Texas Oil Tools named IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards finalist

Established in 1990, the annual competition recognizes plants from various industries that demonstrate superior practices and performances as well as devotion to continuous operational and fiscal improvement. It evaluates performance in 12 categories: management practice, quality achievements, employment practices, safety, customer focus, supply chain and logistics, technology, manufacturing and flexibility, maintenance, inventory management, environmental stewardship, and competitiveness and market results.

Part of NOV Completion & Production Solutions, Texas Oil Tools is the leading specialty manufacturer and supplier of well control equipment for intervention operations. Opened in 2012, the 200,000-sq ft plant features 53 machines and more than 130 employees.

Plant Manager Brandon Davis led the facility's inaugural participation in the competition.

“I believe in competition. A manufacturing facility operates the same way as professional sports,” said Davis. “They need resources, training, practice, but what they often don't get is the game. That's where this competition comes into play. Until you step on the field and compete against other companies who have been pursuing the same target, you don't really know where you rank.”

Davis said he knew the plant had the right stuff to compete soon after joining the company three years ago.

“The team has been making continuous improvements across a variety of indexes,” he said. “We’re the underdogs. The rest of the manufacturing industry is not used to seeing oil and gas show up. I feel like we are going to show up and do very well.”

The winners are expected to be announced in August and celebrated during an awards ceremony at the Manufacturing & Technology Show in Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 18-20.

Davis said he hopes our other plants get inspired to enter the competition.

“I want NOV to become a consistent performer in that playing field so people outside of oil and gas learn our name, who we are, and look to us as an example of operational excellence to which they can aspire to,” he said. “I want more plant managers in NOV to chase this because it is healthy for everyone. It is healthy for the company, plant managers, and the teams. Competition sharpens the senses everywhere."