Bidding a sad farewell to a friend, a great manager, and a loving employee

With great sadness we advise that Nico de Klerk Technical Director of AVK Southern Africa passed away on the morning of the 7th of July 2020.

In 1999 Nico de Klerk persuaded Peter Thomson to take over the Premier Valves project. If not for Nico Premier Valves and PV Engineering would have most likely not existed today along with the great talent in which the business was rebuilt.

With his enquiring mind, great intelligence, and 35 years + experience of designing, manufacturing and supplying valves he was always everyone’s ‘go to’ person for any question about a valve, or about any of the many other subjects in which he had an interest. He was a highly respected individual that was always approachable and helpful.

Nico was also a ‘doer’, someone who loved to take on new projects or technical challenges, who worked hard to make a success of whatever he was doing, and that inspired a ‘can do’ confidence and personal loyalty in the people around him.

Above all, Nico was a great mentor, leader, manager and friend to his colleagues in AVK Southern Africa. In most recent years he spent a significant proportion of his time in passing on his valued knowledge to his colleagues across the business.

We would also like to recognise the great contribution that he made to AVK, and together as we move forward, we do so in the same spirit of Nico; always positive, approachable and supportive.

At this time, we send our condolences to his wife Hester, his sons Juan and Ryan and family.