Proserv Group, of Norway, has confirmed plans for expansion of operations in the Aberdeen area, which will lead to more jobs locally.
This was confirmed at the opening day of the Offshore Northern Seas oil show in Stavanger yesterday by Arve Sem-Henriksen, the group’s chief executive.
Following the acquisition of Proserv by Northern Industries in April 2006, the group embarked on the acquisition trail as part of its goal to become an international leader in five specialist sectors of the oil and gas industry. This strategy resulted in a threefold growth in the group’s business during 2007.
Although the first part of 2008 had been a period of consolidation, Mr Sem- Henriksen confirmed plans for two new bases in the Aberdeen area over the next 18 months. This would result in an investment of about £2million.
He said: “We have spent the early part of this year understanding the businesses we have bought and working out how best to utilise them and to understand their strengths.”
Proserv Abandonment and Decommissioning has led the way in this process.
The majority of the group’s acquisitions to date have been in this sector and it now accounts for 40% of its total business.
Proserv is working on plans for a new worldwide headquarters for Proserv Abandonment and Decommissioning at Kintore.
Meanwhile, in America, a significant stage in the integration of the new group companies was marked by the renaming of Twachtman Snyder and Bird as Proserv Decommissioning Contractors and Engineers.
Mr Sem-Henriksen said that the Proserv Abandonment and Decommissioning unit was the model which it intended to follow in its other sectors.
He added: “Our aim is to have a common product offering worldwide.
“We need ensure that we operate to the same standards and with the same services in each of our six geographical locations, from Australia and the Far East through to America.”
Another of Proserv’s five strategic business units, Proserv Instrumentation and Calibration, also has its global HQ in the Aberdeen area.
Mr Sem-Henriksen confirmed that the group was looking at locations on the south side of Aberdeen to develop a new facility which would accommodate this global base, bringing together the former businesses of Proserv NS, Scotech and the group’s most recent acquisition, GM Engineering.
Proserv employs more than 70 people in the north-east, but it is not yet known what this could increase to in the near future.
Group turnover in the past financial year was about £100million. The target for 2008 is about £120million.
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