Boulogne-Billancourt, February 21, 2013 –Vallourec, world leader in premium tubular solutions, announces the
full qualification of its new finishing plant in Saudi Arabia. Located in
Dammam, this unit is dedicated to the heat treatment and threading for the full
range of VAM® premium connections, with an annual capacity of
100,000 tons. It will mainly supply Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom's national oil
company, along with other regional operators. With the qualification of this
plant, Vallourec is reinforcing its presence in the Middle East where numerous
oil and gas projects require high added-value tubular solutions.
Resulting from the acquisition in 2011 of
Saudi Seamless Pipes Factory Company Limited - "Zamil Pipes", the
finishing plant comprises a heat treatment unit, a new threading unit and
coupling shop (the last 2 built by Vallourec). It is now qualified to carry out
all operations required in the production of premium connections using hollows
provided by Vallourec's pipe mills.
The new plant is expected to generate around
100 jobs, bringing the total number of employees working there by the end of
2013 to 200.
Didier Hornet, Managing Director of
Vallourec’s Oil & Gas Activities, said: "The qualification of our new
upgraded finishing plant by Saudi Aramco gives Vallourec a clear competitive
edge in the Kingdom and in the Middle East, where the demand for local content
is increasing. This investment will enable us to support local customers with
the most advanced premium products for their growing gas projects, and with
increased services thanks to higher flexibility and shorter delivery
times."
The new finishing plant has already received
an order for 20,000 tons of premium connections.
