Flintshire-based Cokebusters (www.cokebusters.com), a specialist in the maintenance of furnace and fired-heater tubes at oil refineries around the world, has expanded its business into the Middle East for the first time after winning a £7.5 million five-year contract from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC).

Cokebusters is a world leader in decoking and inspection operations and has seen its sales rise by 41% in the last two years to over £6 million; export sales make up 95% of its trade.

Duncan Cully, Cokebusters’ commercial manager, said: “We’re very proud to sign a major contract in the Middle East.

“You can only grow so much in a limited market, which is why we have focused our growth overseas.”

Cokebusters received the Queen’s Award (in the International Trade category) in 2018.

It employs 35 people at its headquarters in Hawarden and has a base in the USA, enabling it to provide the highest-quality service to oil refineries all over the world.

The company has increased its workforce by 15% in the past year, as its export activities have continued to grow.