Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE) has set a new landmark in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with its Drill Bit Manufacturing Plant in Dhahran generating over 10,000 drills bits since 2011. While regarding 36 percent of the polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits are supplied to Saudi Aramco, the rest, are exported to 41 nations throughout the world, including the US, China, India, Russia, Argentina, UK, Norway, Kenya, Egypt, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, Australia, among others, underlining BHGE's commitment to enhancing local production and improving exports according to Saudi Vision 2030.

The Drill Expense Production center has also established other turning points with 47 Saudi-based vendors, consisting of little and moderate enterprises, sustaining the plant's operations - hence creating a durable local supply chain. The center has attained 73 percent Saudization highlighting BHGE's concentrate on advertising Saudi talents and developing top notch tasks for skilled Nationals. Drawing on sophisticated manufacturing modern technologies, BHGE plans to raise the production ability by 50 percent next year, having actually already established a production record of 50 drill bits 'Made in Saudi' weekly for 13 successive weeks. The ability expansion will certainly aid double the labor force at the facility and boost exports to 75 percent of the overall production.

Rami Qasem, President & Chief Executive Officer, BHGE, Middle East, North Africa, Turkey & India, said: "The production turning point accomplished by our Drill Little Bit Production Center in Dhahran is a strong statement on our localization commitment; we have been partnering in the energy sector of the Kingdom for over 80 years and we are progressing and growing in accordance with the development desires of Saudi Arabia. Today, under Saudi Vision 2030, the emphasis is on constructing localized production competencies, developing work for Saudi nationals and improving exports - all functions that are offered by the center. In addition, the center's development complements Saudi Aramco's in-Kingdom Total amount Worth Add program by enhancing local value supply chains of Saudi SMEs."

Nick Nawfal, VP & CEO, BHGE, Saudi Arabia & Bahrain, added: "The Kingdom's initial commercially viable oil discovery - the Success Well, Dammam No 7 - was pierced utilizing BHGE drill bits, which were imported from the US. Today, these drill bits are not only manufactured in the Kingdom but additionally exported around the world. Over the years, we have been supporting Saudi Aramco's goal to be the leading distributor of hydrocarbons worldwide, and with our solid localized existence - with production and service centers in the Kingdom - we will continuously offer our companions, providing reliable and timely support."

The Drill Bit Manufacturing plan in Dhahran was developed as part of BHGE's localization strategy - making it the first company to completely manufacture drill little bits in the Kingdom. The 2,500-square meter center is additionally the very first facility in the Middle East to completely manufacture drill little bits from resources to finished product regionally. With an overall of 80 employees in production, sales and procedure, 50 per cent of all engineering and sales teams being Saudi Nationals and over 70% of the producing team being Saudi nationals, the facility has actually attained high requirements of safety at the workplace with zero wasted time incidents reported for three consecutive years.

As a key player in the Kingdom's oil and gas supply chain ecosystem, BHGE has more than 2,600 employees in Saudi Arabia. BHGE has a solid local visibility marked by local oilfield tools manufacturing, and has tripled the ability of the manufacturing center to fulfill the local need of pressure control tools, and with ability to fix and re-certify BOPs.