Valmont

Valmont began developing overseas markets in the early 1970s, forming Valmont International. Licensing agreements were established in Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Yugoslavia, Austria, and the Soviet Union.

By the mid-1970s, Valmont had begun to capitalize on opportunities created as foreign governments sought to convert less efficient irrigation methods and develop arid regions. In time, substantial numbers of pivots and linear move equipment were sold in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and Latin America. There were even a few in Switzerland and a handful just outside of London.

The North American Irrigation and International Irrigation segments were combined to form Valmont Irrigation in 1990, creating a single management structure for all aspects of sales, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution. In response to growing demand in the international marketplace, the Company formed a new company in Brazil in March 1997 to manufacture and distribute Valmont mechanized irrigation equipment in South America within the Mercosur Trade Alliance region, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chili.

In 1999, Valmont undertook a majority-owned joint venture in Nigel, South Africa, with both a manufacturing plant and sales office for sub-Saharan Africa.

Recognizing that the Middle East holds great potential for mechanized irrigation, Valmont built a factory in 2001 in the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.