GE’s Oil & Gas Subsea Systems business plans to add a new subsea centre in Bristol at the city’s Aztec West Business Park.
By adding this new facility, the group says it will create 200 new jobs this year and that opportunities are available for a range of engineering, project management and commercial professionals.
“In order to respond to increasing demand for our products and services, we are creating a second subsea hub in Bristol,” said Rod Christie, vice president for Subsea Systems at GE Oil & Gas.
“The area has a strong pool of high-integrity industries, such as aerospace, defence, nuclear and automotive that we can tap into, allowing us to realise our growth goals more readily.
“Establishing a stronger presence in Bristol will enable us to bring new and much needed skilled staff into our global organisation supporting the capabilities of our existing subsea hub in Aberdeen.”
GE currently employs 550 people in Bristol, where it has operated since 1980, and the company’s subsea systems unit already employs more than 800 people.
The complex at Nailsea is close to Bristol Airport, plus it has excellent road and rail linkages.
The company has invested heavily in its UK businesses, both in West Country and the Scottish north-east.
More than $1million (£620,000) has been spent on modernising the company’s Master Control Station (MCS) workshop and Subsea Electronics Module (SEM) at Nailsea. Early last year, GE announced a $15million (£9million) investment in its manufacturing plant in Montrose with the creation of 40 new jobs.