Varel International, a large independent supplier in the global oil & gas drill bit market, headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, announced earlier this month that it has opened a Polycrystalline Diamond (PDC) Drill Bit manufacturing plant located in Kurgan, Russia.
The plant is a joint venture with NewTech Services. Varel will coordinate the manufacturing efforts and provide ongoing administrative and technology support with NTS championing the sales and services enterprise.
“In this first phase of the venture, Varel has provided support through the transfer of our technology,"said Bernard Pontneau, Varel International vice president of Eastern Hemisphere Operations. "The plant’s key personnel have been trained at our manufacturing facilities in France. In addition to our commitment to establishing the physical manufacturing equipment and technology, we are providing ongoing administrative and technology support.”
The facility will service the Russian market as well as the global market. The new facility, centrally located to facilitate rapid bit delivery across Russia, will increase global Varel PDC drill bit production by approximately 20%, according to the company.
Varel employs more than 1,000 people and has manufacturing facilities in Carrollton, Texas; Houston, Texas; Matamoros, Mexico and Tarbes, France.
