One of the most common questions that MRC Global receives is how a manufacturer can be included on our Approved Manufacturer List (AML). It is not a quick or easy process. After an initial evaluation including commercial aspects and product testing, the final step towards earning a place on MRC Global’s AML is an on-site assessment of the manufacturer’s facilities. That is where we come in. Both of us have more than 30 years of experience in the manufacturing and quality realm.
If you are involved in sourcing products for offshore or subsea applications, you have probably been introduced to the Norsok M-650 qualification. So, what is Norsok?
One thing I have learned in my 30 year career in the energy and industrial industry, is that there are a lot of myths surrounding product manufacturers, especially manufacturers based in Asia. I am regularly asked at conferences and customer meetings to explain how we know that the products we supply to our customers are indeed high quality products.
Finding high quality manufacturers is vital to our business. The industry has changed, and we have had to grow along with it. Fifteen to 20 years ago, most of the manufacturing and business we supported as McJunkin and Red Man were in North America. Now, we are a global business, our customers have global needs and we have to rely on a global manufacturing base to meet those. The trick is identifying the right manufacturers to work with.