Aberdeen Marine Surveyors (AMS) was on the verge of being scrapped before it really got going – and now it is flying high.
Two years ago, Companies House dished out a small fine to AMS for missing the deadline for submitting dormant accounts.
AMS, whose core business is bulk cargo management, was dormant because no one was prepared to give the business a chance to show what it could do in the years after its launch in 2012.
Fledgling companies not being trusted is a theme that runs throughout this edition of Energy Voice.
AMS director and co-founder Neil Carr said it doesn’t seem to matter how much experience a company’s staff members have as individuals if the business can’t flaunt a track record of completed projects.
It would have been very easy for Mr Carr and business partner Gary Bruce – who worked together at Marex for a spell – to wind down AMS at that point.
The duo initially set up the business because they felt companies in their line of work weren’t tailoring services to suit clients. Instead, they were offering off-the-shelf solutions.
Fast forward to 2016, and Mr Bruce was convinced the opportunity was still there.
He managed to persuade Mr Carr to “go for it”.
Mr Carr, who was employed by Bibby Offshore for several years, said: “We contacted three prospective clients and received a response.
“We then spent four to five months being audited and approved.
“They kicked our tires and said we were tip-top.
“We were approved and have 100% client retention.”
Mr Carr said AMS had benefited from a “full reverse” in attitudes, leading to a “very quick progression” for the company.
AMS provides a number of services including ship-to-ship transfers, tank cleaning supervision and on and off-hire surveys.
It focuses on getting vessels turned around and back out to sea more quickly and at a lower cost than competitors. It is currently turning over £300,000 to 400,000 per year and is targeting £500,000 next year.
Mr Carr said: “We’ve performed way beyond people’s expectations, which is very satisfying.
“We are like a client rep. We treat their money as if it is our money and we’re independent, so we can say what we see.”
He said growing into other markets had helped AMS “keep the wolf from the door”.
Between 60% and 70% of the company’s revenues come from oil and gas, compared to 100% initially.
Contracts with companies engaged in agriculture, engineering, brewing and renewables have made the difference, while AMS’s training offering has also proved to be a hit.
The company has seven full-time staff members and can call on a pool of 16 contractors, including engineers and master mariners.
Mr Carr said AMS was fortunate that all of the new recruits have been known to himself or Mr Bruce for at least 10 years.
Mr Carr said the downturn had brought a lot of people into the job market who would usually not have been available.
“You can get a tow master at a day’s notice, which was not possible three or four years ago,” he said.
“It’s an ageing workforce and a lot of what we do is a dying art, so the downturn has helped in that regard.”
Recommended for you
