I retired early from Smith Bits Ponca City a few years ago because I couldn't stand to watch what they were doing to it. The machines I ran were all worn out and the Italians would not spend any money to rebuild or replace them. I wasn't surprised to hear they were moving it to Houston. What I'm hearing now doesn't surprise me either. I'm told the building they are moving to is too small, and has none of the infrastructure needed to run the machines. You need power, huge air compressors, air lines coolant lines ventilation inand out, water lines and chillers, welding gas lines, air conditioning for the computers. The list goes on and on. Anybody in the shop who had been there more than a few years knows this. It's going to cost millions just to ready the building before any machines can be moved in. I think the brainiacs in charge have bitten off more than they can chew.
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That's good. One more year and then Italy can have him back.
They are destroying all the machines in DT&R too... the Italian genius did shut down most of them to keep them frozen off the books, while all the seals and components are going just to corrode for lack of lubrication. Maybe they want all of them under the same roof so they can sell everything like in a garage sale and get rid of the business. Otherwise is not explainable why anyone would not take care of expensive assets, unless you are a sleazy used car salesman ready to screw anyone coming to you. And in a way is a brilliant move, because it's going to take a year or so before they see if it is successful or a total failure and meanwhile he collects one more year of salary, bonuses, stocks and so on.... The unfortunate reality is that this company has so much money that they can take all the wrong decision they want, they are not fighting to become number 1, they are just fighting to stop other companies to become bigger, it's a completely different game.
Well it does make sense to move while business is down, even though most of us don't like it.
Surely the Italians justified the cost of the move and gained approval. Too little too late, SLB will wake up to these guys one day. Well maybe not! Stupid is as stupid does!
Yeah, they are brain child's aren't they? The ventilation at the Ponca plant is inadequate in many areas allowing alot of smoke to stay in the building. Many of us figured they would close the plant within 5 years of the buyout, we were almost right unfortunately.