As one of the fastest-growing manufacturers of wireline equipment, Synergy Wireline Equipment is dedicated to quality, innovation, and excellent customer service.
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Headquartered in Burleson, Texas, Synergy Wireline Equipment started in 2003 and has specialized in the design, build, and delivery of a full line of Cased Hole and Open Hole trucks for the oil and gas industry. In 2007, Synergy Wire and Cable was introduced, specializing in building electric line cables. We spoke with company President Paul Morrison to learn more.
“What makes us stand out in the market is the durability of our product, service, and customer relations,” Morrison says.
Another distinction of Synergy Wireline Equipment is that it is a full service manufacturing operator rather than an assembler. Besides cable reel, every fabricated component on the company’s units is built in-house.
“About 85 percent of our equipment is built in-house,” shares Morrison. “From hydraulic pumps to bolts, we try to do as much in-house as possible. We do have a variety of vendors who help with research and development and day to day supply, and they have been invaluable to us.”
Synergy’s sister company, Synergy Wire & Cable division, started as Williams Wire & Cable in 1998 in El Campo, Texas. With its reputation for quality and reliability, Williams Wire & Cable quickly earned the trust of a broad clientele including WSI, Weatherford, Schlumberger, EMP, Rock Pile, Renegade and Archer Well Services. In 2007 the cable shop relocated to Mansfield, Texas, just ten miles east of the Synergy Wireline truck manufacturing facility in Burleson and the name changed to Synergy Wire & Cable.
Of course, the current downturn in oil prices has had an effect on many companies and Synergy is no exception. Morrison explains that the company has had to reorganize its strategies to address the decline in the marketplace. “We’ve had to sharpen our pencils and reduce our labor force. We had to get smart.” After a peak of 110 employees in late 2014, the company currently employs 50 people. “We’ve had to cut back quite a bit to get lean and to be profitable,” Morrison explains.
Some of the company’s other strategies have included obtaining additional work overseas by reaching out to contacts in South America and Eastern Europe and looking at export sales.
Morrison believes Synergy will survive this downturn by expanding and diversifying. “Getting through the next two years in a bear market for the oil and gas industry is a challenge, but we plan on moving to a newer customer base to add to our existing customers and possibly diversify into manufacturing to help us through. We have also changed our upgraded plant equipment and reallocated facilities at the plant to be more efficient.”
Crediting Synergy’s core staff with helping the company get through tough times, Morrison says, “Our core group stays with us through thick and thin. There has been a lot of dedication with our core group of people working lots of hours up to six or seven days a week. In 2014, we were trying to build up to push our product and originally did not have the facilities to do so. We just overcame obstacles with our core group of employees and our whole company altogether. We had a big year in 2014 all due to our employee base pitching in and doing their part.”
Today, Synergy’s product line includes an array of Cased Hole and Open Hole Wireline Logging trucks, in Single and Tandem Axle configurations in a variety of styles. The 250 Tandem Axle Truck is designed with a multitude of options to meet a customer’s operational needs. Synergy can manufacture logging units on any chosen chassis by companies such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, International or MAC. Logging speeds are variable, from as low as 4-100 fpm for logging and from 800-1200 fpm for rapid retrieval of downhole tools. Custom logging speeds can also be accommodated based on the customer’s operational needs. Other sizes available include the 235, and 270 tandem Axle Trucks, and 291 Tandem Half and Full Back Axles are also available for customers.
Priding itself as being “The World’s Finest Wireline Truck Manufacturer,” Synergy offers a fully comprehensive warranty and guarantees the structural integrity of its truck bodies for 10 years.
All cabin designs are selected by customers who get to choose the layout, wall color and materials, as well as custom cabinetry and countertops. Units come standard with ruggedized coffee makers, microwaves and optional refrigerators. Digital depth panels (Benchmark, Probe, FHE and 4G) are offered depending on the customer’s needs, and each truck has a drum rotation counter, RF/Stray current safety panel and intercom system, and a wellhead monitor for pressure. A number of optional accessories are also available.
“We build trucks to customer specs,” says Morrison. “They are designed to be on-demand for oil-field service businesses. All these are basic units that can be individualized specific to our customers’ needs. Whether they want a big or small interior or more electric wireline or a different chassis, we offer a variety of mix-and-match pieces of the equipment puzzle to satisfy our customers.”
To be sure, Synergy Wireline has plenty of plans for its future, and intends to continue leading the field of wireline services. Presently this includes moving into a new building that will house an in-house painting shop.
“With our new building move in July, we incorporated two state-of-the-art gas-heated paint booths,” Morrison explains. “This will enable us to do two to three paint jobs in one day. It will be a top of the line paint shop and we will be able to paint throughout the year without winter weather bothering us. To paint a large truck is an extreme challenge, but we are proud to add this to our repertoire. No one in this part of state has these painting booths; it is a big revolutionary change in truck fabrication.” The new building is a two-story 35,000 square foot building which will also feature a two-bay glass showroom with customer units on showcase for people driving by the facility.
In spite of the challenges posed by the downturn in oil prices, Morrison believes Synergy Wireline Equipment will persevere due to its strong core staff, dedication to customer service and a willingness to diversify its services.
“We started new lines of equipment, building downhole tools such as the SI-10/SI-20 setting tool on the market,” he says. “We are selling it out of our Burleson offices and secondary location in the Midland-Odessa area. We are also coming online with shivs that we hang tables with and we’re working on some other downhole tools as well. We will continue to add to our repertoire and what we can offer for our customers.”
