A dynamic new management team and broader services are shaping a bright future for offshore engineering specialist Epic International – a year after the death of its founder and managing director.
Three senior appointments at the Great Yarmouth-based company bring decades of industry experience to support David Rowan’s widow, Kim, who vowed to push the business forward after his death.
Despite her “minimal experience” of the oil and gas industry, Mrs Rowan sought help to learn about the company, and wider industry, to secure its future in memory of her husband of 30 years.
Today, as the company approaches its 20th anniversary, Epic personnel are mobilised worldwide, working with major industry names on contracts in Angola, Nigeria, Aberdeen, Denmark, Tunisia, Australia, in the southern and central North Sea.
Contracts are in the pipeline and new services are to be launched later this year.
Decommissioning solutions and strategic alliances, offering clients an integrated approach are its key focuses, as well as overseas expansion.
“Our USP is to offer clients cost effective, efficient and dynamic solutions,” Mrs Rowan said.
Mr Rowan died age 59 after a short illness in February 2018. He had built a reputation for innovative problem-solving in operations, management and maintenance support, well service personnel, procurement and logistical services, as well as commissioning and decommissioning of key platforms.
Among his last projects, was a pioneering late-life model for a major North Sea asset owner, saving it £12m a year.
Working at her husband’s old desk, Mrs Rowan paid tribute to her son, Dane, who works in the industry, daughter, Naomi, and Epic International’s financial and commercial director Paul Martins, for “being by my side all the way.”
Epic International’s “dream team” was now developing the company’s worldwide personnel supply offer, along with its late-life and decommissioning solutions and models ensuring it is best-placed to secure opportunities, she said.
A suite of training courses at its large base is to launch later this year to save east of England companies sending people out of the region for essential training.
“Considering it’s the beginning of the year, we are doing well,” said Mrs Rowan. “There have been times I felt there was no light at the end of the tunnel, it was daunting, and I took each day as it came.
“Now we have a dream team that brings experience, professionalism and a wide network of contacts. We are exploring new services, seeking out opportunities and are in a great position for the future as we mark the anniversary of David’s death.”
“We are building on the reputation David built and have looked at our strengths, pushed boundaries, investigated diversification and are using our skills in different ways.”
Joining the management team is business development manager Ian Littlewood, an engineer with 28 years’ worldwide experience; operations manager Mick Miller, with 28 years’ international experience with Expro, and general manager Adrian Hak, who also has long international experience in offshore electrical installation with Schlumberger.
The company has also refreshed its image with a new website and branding.
Mr Littlewood, who was part of the development team of the first integrated services of joint integrity and leak testing, said: “People at Epic have the best work ethic. It has a great reputation for providing the right people, the right skills, championing local industry and brought a lot of people through the industry. “
“It is the age of the small agile company and we are the right size. Gone are the days of global contracts – we are the right size.”
Mr Hak said: “We are talking to operators to see if can plug any gaps as an agile, company that supplies multi-skilled competent people.”
“We are optimistic, ambitious and ready to seize the opportunities coming up”
Mr Miller said Epic would be “best-placed to support the decommissioning market.”
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