New contracts, new Aberdeen base: Bilfinger Salamis purchases into a brighter future

brand New contracts, renewals plus the opening of a brand new Aberdeen base have already been flipping the fortunes of Bilfinger Salamis after a stark begin to 2020.

The power solutions company has possibly maybe perhaps not been as “hard hit” as some within the sector.

It specialises in asset integrity and maintenance, areas that operators “have to, and so are, continuing to pay money on”, according to director that is managing Bonner.

On that front side, 2020 was a “huge 12 months for basic inquiries and tendering”, with “four or five major agreements” up for renegotiation or renewal.

I can genuinely say that we’ve done really well in retaining those and with picking up some more work”, Bonner said“As I sit here now.

“We genuinely haven’t lost any such thing significant so it’s now simply an incident when trying to obtain as numerous mobilisations and primed for next year’s turnaround.”

The names regarding the operators Bilfinger has won these relates to have become held private, but a spread is showed by them of assets over the North water they’ll be taking care of.

This, in change, has permitted the business getting 300 employees straight right straight back through the scheme that is furlough redeployed overseas.

This news that is good some darker times early in the day in 2020 for the company, with worker disputes over furlough and redundancies.

Bilfinger had an especially strong 2019, with shows including focus on the hookup for the sum total Culzean platform.

The outlook that is positive to the very very first quarter, before Covid hit.

Although tasks are seasonal for contracting firms like Bilfinger Salamis, the business needed to make 180 individuals redundant as work dry out. It predicts 2020 will undoubtedly be marked by way of a significant year-end loss and a 50% cut in profits.

For Bonner, that has been using the business for 25 years, this has hit harder compared to final brutal downturn of 2014-16.

“I think the effect is wider, as it has impacted everyone else around Aberdeen, if it is taxis, accommodations, aviation, decommissioning. Everyone is impacted.

“I think past downturns had been influenced by oil cost, but this time around you’ve got the oil price decrease, doubt with Brexit, the governmental landscape in the usa, as well as on top of the a pandemic where we’ve been adjusting to tips since it evolved.”

It was “hugely challenging”, he stated, with administration phone telephone telephone calls on a daily foundation to keep an eye on frequently-changing Covid guidance also to stay up to speed on operators’ mobilisation and evaluating plans.

Now right straight back as much as 1,500 staff, along with the Forties shutdown in the means, work being granted, and possibly a good vaccine, the 2021 perspective is entirely brighter.

“We are confident we are going to have an improved 12 months the following year,” he said. “The work has to be achieved, maintenance, asset integrity, repairs have to be done.

“If the vaccine begins to roll call at Q1, then you definitely would believe that would help operators’ confidence when it comes to doing more ferzu work.

“i am going to state I don’t think its ever likely to be the way in which it absolutely was five or a decade ago with lots of brand new construction work.”

Compared to that end, Bilfinger happens to be making techniques for a while to fill gaps by employed in the overseas wind and decommissioning sectors.

Renewables can be a “obvious marketplace for us to keep to cultivate in”, Bonner said, discussing the transferable abilities of a business that employs a top amount of rope access professionals.

Bilfinger has had success in Yarmouth, Denmark together with Baltic states with offshore wind deals, such as for instance in the Sheringham Shoal wind farm.

“ exactly what we are centering on now, like every business within our sector, is leaving fossil fuels,” Bonner stated. “Still continuing to buy the spot, but seeking to get into clean power.

“We’ve got more decommissioning work now, we’ve got more asset integrity and advanced level assessment work, and we’re obviously chasing more work with wind and renewables and that might ideally fill the space you won’t get through brand brand new construction or hook-ups or drilling.”

Bonner stated Bilfinger Salamis has to “capitalise” on that experience due to the fact federal federal federal government unveils pledges for 40GW of UK wind that is offshore 2030, with fresh investment entering updating British ports for such work.

The company has exposed a brand name logistics that are new at Core 3 at Murcar, a couple of minutes far from its hq in Bridge of Don.

Your website has 30 staff – with plans for up to 70 once Covid limitations simplicity – and houses its rope access and examination kit, along with demo areas, classrooms and fulfilling facilities.

“That’s an investment for the following 15-20 years also it provides development to enhance in those areas,” Bonner said.

“Plus it is perhaps perhaps not not even close to the Western Peripheral Route, the heliports, as well as in between Peterhead and Aberdeen Harbour therefore we’re going to accomplish testing and client demonstrations, it is got a little bit of meeting area and that which we can use even as we can invite consumers again.

Decommissioning is yet another market that is “accelerating”, in accordance with Bonner.

He rattled off a summary of tasks out of this 12 months alone: Voyageur Spirit, Banff, Tyra, Ninian North, Enquest Producer, the Brents, to call several, while Brae Bravo is in preparation.

“There was a large amount of motion into the just last year,” he said. “The market has shifted.”

Section of which comes down seriously to large heavy-lift vessels which could perform operations in only a matter of moments (after considerable preparation), Bonner stated.

“We have actually a component to relax and play in that,” he said. “We were involved with major jobs within the last three, four years approximately.

“With some federal government help, then ideally topsides should come to British ports.

“We’ve got cleansers, riggers, scaffolders, various types of trades. We’ve got asbestos licences as well as other things.

“There’s lots of various trades which can be similarly applicable into the decommissioning market when they come right into British ports.”