Tony Trapp News

A new business, O-Power (OP), will develop new technology in offshore engineering and hopes to make a significant contribution to the rapidly growing offshore wind market. OP offers concept development and analysis, right through to the supply and installation of product. It will use the human, physical and business resources of NE England to provide attractive and competitive engineering solutions - always aimed at improving technology. O-Power is an independent company founded and staffed by a team of engineers. It is based in Northumberland. The creation of OP is supported by IHC Merwede, the world market leader in the construction of specialist dredging equipment and a major supplier of specialist offshore technology and vessels.

HRH The Duke of Kent recently visited IHC Engineering Business (EB) touring the company’s Stocksfield (Northumberland) office and meeting members of the EB team including Chairman, Dr Tony Trapp and Managing Director, Toby Bailey. “It is a great honour to have received this visit, following the visit of the Duke of Gloucester less than two years ago, and so soon after we received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2009,” said Toby Bailey. “His Royal Highness was particularly interested to hear about the pipelay systems that we are currently constructing at Teesside. The larger of the two comprises of 2500 tonnes of complex equipment and is bigger than the Tyne Bridge.

The Engineering Business (EB), a specialist design, engineering and construction company based in the , has thrived with the recent expansion in offshore oil & gas projects globally, dubbed one of the fasted growing companies in northeast . It was recently announced that the company was acquired by IHC Merwede. MarineNews recently caught up with Dr. Tony Trapp, EB’s Managing Director. EB was founded in April 1997 by a four-man team of engineers led by managing director, Dr. Tony Trapp.