Scottish energy industry equipment manufacturer and service provider Flowline Specialists is expanding its international operations by establishing an office and operating company in Dubai, UAE.
Its new wholly-owned Middle East subsidiary will commence operations at the end of this month and help to drive forward global growth plans for Flowline, which is based in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire.
This will be Flowline’s second overseas subsidiary, following the creation of a Norwegian company in 2013 to service the Scandinavian region.
Trading as Flowline Specialists FZE from offices in Jebel Ali, the business will be run by the firm’s group operations manager Graeme Chalmers, who is relocating to Dubai. He will retain his existing role in the expanded business.
In the last five years, the firm, which designs, engineers and manufacturers a range of equipment that safely handles flexible pipes, umbilicals and cables for all three main GOR markets (Gas, Oil and Renewables), has seen the contribution exports make to its annual turnover increase from 11% to around 54%.
In the same period, turnover has risen from £0.85 million to £6.5million – excluding turnover from its Norwegian subsidiary. Staff numbers have quadrupled in the same period to now stand at around 60 people.
Jim Smith, Flowline Specialists managing director, said: “Since the business was established in 2001 it has grown strongly and consistently. In order to continue to do this we need to build the business in overseas markets.
“Dubai will become a key hub for not just the Middle East, but also India and Australasia thanks to its excellent connections. We already have an expansive fleet of equipment in Dubai. In the future, we shall be looking to extend this fleet by utilising local manufacturing resources wherever possible.”
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