An Orkney-based environmental consultant is hoping to expand its overseas work on the back of Scotland’s lead in marine renewables.
Aquatera now has work in Chile, America, Taiwan and Japan and is working with firms from Germany and Norway on projects in the UK.
Managing director Gareth Davies said the firm, which employs 20 people plus associates at Stromness, had also just started working in Australia, helping with strategic planning for a new marine industry there.
Mr Davies, who founded Aquatera in 2000, said 50% of the company’s £1.5million turnover was now generated from overseas.
As it has grown, especially over the past 18-24 months, so has its international work. Mr Davies said: “We have always done a lot of overseas work, but before it would be one project each year in a different place,” he said. “Now it is six or seven different countries simultaneously.
“We’ve now an ideal opportunity to consolidate ourselves as a leading provider of expertise in to the marine sector, wave and tidal.
“Over the next 10 years, hopefully commercial-scale development will take place in Orkney waters and the further expertise and experience gained can be re-exported around the world.”
The firm carries out environmental services including strategic environmental assessments and environmental impact assessments plus resource assessment studies, design advice, operations support and environmental surveying.
Mr Davies said being in Orkney, a key focus of the marine renewables industry with the European Marine Energy Centre, had helped.
He added that by working with other local businesses in partnership, they are able to offer packages of work, which had helped them and others to export. But he said the experience and expertise Aquatera had built up over 10 years was also important to its increasing success.
He added that the business offered something different because it took a 360-degree view; of how operations affect the environment but also vice versa and both sociological and ecological impacts.
Aquatera also still works in the oil and gas sector.
More recently, it has been working with large utility groups on infrastructure planning. As Mr Davies put it: “Rewiring Scotland over the next 10 years to create a grid infrastructure appropriate going forward for a low-carbon economy.”
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