Specialist Services, manufacturer of living quarters, office and technical modular buildings for the oil and gas industry, is to re-establish a hire fleet at recently acquired Labtech Services to meet growing North Sea and international demand.
Offshore modular enclosure firm Labtech, which employs 90 staff across two sites in Aberdeen, was acquired by Specialist Services at the end of last year. Until three years ago, Labtech had operated a highly successful rental fleet in the UK Continental Shelf. Now the company’s new owners are committed to reviving and growing the rental activity once more.
Specialist Services’ chief executive officer Ian Rogers said: “When we acquired Labtech, we inherited an already well established name in the North Sea, with a strong reputation but a need for some stability. Our commitment to the company is long term, and the revitalization of the hire fleet is an indication of our intent.”
The rental operation will start with 15 units, predominantly 20ft drilling and engineering cabins and laboratories, but anticipated demand is expected to see the fleet increase to up to 50 units in the next 12 months with additional jobs at the Aberdeen facilities. The new fleet of cabins, all Zone 1 certified and NORSOK compliant, will serve the growing North Sea market and international requirements.
“There is certainly a growing international rental market and we aim to exploit that by fulfilling the needs of our clients around the world,” said Mr Rogers.
“We are recognized for the provision of hire fleets in the Middle East and Singapore, and through our acquisition of Labtech we will extend our services into the North Sea. We recognise that there is a definite requirement for high quality accommodation in the UKCS and we intend to serve that market and others from our Aberdeen operations.”