Aberdeenshire-based Ashtead Technology, an integrated subsea technology and services provider, has invested £1 million to develop a new R&D and engineering facility. The firm has also launched a recruitment drive to bolster its operations as part of its long-term business goal.

Upgrading an existing site at Thainstone Business Park, the new 15,000ft² technology centre located in Inverurie features an engineering R&D suite, a dedicated equipment trial and testing zone and a 10-tonne overhead crane to support on-site fabrication and machining capabilities. The facility also has an acre of yard and storage space.

Ahstead Technology, which is headquartered in Westhill, is looking to create 12 new jobs to be based across its two sites in roles including project management, design and engineering.

Ashtead Technology has experienced accelerated and sustained growth over the past four years following five strategic global acquisitions. The mechanical solutions from its most recent addition, Underwater Cutting Solutions (UCS), are now fully accommodated at the new premises alongside its asset integrity team.

Ashtead CEO Allan Pirie said: “We have grown rapidly over the past few years, and consolidating our team and technologies in a new purpose-designed facility, to further integrate our service offering to better support our clients, has always been the plan. The opening of our new advanced site supports our aim to increase our foothold in renewables and decommissioning and bring our teams closer together to offer a more efficient service.

“Our technology centre expansion has also created an opportunity to add to our multi-skilled team and we look forward to attracting new talent into the business.”

Fraser Collis, general manager of Ashtead Technology’s mechanical solutions (pictured), said: “The UK currently has the largest and most dynamic offshore wind market in the world and decommissioning projects are also back on the agenda following a slowdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

“We now have double the capacity of our previous site to house our vast range of equipment such as diamond wire saws, dredging systems, shear cutters and ROV tooling, as well as the means to now develop more bespoke technologies to support our clients’ operations.

“We are well positioned to capitalise on our combined in-house, multi-disciplined expertise to deliver in these areas as well as offering an enhanced working environment for our staff.”

Ashtead Technology employs around 180 people in key offshore energy hubs around the UK, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.