An offshore engineering company founded by one of the north-east’s best-known businessmen is launching a Marine Safety Systems (MSS) division following a six-figure investment.
Aberdeen-based Imes Group, which was co-founded by Melfort Campbell, expects to create a total of ten jobs at the new subsidiary, with six staff having already been hired.
Mr Campbell last year chaired the Scottish Government’s Independent Expert Commission on Oil & Gas and who is a former chair of CBI Scotland.
Other directors of the new division include Rod Buchan, who was appointed as executive chairman of Imes Group in April.
Colin Cunningham, who has been named as MSS’s operations director, joins from Survitec Group, where he was global director of launch and recovery systems.
Mr Cunningham previously served as operations director for marine and offshore operations at Cosalt Offshore between January 2010 and December 2013.
Cosalt Offshore was bought by NBGI Private Equity in February 2013 and merged with Aberdeen-based peer ATR Group, following the collapse of Cosalt’s London-listed parent company.
Mr Buchan said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Colin on board at what is an extremely exciting time for the business.
“We feel there is a real gap in the market for the kind of service offered by the new MSS division and have already received a positive response from prospective clients.”
He added: “As part of our strategic growth plan, we are actively expanding into adjacent spaces around our core business.
“We see moving into the marine safety systems area as a natural fit given the extensive subsea and marine knowledge possessed by our team as well as the company’s range of industry-recognised accreditations.”
MSS has already received accreditation from DNV GL and Lloyd’s Register for its inspection, servicing and maintenance of lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear.
Mr Cunningham said: “While our primary focus is the oil and gas and commercial marine industries in and around Aberdeen, I see real potential for this service to take off in other parts of the country – particularly around IMES’s existing UK operational locations.”
Imes Group, which employs around 70 staff, has bases in Aberdeen, Bristol, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Rosyth and Sheffield.
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