Northumberland marine firm relocating to deeper waters

Feb 9 2010 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A MARINE engineering firm has moved one of its key facilities across the River Tyne in order to handle larger projects and increase its workforce.

IHC Engineering Business in Riding Mill, near Hexham in Northumberland, says the relocation of its manufacturing and support operations to the South bank allows it to work in deeper waters and handle larger trawler vessels.

The 7,484 sq m facility, which is based at the Port of Tyne in South Shields, safeguards the 20 jobs that were based at its former site at Hadrian Yard on the North bank of the river, with the firm looking to more than double that figure by the end of the year.

The increased depth of the water will allow the company to increase its presence in the offshore oil and gas services sector, with the firm already working on a large-scale plough at the new site for a foreign client.

The firm, which has a £22m turnover, employs 175 workers in the North East between the new facility and its main engineering plants in Riding Mill and Stocksfield in Northumberland.

A major investment is being made to upgrade the new facilities, which will include hydraulic and electrical clean rooms, overhead cranes and office facilities for both IHC staff and clients operating from the base.

The new site will also allow the firm to continue delivering its custom-built offshore and sub-sea equipment as well as providing space for ships to dock during the winter months. IHC managing director Toby Bailey said: “The move to new facilities will allow us to work on much larger projects at a much quicker rate.

“As well as extra capacity at the site, the increased depth of the water will allow larger vessels to birth alongside our operations, allowing is to move into other areas of the offshore oil and gas and marine sectors. The increased size of the facility will also allow us to add jobs if necessary, with enough space to more than double the 20 that are already based their.”