KZValve

KZValve

KZCo Inc. began in 1976, founded by brothers Keith and Kevin Ziegenbein, who invented the Hydra-Halt hydraulic valve for use on their family farm near Greenwood, Nebraska. The company launched its first electric actuator, the Electra-Halt, in 1982 after four years of R&D, and introduced the first economical motorized ball valve to the agricultural market, replacing unreliable solenoid-type electric valves. KZValve manufactures waterproof motorized valve solutions for agricultural, industrial, and precision plumbing applications. The product line spans valve sizes from ¼″ to 5″, steel and poly materials, and control options from analog (4-20mA) to CAN/ISOBUS. Key product families include the Electra-Halt series (EH3, EH4, EH7), Tru-Torq MX Series, TX2 series, and the ZIPValve introduced in 2015. The company serves customers across North America and other regions, with a focus on custom engineering for specific applications. The company is headquartered in Greenwood, Nebraska, and lists additional locations in Leverkusen, Sheffield, San Mateo, St. Louis, Cedar Rapids, and Memphis (per Altss research). Engineering is central to KZValve's identity — the firm brands its engineers as "Inventioneers," a term coined by founder Keith Ziegenbein, and emphasizes custom development of new or similar products. The company's engineering philosophy is "form follows function, and price follows quality," prioritizing rigorous standards while maintaining economical pricing. KZValve remains a family-owned operating company controlled by the Ziegenbein family. Unlike many family offices that manage financial capital, KZValve operates as a manufacturing concern with deep domain expertise in electric actuation and waterproof valve design, serving specialized industrial and agricultural niches through continuous product innovation.