A YOUNG Moray company is looking to add to its workforce after breaking into the global oil and gas market.
Quality Hydraulic Systems (QHS) Scotland has defied tough trading conditions and is preparing for growth as orders for the design and manufacture of subsea equipment soar.
The Elgin firm has a full order book for the next year and is enjoying success that has taken even its founders, Charlie Forsyth and David Morrison, by surprise.
Mr Morrison said: “We wanted to stay in Moray and have proved we don’t need to be in Aberdeen to flourish in the oil and gas sector.
“We manufacture equipment and, although we also do repairs and upgrades, the equipment comes to us. We don’t need to be on-hand at the quayside. Obviously we want to be reasonably close to an airport and here in Elgin we are close to both Aberdeen and Inverness.”
Assisted by start-up funding from Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE), the company is now one of the agency’s account-managed businesses under HIE’s new model of operation. The duo launched QHS Scotland in April 2007 after working together at McDermotts, at Ardersier. They formed an idea for a business that would combine their industry experience of subsea hydraulic-control systems.
Mr Morrison said: “I knew there was a huge waiting list for this specialised equipment but we also knew that if we were going to bid to supply them we had to make sure we had the capability to deliver so that meant bold investment.”
HIE provided a free business adviser, who continues to assist QHS with its growth plans. One challenge was getting the right premises, but the firm eventually found an ideal start-up building owned by Johnstons of Elgin.
Since starting out, QHS has picked up orders from customers worldwide.
Mr Forsyth said: “Our track record has been such that orders have multiplied since we began in a way we could not have predicted.”
QHS employs 11 people and is seeking to recruit in areas including design, stainless-steel fabrication, and mechanical and instrumentation pipe fitting.