PSW Consultants (engineering) LTD have been manufacturing tools for the oil and gas pipeline industry since 1996. Their brand, Pipeswizard, has emerged in the past 5 years from relative obscurity to suddenly be competing against some of the most well known brands in the industry on an international level.
The reason behind this is that PSW were the manufacturers behind a lot of the products from those well known brands.
For example, have you bought a MatheyDearman product in the past decade? If so, there's a good chance it was manufactured by PSW; possibly even designed by them. This has meant that the Pipeswizard brand has managed to slip into a usually brand-loyal marketplace with great success. Ultimately people who previously purchased MatheyDearman branded products are happy to use Pipeswizard products, as quite often it's an identical product, with PSW manufacturing (or having manufactured) the MatheyDearman item.
The branded products PSW have manufactured are not limited to MatheyDearman, of course, but they are one of the names that everyone will know.
Unfortunately, many companies in the industry are now looking to China and India to manufacture their products. Despite more and more RFQs now stating "US, EU or Japanese origin only", these companies are being drawn to the low cost of manufacturing in these countries; but they are also taking the quality gamble that comes with it.
Pipeswizard's emergence onto the marketplace offers an alternative. PSW still manufacture 100% of their products in the EU, and they never subcontract to countries outside of it. They also keep almost all of their manufacturing in house, meaning that from casting to powder coating, they have control over the quality of their products. Those companies who choose to move their manufacturing to China or India do not have this luxury.
Ultimately, brands like MatheyDearman, Sumner and Weldtec will continue to have a strong presence in the industry. They have forged their reputations over many years and people will continue to work their products. What Pipeswizard represents, however, is an alternative for people looking for a product which is 100% EU manufactured and certified, and yet retains a cost advantage due to PSW not having to subcontract their manufacturing.
The choice is, as always, down to the individual. Brand loyalty is something which should never be taken lightly. Not taking a look at the offering direct from the manufacturer, however, just makes good commercial sense.
