Parker Instrumentation has signed a five-year preferred supplier agreement for tube fittings with international oil and gas company Maersk Oil in Denmark. The agreement, which runs until 2012, marks the start of a new phase in the relationship between the two companies and is expected to provide a logistical model for the companies' partnership worldwide.
To support the agreement, Parker Instrumentation has opened a new Products Centre in Esbjerg, close to Maersk's headquarters and at the heart of the region's offshore industry. This will supply Maersk direct, giving the company the benefits of an exceptionally short and responsive supply chain.
Maersk Oil is among the top 25 independent oil and gas producers worldwide, and a pioneer of technical solutions to the problems posed by the North Sea. The new agreement covers the supply of A-LOK compression tube fittings, but the Centre is already receiving enquiries for a wide range of components, including the new-generation high-integrity manifolds and valves designed and manufactured at Parker Instrumentation's Barnstaple, UK headquarters.
Dorthe Pedersen of Parker Instrumentation Denmark comments: "A shorter, tighter supply chain is increasingly important to our customers. We already have a global supply chain in place to support key areas in the offshore industry: this new 'proximity' strategy goes one step further, allowing us to provide an extremely responsive service while helping our customers simplify purchasing and streamline inventory."
The new agreement builds on a relationship between Maersk and Parker Instrumentation established over several years and spanning major projects.