Scottish energy industry equipment manufacturer and service provider Flowline Specialists is expanding its international operations by establishing an office and operating company in Dubai, UAE.
The wholly-owned Middle East subsidiary will commence operations at the end of this month and help to drive forward the Oldmeldrum-based firm’s global growth plans. It will be Flowline Specialists’ second overseas subsidiary, following the creation of a Norwegian company in 2013 to service the Scandinavian region.
Trading as Flowline Specialists FZE from offices in Jebel Ali, the business will be run by the firm’s group operations manager Graeme Chalmers, who is relocating to Dubai. Alongside developing Flowline Specialists’ interests in the Middle East, he will retain his existing role in the expanded business.
The firm’s decision to establish a presence in the region has been driven by a number of projects that it has completed in the area and the positive reception it has received on recent trade missions to the Middle East.
Overseas work has become an increasingly important part of Flowline Specialists’ business. In the last five years, the firm, which designs, engineers and manufacturers a range of equipment that safely handles flexible pipes, umbilicals and cables for the oil and gas, subsea and renewable industries, has seen the contribution exports make to its annual turnover increase from 11% to around 54%. In the same period, turnover has risen from £0.85million to £6.5million – excluding turnover from its Norwegian subsidiary. Staff numbers have quadrupled in the same period to now stand at around 60.
In recognition of its overseas growth, the firm has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Achievement in International Business category at the 2015 Northern Star Business Awards which take place later this month.
Jim Smith, Flowline Specialists managing director, said: “Since the business was established in 2001 it has grown strongly and consistently. In order to continue to do this we need to build the business in overseas markets. The Middle East presents a number of opportunities for us in the oil and gas and renewable sectors. Creating a presence in the region was a natural progression for us in order to serve this market more effectively.
“Dubai will become a key hub for not just the Middle East, but also India and Australasia thanks to its excellent connections. We already have an expansive fleet of equipment in Dubai. In the future, we shall be looking to extend this fleet by utilising local manufacturing resources wherever possible. These are exciting and challenging times for Flowline Specialists.”
Headquartered in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, Flowline Specialists designs, engineers and manufactures a wide range of equipment for the global oil, gas and renewable industries. All of its equipment is road mobile and ferry compatible for rapid deployment in the UK and Europe. Established in 2001, the firm employs around 60 staff and has an additional manufacturing base at Fyvie, Aberdeenshire and operational bases in Norway, Holland, Dubai and Singapore. For more information, visit www.flowlinespecialists.com or telephone +44 (0)1651 871872.