ABSTRACT
SmartDrill is a U.S. manufacturing company that was founded in the late 1970s when the energy crisis created an increased demand for oil exploration. Its main products are bits designed for oil and natural gas drilling. Operating for decades, SmartDrill has been regarded as a world leader in drill bit manufacturing. Although it operates in several countries, there are three main plants producing cutting bits, one in Houston, Texas, one in England, and another in Singapore. The production of drill bits in these three plants accounts for more than half of the drill bits consumed worldwide. The company’s home office is in Houston, and its plant in Houston is a center for producing bits to be used in the Americas. The plant in England serves European customers, and the Singapore plant is a hub for the Asia/ Pacific region. Figure 7.1 illustrates a finished product.
