Specialist engineer STATS Group has invested £5million in a new headquarters in the north-east as it eyes further expansion.
The firm, formed 11 years ago by brother and sister Peter Duguid and Lorraine Porter, provides piping and pipeline maintenance and integrity services for major oil and gas operators.
The four-acre site at Midmill Industrial Estate, Kintore, contains 40,000 square feet of workshops, storage and testing facilities, 10,000sq ft of office space and brings together the firm’s 125 UK staff at a single location.
Previously, STATS operated from three sites at Dyce, Inverurie and Oldmeldrum, but integration at one location will significantly reduce costs and bring specialist design and engineering capabilities together.
Managing director Mr Duguid said: “Our vision has always been for a modern global headquarters, which would bring all our specialist skills and technologies under the one roof.
“The advantages include lowering our cost base and improved communications and teamwork, which will ultimately benefit our clients.
“We have vastly increased working space to extend our range of tools and increase our product development and we now look forward to bidding for larger and more complex work.
“While other businesses are contracting, we are determined to maintain a measured drive towards growing the STATS brand globally, and we now have the capability to recruit additional staff to achieve our objectives.”
Director Ms Porter added: “Moving into this purpose-built headquarters marks the start of a new chapter in the STATS story and has provided a great morale booster for everyone as we get ready to consolidate our success in new international markets.”
The company also has a branch in Canada which employs 14 staff and focuses on opportunities in the massive Alberta oilsand region.
Further expansion plans will see STATS establish a regional office and workshops in the United Arab Emirates and United States. Last year, STATS was listed among Britain’s leading 100 private companies with fastest-growing sales over three years.
Sales have grown from £2.5million in 2004 to a forecast £20million this year.