OilVoice - Expro Subsea Excellence Centre Praised by Local Business Leaders

Expro Subsea Excellence Centre Praised by Local Business Leaders

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Leading international oilfield service company Expro today announces the official opening of its new Subsea Excellence Centre in Ulverston, UK, which has been hailed as a boost for Britain’s manufacturing industry by business leaders.

Expro has invested around £12 million in the site which will consolidate the company’s Connectors & Measurements operations and house its 270 employees. The move coincides with the 30th anniversary of Expro’s Tronic products, which are market-leading subsea power and data connection systems used to enable the extraction of valuable reserves throughout the global oil and gas industry.

Commenting on the significance of the new facility, Jayne Kendall, South Lakeland District Council regeneration project manager, said: “We are delighted with Expro’s continued investment in South Lakeland and especially in Ulverston. The building is a credit to the company and its employees and we look forward to seeing Expro go from strength to strength in this new Subsea Excellence Centre.”

The multi-functional, 45,000 square metre site at Low Mill will bring major logistical benefits to customers and the wider sector. With a production area the size of a football pitch, streamlined manufacturing processes have been developed to reduce lead times and allow a total focus on quality.

Expro’s Ulverston operations were previously located across three separate facilities and the new site has been built on schedule at 54 weeks. Construction was carried out by Eric Wrights Ltd to exacting standards overseen by Merchant Developments and Michael Eyres Partnership.

Harry Knowles, chief executive of economic agency Furness Enterprise, said:
“Expro’s investment is a massive boost for Ulverston, South Lakeland and Britain’s manufacturing industry. It allows the company to meet the needs of its global client base more effectively and demonstrates its ability in systems integration.”

Mr Knowles said the investment secured hundreds of jobs in the Ulverston area and reinforced Cumbria’s position as one of the UK’s energy hubs.

Mark Jones, director of Expro Connectors & Measurements, said:
“Opening our new Ulverston base is a major milestone in the history of Expro’s Tronic products and it highlights our commitment to the local area. Over the past 30 years, thanks to our highly skilled workforce, we have established a reputation for the development and delivery of innovative technologies to meet the needs of the international oil and gas industry. The establishment of the Low Mill site as a global Subsea Excellence Centre reflects our leading position in this sector of the industry, ensuring our customers benefit from increased efficiency and our total focus on quality delivery.”