Oil and gas engineering consultant Optimus (Aberdeen) said yesterday it was on course for a stellar year after beating all its targets for 2011.
The north-east firm made pre-tax profits of £1.1million last year, well in excess of the £435,000 achieved in 2010, and turnover nearly doubled to £10.7million.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and accruals in the latest period totalled £1.18million, up from £515,000 previously.
Another target achieved was the award of ISO 9001, a quality management benchmark.
Bosses at the firm had aimed to grow turnover by 50% last year after a 12% rise in 2010, so the 88% achieved was way above their expectations. Director Ian Bell said: “It’s been the best year in our 12-year history. We’re looking forward to building on this success in 2012.”
Optimus said it had a forward order book worth more than £1million, thanks to recent project wins from BP, Centrica, ConocoPhillips, Maersk and Melrose Resources.
The company has also beefed up its management team, with five recent appointments taking the total to 14, led by Mr Bell and fellow directors Alasdair Reid and Karl Green.
Optima, which employs more than 70 people, provides process-engineering, facility-engineering, safety and project-management services for clients working in the North Sea, France, Egypt, Nigeria and Thailand. Mr Reid said: “The North Sea remains at the core of our business, but we’re looking to work on a wider international scale and currently looking at opportunities in the Black Sea, Pacific rim and Western Australia.”
The firm moved into new headquarters in Carden Place, Aberdeen, earlier this year after relocating from two sites in the city.