PFA-Lined Valves for Fine Chemicals and API Manufacturing

Corrosion-Resistant Flow Control for Multipurpose Plants, Custom Synthesis, and Pharmaceutical Intermediates

Fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates production demands equipment that can handle diverse, aggressive reagents while maintaining the purity standards required for pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and specialty applications. Multipurpose plants switch between campaigns involving different solvents, acids, bases, and specialty chemicals—each presenting unique corrosion challenges.

GFT9 manufactures PFA-lined valves that provide consistent chemical resistance across the full spectrum of fine chemical synthesis reagents. Our products serve CDMO facilities, API manufacturers, custom synthesis operations, and specialty chemical producers where material compatibility, batch purity, and equipment reliability are essential requirements.

From regulatory starting materials to advanced intermediates, our German-engineered PFA-lined components support the demanding requirements of pharmaceutical supply chain manufacturing.

View Clean Room Product Range

Why Fine Chemical Manufacturing Requires PFA-Lined Components

Fine chemicals are produced in multipurpose plants through multistep batch synthesis, often involving aggressive reagents, elevated temperatures, and strict purity requirements. Unlike bulk chemical plants with dedicated equipment, fine chemical facilities must accommodate rapid changeover between products with vastly different chemical profiles.

The Multipurpose Challenge:

A typical fine chemical or CDMO facility may handle:

• Strong mineral acids: HCl, H₂SO₄, HNO₃, HBr for acidification, activation, and hydrolysis reactions
• Caustic solutions: NaOH, KOH for neutralization, saponification, and base-catalyzed reactions
• Organic solvents: THF, DCM, DMF, DMSO, acetonitrile, methanol, toluene as reaction media
• Specialty reagents: Grignard reagents, organolithiums, coupling catalysts
• Oxidizers and reducers: H₂O₂, NaBH₄, LiAlH₄ for redox transformations

This chemical diversity means equipment must resist virtually everything—a requirement only fluoropolymers can meet.

Why PFA for Fine Chemicals:

PFA delivers universal chemical resistance essential for multipurpose operations:

• Complete resistance to mineral and organic acids at all concentrations
• Unaffected by caustic solutions and amines
• Resistant to chlorinated solvents, polar aprotic solvents, and aromatic hydrocarbons
• Handles oxidizing and reducing agents without degradation
• Non-contaminating: No extractables or leachables that could affect product purity
• Easy cleaning: Smooth, non-porous surface enables thorough cleaning between batches
• Temperature capability supports both cryogenic (-40°C) and elevated temperature (+180°C) reactions
• cGMP compatible: USP Class VI compliant materials for pharmaceutical applications

Batch Changeover Advantage:

Unlike PTFE (which can absorb certain chemicals), PFA's non-porous surface releases completely during cleaning—critical for preventing cross-contamination between product campaigns. This enables rapid changeover without residue carryover that could affect product quality or require extensive validation.

Applications Across Pharmaceutical Production

Fine chemical and pharmaceutical intermediate production encompasses diverse synthesis operations, each requiring equipment that can handle aggressive chemistry while maintaining product purity.

API Intermediate Synthesis

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient manufacturing involves multistep organic synthesis with diverse reagents. From regulatory starting materials (RSMs) through registered intermediates to final API, each step may use different solvents, acids, and specialty chemicals. PFA-lined valves provide consistent corrosion resistance across the entire synthesis sequence.

CDMO and Custom Manufacturing

Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) like Lonza, and regional custom synthesis providers operate multipurpose facilities that manufacture different products in rapid succession. PFA-lined components support this business model by handling virtually any chemistry without material compatibility concerns.

Pilot Plant and Scale-Up

Process development progresses from laboratory through pilot scale (100-2500L) to commercial production. PFA-lined valves used in pilot operations can be directly scaled to production equipment, simplifying technology transfer and reducing validation burden.

Chiral Chemistry and Specialty Synthesis

Asymmetric synthesis, enzymatic reactions, and specialty transformations often involve sensitive intermediates and specialty solvents. PFA's inert nature ensures no catalytic interference or product contamination from valve components.

High-Potency and Contained Operations

HPAPI (Highly Potent API) manufacturing requires contained systems with materials that can be thoroughly decontaminated. PFA's smooth surface enables complete cleaning and supports containment validation.

Agrochemical Intermediate Production

Pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide synthesis involves many of the same aggressive chemistries as pharmaceutical manufacturing. PFA-lined valves handle chlorinated intermediates, phosphorus compounds, and specialty reagents common in agrochemical production.

PFA-Lined Products for Fine Chemical Manufacturing

  • PFA Lined Control Valve NPS 1½ NPS 1½ - Valve with pneumatic multi-spring actuator for fast, cost-efficient operation. - High quality industrial valve by GFT9

    PFA-Lined Ball Valves – Spheron9 Series

    Reliable shut-off and flow control for multipurpose chemical synthesis. The Spheron9 Clean Room Series features electropolished stainless steel bodies with full PFA lining—suitable for cGMP environments where material compatibility and cleanability are essential.

    • Sizes: DN15 to DN100
    • Pressure Rating: PN16 / ANSI 150
    • Temperature Range: -20°C to +180°C
    • Body: Stainless Steel 1.4408, electropolished finish available
    • Operation: Manual lever, pneumatic, or electric actuator
    • Suitable for: Reactor feed, product transfer, solvent systems, reagent dosing

    PFA Lined Ball Valve Range View Control Valve Range 
  • PFA Lined Ball Check Valve NPS 8 NPS 8 - On vertical mounting up to 60°, the center-guided ball closes the valve automatically. - High quality industrial valve by GFT9

    PFA-Lined Sight Glasses – Videron9 Series

    Visual process monitoring for reaction verification and batch documentation. The Videron9 enables operators to verify flow, check solution clarity, and document batch conditions without opening process systems.

    • Sizes: DN25 to DN100
    • Pressure Rating: PN16
    • Window Material: Borosilicate glass (200°C capable)
    • Body: Stainless Steel 1.4408
    • Applications: Reaction monitoring, color verification, flow confirmation

    PFA Lined Sight Glass Range 
  • PFA Lined Sight Glass NPS_10 NPS_10 - Sight glass mounts vertically or horizontally for easy installation in any environment. - High quality industrial valve by GFT9

    PFA-Lined Sample Valves – Provaron9 Series

    Contamination-free sampling for in-process control and batch release testing. The Provaron9 enables extraction of representative samples for analytical testing without compromising batch integrity or introducing contamination.

    • Sizes: DN15 to DN50
    • Pressure Rating: PN16 / ANSI 150
    • Temperature Range: -20°C to +150°C
    • Body: Stainless Steel 1.4408
    • Applications: IPC sampling, batch release, QC verification

    PFA Lined Samling Range 
  • PFA Lined Strainer NPS 6 (on request) NPS 6 (on request) - Main view - High quality industrial valve by GFT9

    Standard Series for Utility and Auxiliary Systems

    Many fine chemical facilities also require corrosion-resistant valves for utility systems, waste handling, and auxiliary processes that don't require clean room grade equipment. Our standard PFA-lined series with ductile iron bodies provides economical corrosion resistance for these applications.

    • Solvent recovery and reclamation systems
    • Waste acid and caustic handling
    • Scrubber and abatement systems
    • Chemical storage and distribution
    • Cooling water treatment (where corrosive)

    Complete Product Range 
1 4

Technical Specifications for Hydrogen Applications

Technical Specifications

Size Range (DN) DN 15 – DN 100
Size Range (NPS) ½" – 4"
Pressure Rating (DIN) PN 16
Pressure Rating (ANSI) Class 150
Temperature Range -20°C to +180°C (-4°F to +356°F
Extended range on request
Body Material (Standard) -
Body Material (Clean Room) Stainless Steel 1.4408 (CF8M), 1.4571, electropolished finish available
Lining Material Virgin PFA (Perfluoroalkoxy), cleanroom processed
Lining Thickness 2.5 – 3.5 mm
Face-to-Face Standard EN 558-1
Flange Standard (DIN) EN 1092-1
Flange Standard (ANSI) ASME B16.5
Certifications PED 2014/68/EU, ISO 9001:2015, FDA/USP Class VI material compatibility
Custom Engineering Available:
Electropolished surfaces (≤0.8 µm Ra), material certificates 3.1, custom configurations. Development partnerships welcome.

Chemical Compatibility

Chemical Compatibility

Chemical Formula Concentration Max Temp Rating

Tetrahydrofuran (THF

 C₄H₈O All concentrations 60°C

Dichloromethane (DCM)

 CH₂Cl₂ All concentrations 40°C

Dimethylformamide (DMF)

 C₃H₇NO All concentrations 100°C

Acetonitrile

 CH₃CN All concentrations 80°C

Toluene

C₇H₈ All concentrations 100°C

Methanol

CH₃OH All concentrations 60°C

PFA provides excellent resistance to the full spectrum of organic solvents used in pharmaceutical and fine chemical synthesis. The non-porous surface enables complete cleaning between batches, preventing cross-contamination in multipurpose operations. Contact us for compatibility with specialty reagents.

Excellent Full resistance, suitable for continuous use Good Suitable for most applications Limited Verify for specific conditions

Quality Documentation for Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

Fine chemical and API manufacturers require documentation that supports cGMP compliance, regulatory filings, and customer quality agreements. GFT9 provides comprehensive documentation packages appropriate for pharmaceutical supply chain applications.

Material Compliance:

• Virgin PFA lining—no recycled or reprocessed materials
• USP Class VI compatible materials
• FDA 21 CFR compliant
• No animal-derived materials (ADM-free available)
• Full material traceability

Quality Documentation:

• EN 10204 Type 3.1 material certificates
• PFA material certificates with batch identification
• Pressure test reports per EN 12266-1
• Surface finish certificates (Ra values) for electropolished components
• Declarations of conformity
• Manufacturing records for audit support

Compliance Support:

Our documentation supports:
• cGMP facility qualification
• Equipment cleaning validation
• Change control documentation
• Supplier quality agreements
• Regulatory filing support (DMF, ASMF)

Contact our technical team for specific documentation requirements.

Read the Full Project Story →

German Engineering for Critical Applications

  • Manufacturing Excellence:

    All GFT9 products are manufactured in Germany under strict quality control. Our facility in Kempen combines traditional valve manufacturing expertise with modern PFA lining technology, ensuring consistent quality across every component.

  • Documentation and Traceability:

    Hydrogen projects demand comprehensive documentation for safety compliance and operational records. GFT9 provides complete documentation packages including material certificates (EN 10204 3.1), test reports, declarations of conformity, and—for control valve projects—digital valve passports with QR code access to lifetime records.

  • Technical Support:

    Our engineering team understands the specific requirements of hydrogen applications. From initial specification review through commissioning support, we work alongside project teams to ensure our products meet exact application needs.

  • Flexible Delivery

    With standard products available from stock and custom solutions delivered within project timelines, GFT9 supports both urgent replacements and planned capital projects.
About GFT9

Discuss Your Fine Chemical Project Requirements

Whether you're equipping a new multipurpose plant, upgrading pilot facilities, or sourcing replacements for existing fine chemical operations, our technical team can support your project.

We work with:
• CDMO facilities and contract manufacturers
• API producers and pharmaceutical intermediate manufacturers
• Custom synthesis and specialty chemical operations
• Pilot plants and process development organizations
• Agrochemical producers

Contact Options:

Email: sales@gft9.shop
Phone: +49 2152 9154990

We can provide application-specific recommendations, chemical compatibility verification, and documentation packages aligned with your quality requirements.

Request Quotation →

Collections

1 3