FORTY years ago, long before the opening of its state–of–the–art 3,800 square metre facility on Wheeler Street, Challenger Valves and Actuators (CVA) was simply an idea shared between two men on a long road trip to Gunnedah in 1983.
As Spitwater High Pressure Cleaners owner Phillip Martinotti and his Goulburn Valley agent Fred Williams travelled the highway, a conversation about opportunity slowly took shape and what began as a passing idea steadily evolved into a plan; set in motion by little more than a will to learn and a dream to succeed.
From here it wasn’t long before Paul Calderio joined them. Known to Martinotti as his “top technician”, Calderio brought both technical expertise and a shared belief in what could be built. Together, the three men laid the groundwork for what would become a proudly Australian owned and operated valve manufacturing and automation business.
Looking back, Challenger Valves General Manager Kelvin Williams, son of co-founder Fred Williams, said the foundations were built on relationships.
“It really started with connections. Mr Martinotti had strong ties with factories and suppliers in Italy, but he didn’t have the time to build something in Australia. He could see Dad was capable, someone who could get things done, so he wanted to partner with him.
“Dad had the local know–how, and Mr Martinotti had the overseas contacts. Paul Calderio was an engineer working with Mr Martinotti, so it all came together from there.”
Operating from a modest brick office and warehouse on New Dookie Road, the newly formed CMW Spraying Supplies Pty Ltd began by importing pumps and pressure vessels. As Fred later reflected, the company’s earliest days were built on little more than belief in what could be achieved.
“I had nothing to give them—zero,” he said. “No sales, just a dream.”
While Fred’s ideas set the direction of the business, much of its early progress relied on the involvement of his wife, Elaine. Her role was important in the early years of CVA and remained so as the business grew. Elaine provided steady support behind Fred’s decisions and contributed practical skills in bookkeeping and administration. For many years, she filled a range of roles as needed to help keep the business running day to day.
These early years were a period of adjustment, and it soon became clear that the original focus was not well suited to the local market. The business responded by changing direction. Pump specialist Cal James joined the company for a time, helping shift the focus towards ball valves and opening up new supplier relationships overseas.
Around this time, accountant and adviser Chris Baldwin introduced a group of local investors, including Santo Varapodio, Eric Jacobson, Stewart Davison, Bruce Feldtmann and John Panettieri. Their support helped steady the business and reinforced its connection to the region.
“They were local people, but very capable people, John Panettieri was actually a nuclear physicist. He was a brilliant guy, someone who could fix or build just about anything,” Kelvin said.
Fred said the confidence shown by the board was critical in those early years stating,
“They had their input of course, but they had confidence in me, and it was an extremely good way to run the company.”
Through the late 1980s, the business quietly expanded its international network, building relationships in Europe while also sourcing from Taiwan. It was during this period that a chance connection would help shape the company’s future.
Australian engineer Brian Jones, who was based in Taiwan and running his own manufacturing operation, identified a gap in the Australian market. With a deep understanding of local industry needs, he introduced the concept of butterfly valves, along with a practical way to ensure quality.
“His thinking was simple but effective. We could use overseas foundries, but assemble, finish and test everything here to Australian standards. That gave us control over quality, which was critical,” Kelvin said.
Fred agreed the shift marked a major turning point, adding,
“He knew the industry in Australia, and he knew what was wanted,” he said.
Through those connections, the company began sourcing castings and developing its own products, including a double O-ring seal built into the sealing face, designed specifically to meet a gap in the local market.
Operations relocated to a larger Glenn Street site in Shepparton, where local assembly and testing became part of the process for the first time. At a time when imported products were proving unreliable, CVA’s commitment to accountability and quality set it apart.
“Our theme was assembled and tested in Australia, and we wanted to stand behind what we sold,” Fred said.
The product proved well suited to Australian conditions and demand grew steadily across industries including water, agriculture and infrastructure. Butterfly Valves Australia (BVA) was established alongside CMW, before the two were eventually brought together under one company.
With the addition of actuators to the product range, the Challenger name emerged, reflecting a broader capability and a growing confidence in the market. Over time, the offering expanded further to include gate valves, check valves and knife valves.
“You start with one thing and then you add on. If someone needs a valve, they will probably need something else to go with it,” Fred said.
Through the 1990s and 2000s, Challenger Valves and Actuators built its reputation steadily from its Glenn Street base. Growth was driven not by rapid expansion, but by consistency, service and strong relationships with customers.
Long–serving employees, including, David Heenan, Mark Jackson, Daniel Aitken, Shane Brown and Jon Cooper, played an important role in that stability, contributing to a culture built on knowledge and reliability.
“We’ve always focused on looking after people and if customers needed something, we made sure we could deliver,” Kelvin said.
The business expanded its warehouse capacity in 2010, improving efficiency and creating room for future growth. At one stage, CVA became one of the largest ball valve distributors in Australia.
By the 2010s, the company had firmly established itself as a trusted supplier across the water, irrigation and infrastructure sectors. Its appointment in 2014 as the sole Australian distributor for Cla-Val automatic control valves marked another significant milestone.
Planning for the future gained momentum in 2020 with the purchase of a three–acre site in Wheeler Street.
What followed was the largest investment in the company’s history. Completed between 2024 and 2026, the new purpose–built facility more than doubled storage capacity and transformed day–to–day operations.
“We’ve gone from around 1,600 pallet spaces to 3,600 and we’ve also introduced new systems that give us much better control over stock and how we move it. It’s made a big difference,” Kelvin said.
The benefits are evident across the business, from improved workflow to faster service delivery.
“Everything is more connected now,” he said. “It’s made us quicker and more responsive, and that’s what matters to our customers.”
The company’s sales team has also grown, reflecting increasing demand and a continued focus on service.
“The ability to provide service and do it now has always been at the core of what we do,” Kevin said. “That’s what Dad built the business on, and now we actually have the capacity to deliver it better than ever.”
For Fred, seeing the completed facility is the culmination of decades of steady, hard–earned progress.
“All the problems to get to this — I couldn’t have made my life any better than just having this set up and completed. This facility will allow us to continue doing exactly what we want to do, and it has created a magnificent workplace,” Fred said.
Now, with a new generation involved and a modern facility in place, CVA is looking ahead with confidence. Interest from major global manufacturers continues to grow, built on the same strong relationships that defined the company from the beginning.
“We’re in a fortunate position that people want to deal with us,” Fred said. “You talk to someone: you get an introduction, and you never know what will come out of it.”
Throughout CVA’s remarkable journey, the ambition has remained unchanged, as Kelvin said,
“To be one of the strongest valve suppliers in Australia — that’s the goal. And I like to win.”
