The £250,000 investment in Harran Limited’s new Aberdeen headquarters is already paying multiple dividends and has created the space needed for further vigorous growth, both at home in the North Sea and overseas.
Since managing director, Ralph Hume, founded the helicopter refuelling and refuelling systems specialist in 1995, the firm has grown from just one client operating a single installation, to managing a large portfolio with 14 major clients, servicing more than 60 installations world-wide.
Harran provides expertise, personnel and equipment in support of offshore helicopter refuelling activities, and employs management and engineering staff who have extensive experience in all aspects of offshore helicopter refuelling services.
Harran, which is a private company, accredited to BS EN ISO 9001: 2008 by LRQA, also operates a fleet of IMDG approved to IMO-1 standards, stainless steel chemical transit tanks, available from 2,700 to 4,800-litre capacities to meet clients’ varying requirements.
In a nutshell, Harran specialises in the following:
o Manufacture: helicopter refuelling systems, additive dosing systems, etc.
o Repair and maintenance.
o Offshore/onshore inspection and certification services.
o Refurbishment: tank, refuelling system and component.
o Spare parts supply.
o Aviation fuel storage and transportable tank filling.
o Rental equipment: refuelling systems, transportable helifuel tanks and ancillary equipment.
o Training of refuelling crews.
o Fleet management services for customer owned tanks: inspection, maintenance, pressure and proof-load testing.
“Harran is unique in the UK, due to our ability to offer the aviation market a complete fuel service. Everything from refuelling system design, manufacture and installation, through aviation-fuel bulk storage and distribution in our own or clients’ transportation tanks, to ongoing inspection and maintenance of the equipment anywhere in the world – a genuine single source of supply,” says Hume.
In 2005, Harran had 10% of the UK North Sea helifuels/fuelling systems market; today that market share stands at 45%. And the company supplies about over half of all Jet A-1 helifuel used offshore.
According to Hume, Harran enjoys massive client loyalty with most contracts simply renewed over the years. Only one contract has ever been lost.
“We’ve majored on integrity of service,” says Hume. “If we drop the ball we’ll own up and put it right”.
“Moving to our new premises has helped too. This is our dedicated facility and it enables far better presentation of our services. Our workshop is 13,000 sq ft, we have a concreted yard of half an acre, new bunded tank farm, plus we have extensive offices”.
“We really can expand, including taking on more contracts in the Aberdeen area and extending our manufacturing of heli-refuelling systems.
“Indeed we’ve just landed a large contract with Floatel International to manufacture the refuelling system for the accommodation rig Floatel Victory which is being built in Singapore. This includes fuel bulk storage, pumping, filtration, tank lay-down area and associated deluge and foam systems.
“We’ll manufacture the system here in Aberdeen and, next April or May, we expect to send the equipment out to Singapore and commission in September.”
2011 was the best year yet for the company. Aside from the decision to invest in the new HQ and successfully sustaining its North Sea business, Harran was contracted to build, install and commission a helicopter refuelling system for the huge Kashagan oilfield development offshore Kazakhstan.
It is hoped that blue chip contracts such as Kashagan and Floatel Victory will lead to further, significant global opportunities.
A very important aspect of the helifuel systems business is the servicing of the equipment used offshore. Inspections are carried out to CAP437 rules; they are very rigorous.
“Kit comes in here, we strip and rebuild and supply new parts as necessary,” says Hume”.
About 90% of Harran’s North Sea business is conducted out of Aberdeen, the balance being handled out of a satellite in Great Yarmouth.
“We’re planning to develop Great Yarmouth further, including looking at the offshore renewables market . . . refuelling systems and the supply of transportable tanks,” he adds.
Indeed, the main revenue earner for Harran is tank rental . . . both helifuel and general purpose chemicals.
The company owns a fleet of some 400 tote tanks dedicated to either helifuel or general chemical, plus it manages tote tank fleets belonging to a number of clients.
This compares with just 30 helifuel and 12 chemicals tanks in 2005.
“We’re planning to invest around £1.5million in more tanks over the next two years,” says Hume, adding that the emphasis will be on general purpose stainless-steel tanks built to IMO spec for the handling of chemicals and liquid waste. There are plenty of opportunities to grow this side of the business.”
Other opportunities currently being pursued include helideck inspection and “friction testing” on North Sea installations on behalf of duty-holders. This is already leading to further investment in and training of the current workforce of more than 20 specialists.