We are the largest global industrial distributor, based on sales, of pipe,
valves and fittings (“PVF”) and related products and services to
the energy industry based on sales and hold a leading position in our industry
across each of the upstream (exploration, production and extraction of underground
oil and natural gas), midstream (gathering and transmission of oil and natural
gas, natural gas utilities and the storage and distribution of oil and natural
gas) and downstream (crude oil refining and petrochemical processing) sectors.
We offer more than 230,000 SKUs, including an extensive array of PVF, oilfield
supply, automation, instrumentation and other general and specialty industry
supply products from our global network of suppliers. Through our U.S., Canadian
and International segments, we serve our more than 19,000 customers through
approximately 350 service locations. We are diversified by geography, the industry
sectors we serve and the products we sell.
Products: We distribute a complete line of PVF products, primarily used in
specialized applications in the energy infrastructure sector. The products we
distribute are used in the construction, maintenance, repair and overhaul of
equipment used in extreme operating conditions such as high pressure, high/low
temperature and highly corrosive and abrasive environments. We are required
to carry significant amounts of inventory to meet the rapid delivery, often
same day, requirements of our customers. The breadth and depth of our product
offerings and our extensive global presence allow us to provide high levels
of service to our customers. Due to our broad inventory coverage, we are able
to fulfill more orders more quickly, including those with lower volume and specialty
items, than we would be able to if we operated on a smaller scale or only at
a local or regional level. Key product types are described below:
•Valves, Automation and Instrumentation. Product offering includes ball,
butterfly, gate, globe, check, needle and plug valves, which are manufactured
from cast steel, stainless/alloy steel, forged steel, carbon steel or cast and
ductile iron. Valves are generally used in oilfield and industrial applications
to control direction, velocity and pressure of fluids and gases within transmission
networks. Other products include lined corrosion resistant piping systems, control
valves, valve automation and top work components used for regulating flow and
on/off service, and a wide range of steam and instrumentation products used
in various process applications within our refinery and petrochemical sectors.
•Carbon Steel Fittings and Flanges and Stainless Steel and Alloy Pipe
and Fittings. Carbon steel fittings and flanges include carbon weld fittings,
flanges and piping components used primarily to connect piping and valve systems
for the transmission of various liquids and gases. These products are used across
all the industries in which we operate. Stainless steel and alloy pipe and fittings
include stainless, alloy and corrosion resistant pipe, tubing, fittings and
flanges. These are used most often in the chemical, refining and power generation
industries but are used across all of the sectors in which we operate. Alloy
products are principally used in high-pressure, high-temperature and high-corrosion
applications typically seen in process piping applications.
•Line Pipe. Carbon line pipe is typically used in high-yield, high-stress
and abrasive applications such as the gathering and transmission of oil, natural
gas and phosphates.
•Oil Country Tubular Goods (“OCTG”). OCTG includes casing
(used for production and to line the well bore) and tubing pipe (used to extract
oil or natural gas from wells) and is either classified as carbon or alloy depending
on the grade of material. In February 2016, we completed the disposition of
our U.S. OCTG business, which represents substantially all of our OCTG sales
globally.
•Other. Other includes natural gas distribution products, oilfield supplies,
and other industrial products such as mill and safety and electrical supplies.
Natural gas distribution products include risers, meters, polyethylene pipe
and fittings and various other components and industrial supplies used primarily
in the distribution of natural gas to residential and commercial customers.
We offer a comprehensive range of oilfield and industrial supplies and completion
equipment, and products offered include high density polyethylene pipe, fittings
and rods. Additionally, we can supply a wide range of specialized production
equipment including meter runs, tanks and separators used in our upstream sector.
Services: We provide many of our customers with a comprehensive array of services
including multiple deliveries each day, zone store management, valve tagging
and significant system interfaces that directly tie the customer into our proprietary
information systems. This allows us to interface with our customers’ IT
systems and provide an integrated supply service. Such services strengthen our
position with our customers as we become more integrated into the customer’s
business and supply chain and are able to market a “total transaction
value” solution rather than individual product prices.
Our comprehensive information systems, which provide for customer and supplier
electronic integrations, information sharing and e-commerce applications, further
strengthen our ability to provide high levels of service to our customers. Our
highly specialized implementation group focuses on the integration of our information
systems and implementation of improved business processes with those of a new
customer during the initiation phase. By maintaining a specialized team, we
are able to utilize best practices to implement our systems and processes, thereby
providing solutions to customers in a more organized, efficient and effective
manner. This approach is valuable to large, multilocation customers who have
demanding service requirements.
As major integrated and large independent energy companies have implemented
efficiency initiatives to focus on their core business, many of these companies
have begun outsourcing certain of their procurement and inventory management
requirements. In response to these initiatives and to satisfy customer service
requirements, we offer integrated supply services to customers who wish to outsource
all or a part of the administrative burden associated with sourcing PVF and
other related products, and we also often have MRC Global employees on-site
full-time at many customer locations. Our integrated supply group offers procurement-related
services, physical warehousing services, product quality assurance and inventory
ownership and analysis services.