An equipment supplier that lists BP, Shell and Total among its clients has unveiled major expansion plans that include taking its headcount from five staff to 15 and relocating its Aberdeen office to larger premises.
Fraserburgh-based Vistem – which provides products including inflatable shelters and low-level access lifts – aims for a five-fold increase in turnover from £760,000 in 2015 to £4million in 2016.
The company – which was founded in 2013 by directors Mark Stephen, John Turnbull and Joel Watt – plans to recruit up to ten people in the next 12 months, including business development managers, research and development staff, and technical leads.
Thomas Barter, head of sales at Vistem, said: “Innovation and invention are at the heart of our business and the effort we invest into developing new, disruptive technology is creating pioneering solutions for the industry, which deliver major cost, time and safety benefits to our clients.
“In the current challenging industry climate, in which operators and service companies alike are under pressure to implement major efficiencies, the cost savings incurred by our products cannot be ignored.
“We want to support these companies as they continue to look at where cost reductions can be made.”
Vistem is expected to move from its present Gallowgate office in Aberdeen before the end of March into 4,000sq ft premises that will house its logistics, sales and technical functions, while its Fraserburgh head office will remain open.
The company’s onshore lifts are already used at oil refineries and power stations, with Vistem estimating that its clients save more than £300 each time one of the lifts is used when compared with the cost of scaffolding.
One customer reported saving more than £15,000 over five weeks when using a 4.2-metre lift, which reduced the time spent working at height by 526 hours.
Vistem has also spent the past eight months developing a version of its 3.5-metre lift that can be used offshore.
The offshore lift uses a pre-loaded gas spring and gear system instead of a battery powering a motor; it can be raised or lowered in 11 seconds and has a compact footprint of just 850mm by 985mm.
Barter added: “We have experienced growing confidence in our business and in our solutions since Vistem’s inception, and have delivered substantial cost savings to an ever-expanding portfolio of clients, which includes Total, BP, Shell, Talisman, Cape and a number of other oil and gas majors.
“2016 is set to be an exciting time for our business, and we want to ensure that we have a motivated, forward-thinking and talented team in place to help us continue supporting our clients at the highest level.”
The company also stocks an inflatable work shelter that can be inflated or deflated in five-and-a-half minutes and which can be fully deployed within 30 minutes, measuring 7.5m by 7m by 3.5m, making it suitable for tasks such as rig blasting, painting and welding.
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