$5 Million Site Upgrade Offers Additional Services and Capacity to Expanding Customer Base
ABERDEEN, Scotland--Friday, November 20, 2009-- GE Oil & Gas has enhanced its European drilling and production equipment repair, maintenance and refurbishment capabilities with the official opening of a new global services facility in Montrose, Scotland.
$5 million (£3 million) has been invested in the site, which was officially opened today by Alastair Birnie, chief executive, Subsea UK, and David Smith, interim CEO, Scottish Development International.
Located on existing premises established in 1982, the Montrose facility consolidates GE's previous drilling and production services operations in Aberdeen, Scotland, into one, state-of-the-art technology location. Montrose will provide new and existing customers with high-quality and rapid services expertise and support across GE Oil & Gas' entire drilling and production portfolio. In addition, the site offers additional capacity to meet both customers' expanding needs and GE's anticipated services growth in the European region.
The new upgraded Montrose facility employs 164 personnel, including 11 local apprentices, bringing GE Oil & Gas' workforce to more than 1,050 in Scotland and more than 1,600 across the United Kingdom.
Opening the GE global services facility, David Smith, interim CEO, Scottish Development International, said, "We are delighted with GE's continued investment in the region. The new Montrose facility will be of great benefit to the global energy industry and, indeed, to the local community. An investment of this magnitude must be commended, particularly in these difficult economic times, and it clearly demonstrates the important role Scotland plays in GE's global operations."
Neil Saunders, global services leader, GE Oil & Gas- drilling and production said, "The new Montrose facility is crucial to our global services operations. It provides a strong localized presence to help our customers grow their businesses with advanced engineering services and expertise, while also offering increased capacity to meet anticipated growth. The United Kingdom and Northern Europe markets are a key focus for GE Oil & Gas, and this investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to the region."
The new site includes extensive warehouse facilities and a new production control systems (PCS) building. The 20,000 square foot PCS building houses a clean room, test and assembly bays, and is fully equipped for all testing and flushing requirements on PCS equipment. It also boasts a real-time diagnostic data link to GE Oil & Gas' U.K. subsea production controls center of excellence, or SmartCenter, at Nailsea, near Bristol. The new 30,000 square foot warehouse is fully racked to accommodate best practice in storage and space allocation. It offers enhanced consolidation and protection for customer-owned and rental stock.
Notes to Editors:
GE Oil & Gas in Scotland
GE Oil & Gas is a major employer in Scotland with around 1,050 people in Scotland and more than 1,600 drilling and production employees across the United Kingdom. Scottish sites include: Silverburn House---a headquarter building, housing a state-of-the-art employee and customer training facility; Broadfold Road---a world-class, subsea tree assembly and test site; and, Montrose---a new $5 million investment controls servicing facility that will employ 164 personnel and become the hub of GE Oil & Gas' European, global services business supporting North Sea and Northern European customers.
About GE Oil & Gas
GE Oil & Gas (www.ge.com/oilandgas) is a world leader in advanced technology equipment and services for all segments of the oil and gas industry, from drilling and production, LNG, pipelines and storage to industrial power generation, refining and petrochemicals. We also provide pipeline integrity solutions, including inspection and data management. As part of our 'Innovation Now' customer focus and commitment, GE Oil & Gas leverages technological innovation from other GE businesses, such as aviation and healthcare, to continuously improve oil and gas industry performance and productivity. GE Oil & Gas employs more than 12,000 people worldwide and operates in over 100 countries.
About GE
GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that is built to meet essential world needs. From energy, water, transportation and health, to access to money and information, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com. GE is Imagination at Work.
Chau Nguyen
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Masto Public Relations
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