For a family firm which started life as an idea discussed over Sunday dinner, Survivex has had a good debut year.
The training centre for the offshore energy industry, the brainchild of George Green and son Andrew, beat its own targets and turned over £3.8million in its first 12 months.
The Aberdeen-based company has now set its sights on nearly doubling that this year and increasing its workforce from 60 to 80.
Mr Green sen has previous experience in the sector, having set up his own company before selling it to rival Falck Nutec in 2007, but after that he planned to retire.
Survivex finance director Andrew said, however, his father’s time on the sidelines had been short-lived.
He added: “We were at home talking over dinner and decided we would set up a business together.
“There was no plan to do that until then, but the more we spoke about it the more we realised there was an opportunity there.
“We knew there was pent-up demand for training courses and that there was room for another company in the north-east.”
Unlike his father, the training sector was a new experience for Mr Green, 28, who was born at Buckie but brought up in Aberdeen.
The former Oldmachar Academy pupil studied electrical engineering and finance at Strathclyde University before moving to London to work as a trader for Met Brokers.
After deciding the trading floor was not for him, Mr Green returned to the north-east and joined the oil and gas team at professional service firm Deloitte.
He said: “It was a good foundation in the oil and gas business and I learned a lot about best practices and how to run a company. I took a lot of that knowledge into my current role.”
Although a suit and tie has been his uniform throughout his career, Mr Green said he had targeted the flightsuit of an RAF airman during his time at university, having previously earned his pilot’s licence and become the youngest person in the UK to fly solo.
Mr Green said his passion for flying was sparked as a young boy when he went abroad for a family holiday.
He said: “When we were on the plane, I went up to the cockpit and was amazed; all I wanted to do from that moment on was fly. The natural progression from there was to get a pilot’s licence.
“It is quite competitive to get a job as a pilot and I thought a licence would get me ahead of the game.
“I got my first lesson when I was 15 as a birthday present and I was hooked. All my money from my part-time job went on lessons after that.”
After joining the university air squadron, Mr Green completed the officer training course at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, but then decided against a career in the skies.
He said: “There was a lot of talk about funding cuts to the RAF, and a lot of people in my university squadron who got jobs were later let go.”
Mr Green said he still enjoyed flying himself, however.
Although he has missed out on the international travel an RAF career would have afforded him, Mr Green said Survivex had set its sights on offices around the world.
He said: “Survivex still has a long way to go. The next big milestone will be when we look to establish businesses in the Middle East and Asia.
“We are also on the lookout for suitable acquisitions, both locally and internationally, which would enhance our product range and also expand on it.
“If we come across something which fits and makes sense, we would seriously consider it.”
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