A Dundee firm, which supplies isolation modules to enable high-risk activities such as welding on offshore rigs and at oil refineries, saw its turnover soar by a third last year.
Safehouse Habitats, which is based at Bowbridge Works, saw revenues climb by 33% from £11.68 million in 2011 to £15.56m in the year to May 31, while pre-tax profits also increased by 24% in the period.
The modules built by Safehouse negate the likelihood of a catastrophic incident on board a rig by providing a safe environment for workers to carry out high-risk operations.
“These platforms are hazardous areas as they have hydrocarbons present in the atmosphere,” managing director Mike Garty said. “In order to ensure those hydrocarbons don’t come into contact with a fuel source and cause a fire or explosion during welding, burning or grinding, we create enclosures habitats within which these things can safely be done.”
The company was founded in 2001 by Mr Garty and Safehouse now employs about 70 staff in Dundee.
Mr Garty said the plan for 2013 was to further expand its presence in the international oil and gas services market.
The firm has 20 staff around the globe working within wholly-owned subsidiaries and helps to sustain another 200 posts through a number of partner businesses based in locations including China, Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
Clients include oil majors such as BP, Shell and Conoco-Phillips, and Safehouse has also provided installations to the state oil companies in Brazil, Malaysia and Australia.
“The opportunity for us is to extend our geographic footprint into regions where we do not have a presence,” he said.
“We have just registered a company in the Middle East it is situated specifically in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and we are going to use that as a springboard to market our products and services into what is the fastest growing oil province in the world today.”
Despite the overseas ambitions, Mr Garty said Safehouse would not be leaving Dundee.
He said the company was on the brink of a move to new corporate headquarters at Dalclaverhouse, which will significantly increase its manufacturing capacity.