Hydraulic control system manufacturer Specialised Management Services (SMS) said yesterday it was looking to expand its operations centre in Aberdeen, after turnover rose 55% to £10million in 2012.
The energy service firm plans to add an extra seven staff this year to the 10 already working at the Granite City site.
Gary Morrow, business development manager for the Great Yarmouth-based company, said sales had risen following the launch of a modular power unit and the growth of the customer base. It has won contracts recently worth between £200,000 and £2.5million. Its clients include Aker, Cameron, BP, Talisman and Apache.
SMS was bought 10 years ago by Alderley, which has manufactured oilfield metering equipment since 1959 and has offices in the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore. Mr Morrow said being part of Alderley had helped SMS to expand into difficult-to-access markets such as Saudi Arabia.
Overseas sales account for 30% of the firm’s business with end-users in Australia, the Middle East, west Africa and South America, but the firm expects the buoyant North Sea market to remain its focus in the medium term.
General manager Dave Howlett said: “Being part of the Alderley group has given us the support we have needed to position SMS as a leading manufacturer in hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical control systems.”
The firm, which manufactures most of its products at Great Yarmouth, employs 78 onshore at both its UK sites and also has 25 offshore employees.