Safety is Paramount
Interview with Olaf Bittner, Plant Manager and Authorized Officer, and Mohammed Altawil, Head of Sales at ITAG Valves Engineering GmbH
From Celle to the world. ITAG Valves Engineering GmbH from Celle is a specialist for Kelly Valves, safety valves that are used on drilling rigs worldwide. It is a benchmark in the market, a renowned player with comprehensive experience, which successfully relaunched three years ago - exceeding all expectations.
ITAG is synonymous with 'Quality made in Germany' in the field of high-security valves. The company based in Celle works for global players in the oil and gas industry and enjoys an excellent reputation in the sector – because its products truly honor the 'Quality made in Germany' seal of quality.
Strengthened Out of Crisis
Founded in 1912 as International Deep Drilling Company and taken over in 2001 by Dr. Jaber A. Al-Marri from Qatar, the ITAG location in Celle acted as the parent company with subsidiaries in Qatar and Saudi Arabia; within the group, each company operates independently. "In 2021, the Celle location spun off from the ITAG corporation, which was facing economic difficulties," explains Olaf Bittner, plant manager and authorized officer, who grew up with the company. "At that time, we took over selected product groups and customers, significantly downsized, and dared to restart. Today, there are three production sites: Germany, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The site in Celle not only produces but also supports the sites in Saudi Arabia and Qatar with engineering services and technical support."
In Search of a Better Solution
ITAG Valves Engineering in Celle employs a permanent staff of 15 and is supported by two additional former employees. The portfolio is dominated by Kelly valves, which ITAG has been developing and producing for 100 years; always in accordance with market needs. "Kelly Valves used to be niche products for ITAG," said Olaf Bittner. "At that time, the corporation focused on ball valves and operated in a much larger market and under tough competitive conditions." Kelly Valves are located directly on the drill string and guarantee maximum safety in demanding environments of the oil and gas industry. "We are not the only ones supplying Kelly safety valves," emphasizes Olaf Bittner. "But nobody offers a similar quality and excellence. Our customers know this and remain loyal to us."
ITAG is setting new standards with the Valves. 'Unlike most competitors, we operate in the high-pressure range up to 1,500 bar,' emphasizes Mohammed Altawil. 'Most valves available on the market only work in one direction; our valves can handle pressure from both directions. Additionally, the sealing system in the valves is usually soft-sealing, while our ball seals are purely metallic. It is important to us to incorporate customer desires into the development and to continuously develop and optimize our products.' A result of this continual development is an offering of around 100 different valve variants; in the USA, we offer 10 to 15 types. Also, the fact that ITAG takes care of all pressure tests including third-party acceptances and provides spare parts sets the company apart from the market. 'We are very flexible when it comes to designs,' says Mohammed Altawil. 'Valves generally need to be replaced after six months, plus regular overhauls of the systems occur. We support our customers here. Our products meet all safety standards, which is essential for the industry. In the oil business, we adhere to the API standard of the American Petroleum Institute, which is also relevant for us.' Besides Kelly Valves, ITAG manufactures ball valves, known as PIG valves, used where pipelines need to be cleaned regularly. Special products according to customer specifications like slides, wellheads, and XMAS trees form a third pillar. With this range of services, ITAG turned over five million EUR last year - a result that exceeded expectations, as Olaf Bittner says. 60% of the products are delivered to European countries, 40% are for non-European exports. 'We deliver 60 to 70% of the products directly to the end customers,' says Olaf Bittner. 'The rest is distributed through dealers. Our big advantage is that we are an approved supplier and enjoy a very good reputation in the market. ITAG offers security and experience; two aspects that are particularly significant in our industry. If there is a problem with the product on a drilling rig, the costs for the end customers are extraordinarily high. No one wants to take this risk.'
Growing with foresight
People in Celle look to the future with optimism. "We enjoy the trust of our customers and easily gain new ones," explains Olaf Bittner. "In our position, we have no worries. Even though the topic of energy transition is more relevant than ever, little will change for us in the next 10, 20 years. We need to see what is possible in our field with our competence and experience, where new opportunities and tasks arise. That’s why we scout the market, visit customers, and listen to them. Our goal is to grow healthily, step by step, and with a good eye. For example, we try to standardize our products so that we can ramp up inventory levels and serve customers quickly. We are fortunate here to be able to act independently. After spinning off, we started from scratch and independently built something new. The operating result encourages us to stick to our strategy."