• COVER STORY: CURTISS-WRIGHT •
Curtiss-Wright: Critical
With an expansive history and strong presence in several industrial sectors, Curtiss- Wright continues to prove its mettle among its vast series of markets. For 2026, the company launches a new series of Tritex ® electromechanical linear roller screw actuators, driving new capabilities for end users in the upstream oil & gas sector.
• By Steve Fennell
Curtiss-Wright has long been associated with technological innovation. Established in 1929, following a merger of Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation and Wright Aeronautical Corporation, the company has since sustained strong momentum that continues to shape its operations today.
While its heritage lies in the aerospace industry, the company grew in the decades to follow. Throughout the latter half of the 1900s and 2000s, it diversified with a series of acquisitions in the defense, industrial, and energy sectors – all of which have further established the company’ s global presence with several cutting-edge technologies.
Curtiss-Wright also strengthened its position in the industrial valve and electric actuator markets with many milestones and further acquisitions. These have included – but not limited to – Farris Engineering( 1999), Exlar Corporation( 2013), and Dyna-Flo( 2020). All currently serve numerous customers across power generation, oil & gas, chemical & petrochemical sectors, as well as the industrial, defense, and aerospace markets.
“ Curtiss-Wright became involved in the valve control industry 30 years ago, manufacturing very high end, very fast, and responsive valve control designs,” said Nick Holmgard, Senior Product Manager for Exlar ® and Tritex ® products.“ We were doing things that nobody else could at the time. We are continuing to expand into new applications beyond upstream oil & gas by engineering new products that advance our capabilities."
Proven Technologies One of the leading business units under the Curtiss-Wright umbrella is its Chanhassen site, which designs, engineers, and manufacturers a variety of electromechanical roller screw linear and rotary actuators, which meet the demanding requirements for its core market verticals such as automotive manufacturing, defense, and packaging.
Exlar electromechanical linear roller screw actuators can produce forces up to 80,000 pounds, speeds up to 60 inches per second, and 15 times the life of comparable technology. These features enable users to achieve close times of less than one second in valve control all the while providing the reliability and performance to drive continuous operation in remote, demanding, and critical applications.
These capabilities are made possible by advanced, innovative, and exclusive designs. They include an
6 Valve World Americas | June 2026 | www. valve-world-americas. com