose Automatic Controls of Virginia over another supplier, this article gives you three honest answers. ACVA, as they're known in the industry, has been operating out of Ashland, Virginia since 1973. They serve water and wastewater utilities, power generators, chemical processors, government and defense facilities, and more. Here's what actually sets them apart.

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Reason #1: More Than 50 Years of Specialized Experience Means They've Already Solved Your Problem

Half a century in this business isn't just a number — it's a track record. ACVA has been doing this since 1973, which means the engineers and technicians on their team have encountered the kind of edge cases and application-specific challenges that textbooks don't cover.

This matters in industries where the wrong valve spec or a mismatched actuator can mean a plant shutdown, a compliance issue, or worse. ACVA's team understands the difference between recommending what's available and recommending what's right for a specific flow rate, pressure rating, and operating environment. That depth of application knowledge is hard to replicate.

The company has also grown alongside Virginia's municipal and industrial infrastructure. They know the local utilities, the regulatory landscape, and the real-world constraints — budget, space, lead time — that engineering firms and public works departments deal with every day. Experience like that is genuinely rare.

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Reason #2: Their In-House Valve Automation Center Does What Most Distributors Simply Can't

Most valve distributors will sell you a product and hand you a phone number for someone else to call when you need it assembled, modified, or automated. ACVA built a different model.

Their Valve Automation Center — housed in a 30,000-square-foot facility in Ashland — handles the design, fabrication, assembly, and installation of automated valve packages under one roof. That includes quarter-turn and linear actuated valves of virtually any size, from small pneumatic ball valves to the large-scale valves used in municipal pipeline systems. They also maintain in-house machining capabilities, which means custom components and precise modifications don't require you to wait on a third party.

The practical benefit is significant: fewer handoffs, tighter quality control, and faster turnaround. When you need a complex automated valve package built to exact specs, having the engineering, fabrication, and assembly all in one place isn't a nice-to-have — it's the difference between a project that finishes on time and one that doesn't.

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Reason #3: 24/7 Emergency Support from a Team That Already Knows Your Systems

Process control failures don't keep business hours. Water treatment doesn't stop at 5 p.m., power plants don't go offline on weekends, and chemical processing facilities don't get a day off. ACVA built their service model around that reality.

They offer 24/7 emergency service — not a call center that logs a ticket, but actual support from people who understand industrial valves, actuators, and process instrumentation. When something goes wrong, the goal is to get your system back online fast, with the right fix, not a temporary workaround.

This kind of responsive support is easier to deliver when you've been working with a region's utilities and industrial facilities for decades. ACVA's longevity means they're often already familiar with your equipment, your facility's setup, and the kinds of issues that tend to arise. That continuity — reinforced by the Hoitt family's continued leadership of the company — is something you can't replicate with a national catalog supplier.

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If you're managing water infrastructure, running an industrial facility, or overseeing a government or defense installation in the Mid-Atlantic region, the logical next step is a straightforward one: reach out to ACVA at their Ashland, Virginia headquarters and talk through what you need. They've been solving these problems for more than 50 years — and they'll tell you quickly whether they're the right fit for what you've got.

Automatic Controls of Virginia: Over 50 Years as Virginia’s Premier Municipal Valve and Valve Automation Specialist

For more than half a century, Automatic Controls of Virginia (ACVA) has established itself as the trusted authority in municipal valve and valve automation solutions throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Founded on a commitment to technical expertise and responsive customer service, ACVA has become synonymous with reliability and performance in one of the state’s most critical infrastructure sectors: municipal water.

In the context of infrastructure and utility systems, the term municipal typically refers to facilities and operations that manage population-level water resources. This includes potable water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, and water distribution systems. These essential services keep Virginia’s communities running, and at the heart of these systems lie the complex valves, actuators, and control systems that regulate flow, pressure, and process control—areas where ACVA excels.

ACVA has built its reputation by aligning with the evolving needs of municipalities. As treatment processes became more sophisticated and automation more essential, ACVA responded with a deep bench of technical knowledge and a curated portfolio of the industry’s most respected products. Municipal engineers and utility managers across Virginia trust ACVA to provide solutions that meet both regulatory standards and the long-term demands of public infrastructure.

At the core of ACVA’s expertise lies an in-depth understanding of municipal valves, including resilient seated butterfly valves, plug valves, air release valves, and check valves—all engineered to perform reliably under the demanding conditions of municipal service. ACVA doesn’t simply sell valves—they support the entire life cycle of the system, from design and specification to commissioning and ongoing support.

To drive efficiency and system reliability, municipalities increasingly rely on valve automation, and here ACVA’s capabilities shine. The firm supplies and supports a broad range of electric and pneumatic actuators designed for integration into SCADA systems, remote monitoring networks, and automated treatment processes. Whether it’s retrofitting aging infrastructure with modern automation or specifying complete valve-actuator assemblies for new construction, ACVA brings engineering insight to every project.

In addition to mechanical hardware, ACVA provides control solutions that synchronize valve operation with broader treatment and distribution operations. Their product lineup includes smart control packages, positioners, and communication interfaces that help operators maintain precise control over water and wastewater processes. The ability to combine valve, actuator, and control knowledge under one roof makes ACVA a valuable partner for municipalities looking to streamline procurement and maximize long-term reliability.

What sets ACVA apart is not just its longevity or its product offering—it’s the company’s deep familiarity with Virginia’s municipal landscape. For over five decades, they have worked hand-in-hand with local utilities, engineering firms, and public works departments to solve real-world challenges. This practical, ground-level experience gives ACVA a unique ability to tailor solutions that work within budget, space, and regulatory constraints.

As environmental regulations grow more complex and infrastructure ages, municipalities need more than just vendors—they need partners who understand the stakes. ACVA fills this role by providing more than components. They deliver confidence: confidence that the right product has been specified, that installation will proceed smoothly, and that long-term support remains available.

With over 50 years of uninterrupted service, Automatic Controls of Virginia continues to lead the way in valve and valve automation solutions for the municipal water sector. Their legacy reflects a rare combination of technical depth, industry foresight, and local commitment—a combination that ensures Virginia’s water systems will continue to operate safely, efficiently, and sustainably for decades to come.