In an industry that saw most companies cutting back during the last downturn, one key OCTG supplier bucked the trend, making record investments to enhance their machining, manufacturing and threading capabilities. In addition, this major industry supplier expanded its Customer Inventory Services and OCTG storage facilities.
K&B Industries bucks the industry’s trend with major investments in threading, tubular, machining and manufacturing equipment.
During the 2015-2016 downturn, K&B Industries, headquartered in Houma, Louisiana, embarked on a three-year strategic investment plan to expand their capabilities and facilities, and to implement an even more comprehensive Customer Inventory Services program based on their new capabilities. As a result, the company has been exceptionally well positioned to meet the expanded needs of their customer base during the current, fast-paced market upturn.
Expanded OCTG products, services and accessories
K&B is a known leader in premium tubular threading services for the oil and gas industry, and the go-to provider for full-length threading services. In fact, K&B is licensed to machine more premium connections than any other provider in the industry. Through its recent investments, the company has vastly expanded its OCTG storage capacity, manufacturing capacities and machining services, including the latest stress relieving technology for swaged and expanded OCTG premium threaded connections.
While significantly expanding its OCTG storage capacities with all-concrete storage yards, K&B also expanded its OCTG accessories offerings, including the addition of a robot cell for the advanced manufacturing of OCTG couplings. With its expanded capabilities, K&B manufactures one of the broadest assortments of high-performance wellhead accessories in the industry.
Widest line of tubular accessories
K&B also offers accessory threading capabilities in 2-3/8” through 24”. The company provides blasting, zinc and manganese phosphate, NDE inspection, painting, and finished goods inventory, with a wide line of tubular accessories. These include blast joints, bull plugs, combo tubes, couplings, cross over subs, double pin subs, drill pipe & drill collar, flow couplings, full line of accessories, nipples, handling plugs, pump-in subs, pup joints, stabbing guides, test plugs, threading and repairs, tool joint subs and more.
Customer Inventory Services for enhanced efficiencies
In conjunction with its expanded manufacturing and storage capabilities, K&B has also extended its Customer Inventory Services program, enabling companies to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their inventory and logistics operations. Whether customers need storage, threading, repairs, manufacturing, or assembly torque and testing, K&B’s Customer Inventory program lets them handle it all on site, with safe and secure inventory storage across two locations and 25 acres (including 130,000 square feet of covered storage). In addition to stocking programs for customer products, K&B performs comprehensive reclamation and inspection services for customer rig returns, along with documented dimensional inspections, re-gauge services and NDE inspection services. Real-time status checks and customized, detailed inventory and reconciliation reports are performed at scheduled intervals, with advanced systems and processes to ensure accurate, reliable and timely communication concerning all critical inventory assets.
Expanded API and premium OCTG threading, machining and manufacturing
As part of its completed investment and expansion program, K&B Industries added significant new machining and manufacturing capabilities in both its Houston and Louisiana locations, including expanded welding and fabrication areas, assembly areas, and lab areas.
A newly designed gage lab provides a variety of testing and quality assurance services, tailored to customer requirements. The addition of 5-axis machines brings the company’s total to 6+, providing for faster turnaround and greater precision on customer projects.
With more than 45 years of experience in manufacturing oilfield-related products, K&B brings precision, rigorous quality control, and attention to detail to every project, as evidenced by the company’s quality manufacturing and quality assurance programs. The company currently holds and maintains licenses for ISO 9001, as well as API Specifications Q1, 5CT, 7-1, 6A and 16A.
With its expanded capabilities, K&B now operates operate over 85 mills, lathes, drill presses and vertical mills on site. As a result, it can accommodate most any machining process required in the manufacturing of parts demanding critical tolerances. With its unique blend of specialized machinery, K&B can turnkey parts that often require additional processes, in sizes as small as 1/2″ to as large as 64” in diameter, from carbon alloy to the most exotic metals.
Enhanced engineering and design
With investments in the most up-to-the-minute technology (Full Autocad Design Suite highlighted by Autodesk Inventor and Catia), K&B Engineering Services offers comprehensive design services for K&B customers, including CAD-generated design drawings, component design, and design and testing of complete assemblies. From concept to verification and validation testing, K&B offers end-to-end capabilities to ensure all products are designed and manufactured to meet the most demanding specifications.
Investments paying off in current market
As a result of the investments made during the downturn, K&B Industries has been better equipped to meet customer demands in a timely manner during the current business cycle and has attracted new customers due to its expanded manufacturing, storage and inventory services.
“With our expanded manufacturing, storage and testing facilities, and addition of key strategic services, we are better able to meet the full spectrum of customer requirements, to provide unmatched competitive advantages in our customers’ manufacturing and supply chain operations” according to Kenny Wood, Jr., President of K&B Industries. “We continue our commitment to delivering the highest quality and customer service standards in the industry, and our recently completed strategic investments are proof of that commitment.”
For more information, contact K&B Industries at 985-868-6730, or visit www.kb-industries.com.
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