Stork acquires Metallurgical Consultants, Inc. of Houston, Texas
HOUSTON, TX—October 20, 2006
Stork Materials Technology is pleased to announce the acquisition of the business of Metallurgical Consultants, Inc. of Houston, Texas.
The centrally-located metallurgical testing facility has served the Houston area since 1951, when M.E. Holmberg first struck out on his own to build a metallurgical consulting business. Holmberg, a metallurgical engineer, had spent several years—including the duration of WWII—in charge of materials for Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He left to start Metallurgical Consultants and was joined eight years later by Houston chemist T.V. Bruno. The company became incorporated in 1963, and is currently led by President Mark Buehler.
"Mr. Holmberg was involved in NACE International and API," said Bruno, now a board member and shareholder after serving as President of Metallurgical Consultants from 1977 to 1999. "He was chairman of various committees and very active in metallurgical and engineering associations throughout his career, up until his death. MC became known for helping industries with the application of materials, like new steels, for drilling, production in oil & gas wells, and pipelines. During the last 50 years, we were invited to consult on many projects that were the first of their kind. We count the major oil companies around the world as our clients."
Arnout Lijesen, Director of Strategy and Operations for Stork Materials Technology adds, "Metallurgical Consultants, Inc. is known in the industry as a source of deep knowledge and expertise. They are a strong company with a loyal client base and a solid reputation in metallurgy."
Metallurgical Consultants, Inc. serve the oil, gas, and chemical industries of the Gulf Coast and around the world with:
- failure analysis
- corrosion testing
material selection and specifications - Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)
- field and onsite services
- expert witness services in litigation and arbitration cases, and
- one of only a handful of laboratories offering hydrogen sulfide testing services—or "sour services"—in the country.
"It is a privilege for us to welcome Metallurgical Consultants and their exceptional staff into the Stork family," said Charles Noall. "Their portfolio will complement our current regional laboratories and will help us provide broader and deeper support to our customers in oil, gas, and petrochemical production in the southern U.S. There is much work to be done and long-range growth ahead of us; we will rely on Stork MC as a source of unparalleled technical knowledge and practical experience."
Metallurgical Consultants, Inc. President Mark Buehler said, "We're excited to partner with Stork and join our team to the talented and accomplished teams from this region and around the world. We're looking forward to working together and building our businesses."
At present, Stork MC will continue laboratory services and operations at its Parnell Street location. Transfer of ownership takes effect October 20, 2006. For more information about Stork MC, visit their homepage or contact Arnout Lijesen at 651-659-7501 or arnout.lijesen@stork.com.