Cutting Underwater Technologies (Cut), a specialist cutting services provider to the decommissioning and abandonment industry, has invested £3.25million in new UK headquarters in Aberdeen.
Turnover and staff numbers in the north-east are both expected to grow by the end of the year.
Previously, Cut’s UK operations were based on two separate sites within Kirkhill Industrial Estate.
The new location at Bridge of Don brings these together and there is capacity there for future growth.
Cut’s new 1.3acre site at Claymore Drive, in Aberdeen Science and Energy Park, comprises 10,000sqft of workshops, research and development, and test facilities as well as a trial and test tank and 7,000sq ft of office space over two floors.
Dino Vallarino, the firm’s UK general manager, said: “We wanted to create a centre of excellence for our operations and supporting R&D work where clients could visit us easily.
“It is difficult to find suitable premises around the Aberdeen area – our new home is an ideal location for us.”
Cut supplies patented Tecnospamec cutting systems to clients carrying out decommissioning projects in the North Sea and worldwide. Major clients include Acergy, Aker, Heerema, Saipem/Sonsub, Subsea 7 and Technip.
Mr Vallerino said: “There is increasing demand for our services and we expect that to continue as the level of decommissioning work around the world takes off.
“Over the next two decades, companies will start to decommission more and more structures in the North Sea as well as other production centres as their infrastructure ages.
“Our new HQ will play a major role in helping us respond to opportunities both in the UK and overseas.”
The Cut group of companies, including the UK business, was formed 10 years ago by Italian parent Tecnospamec.
As well as work in the North Sea, the Aberdeen operation handles work in Africa, South America, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
International work accounts for some 40% of the UK business, which was responsible for £5million of the group’s £9million turnover for 2008 and is on track to achieve more than 25% growth in 2009.
Employee numbers have increased from 18 to 27 over the past 18 months and are expected to rise to about 35 by the end of this year.
Cut also has operational bases in the US, Norway, Singapore and Brazil, serving the needs of regional clients, while further expansion is expected in the Middle East.
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