TOMBALL, TX, – Hole making for the energy industry starts with hole making above ground in pipe and equipment produced at Hole Specialists Inc., a company that is nearly doubling the size of its plant, and adding equipment and staff in a $3.5 million expansion that company President Larry Robinson sees as the price of success. Although Hole Specialists experienced a dip during the recession, its business has rebounded, up 125% over last year, and new equipment, new capabilities and nearly a dozen new staff are attracting business from all over the U.S., in industries beyond energy. According to Robinson, the company has already added four 10-ton cranes, seven new lathes for OD/ID turning, and three heavy duty Sunnen GH210 honing machines – with work on the 25,000-sq-ft addition to start soon. In addition, a fourth Sunnen tube hone – the new HTG model – will be delivered in April after its premier at Houstex, offering greater horsepower and part capacity for even higher product output.The plant expansion will include 25,000 sq ft under roof, 49,000 sq ft of concrete-paved outdoor storage, and a circular drive for efficient truck traffic. Pipe doors in the walls will permit flow-through processing of parts – in one end of the building and out the other.
"In recent months, we've responded to customer requests and increased our hole drilling capacity to 20 feet in length by eight and a half inches diameter, and we added turning and pull boring technology," Robinson said. "Our honing capacity is currently 18-3/4-inches diameter but Sunnen's new HTG tube hone, which will be delivered here after Houstex, will take us up to 24 inches diameter and 30 foot lengths. We expect significant improvements in our efficiency with this machine's ability to produce 40 hp at the spindle, as well as the new fixturing system and ability to use two-stage tooling. Every part we pull-bore for concentricity will also be honed for final size, geometry and finish."
 |
Hole Specialists has added about a dozen staff members recently, and Robinson hopes to recruit as many as 18 more after the expansion.
Customers include Haliburton, Dynadrill, Baker, Continental Alloys and Services, Bardex, Dailey Thermetrics, Smith International and other industry leaders. Every one of these companies needs holes: deep, round, straight, sized and finished with extremely precise tolerances. Parts include hydraulic blocks, thermo welds, defense, molds, and oil rig control blocks. Some are so big a 6 foot tall man can walk through them. Hole Specialists' Quality Assurance Program is compliant with ISO 9002.
"This business has grown by combining capabilities requested by customers, with a quality and service-oriented approach that customers say they can't find elsewhere," Robinson explained. "We don't pretend to be the lowest cost provider, but in the end, our total cost still proves less than the commodity shops. Our success formula is pretty simple: provide services that customers want, when they want them, and honor our commitments. It's easy…until the customer calls at 2 a.m."
For Information: http://www.holespecialists.net
 |
All comment postings require your name and email address for user verification only. Your email address will not be used or distributed for any other purpose.
No advertising is permitted and will result in the post being deleted and/or banning. Please click "REPORT" to report any inappropriate posts. blog comments powered by Disqus
Permission to Reproduce:
Unless otherwise stated, the copyright and similar rights to all material published on this website are owned by The Manufacturers Group Inc. DBA Manufacturing & Technology eJournal( mfrtech.com ). Reproduction of any article in print, electronic or any other form must acknowledge mfrtech.com as the Source and include a link to http://www.mfrtech.com
 |
