HYDRATIGHT's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region is on target to exceed its annual turnover prediction by almost 20 per cent, reports regional business leader Alain Wald.

Around 70 per cent of the region's business is in the oil and gas industries and Wald, whose target is to build the region to a $100million turnover in the next five years, believes the EMEA region has some of the greatest growth potential, next to traditional world-scale players such as the west coast of Africa, Russia and the Caspian Sea.

Hydratight has secured major contracts in the region in the past few months and is opening new divisions to serve the growing demand for its specialist services. New centres in Angola and Kuwait (see below) are among the first to serve this expansion.

"We will be developing and supporting cross-selling all over the region with the set up of centres of excellence, one in France for nuclear power-generation products and services, and one in Germany to support leak-sealing activities," he explained.

Over the past 12 months Hydratight EMEA has been appointing new senior staff in its aim to become a $100million business, and now has strategic appointees across the division with the expertise to support region-wide operations.

"The business is progressing extremely well, and we have a lot of dedicated and expert staff to keep it that way," said Alain Wald. "Now we just adhere to my motto: keep pushing!"

Angola aims to be the top African producer of oil by 2012, ahead of Nigeria, and is ploughing over 12 billion Euros into the industry over the next three years in pursuit of this goal. The expected investment is expected to return growth of around 25 per cent a year for the next five years.

A base in Angola is thus seen by Alain Wald as an obvious next step in his expansion plans. Our Angolan operation currently has 15 staff and will begin trading in December.

"When up and running it will give Hydratight a definite competitive advantage," says Mr Wald. "Put simply, we will be able to offer this fast-growing market a truly ‘local' service, but to the international standards Hydratight has helped to set.

"And, of course, we will be right there, alongside major clients such as Total, Saipem, Technip, Acergy and BP, when we are needed, saving them time and the high downtime costs caused by delays."

Hydratight has expanded its geographical coverage in the Middle East by opening a Kuwait base under the sponsorship of local Agent Al-Julaiah Petroleum Services WLL. Co. This follows the company's acquisition of a five-year bolting and in-situ machining contract.

Our base is in the heart of the South Shuaibah industrial area, with all the major local industries only a short drive away. The offices have given Hydratight the opportunity to expand further among the major investments being made throughout Kuwait, and equipment to service this business is now in place.

Our dedicated team of specialist technicians and engineers are currently undergoing training to full Hydratight standards.

"Kuwait offers market opportunities similar to those of UAE," said Alain Wald, "namely a growing market in need of specialist service companies such as ours. We expect our new base to see rapid growth in the coming years.
"We have now a solid business in the GCC, with operations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UEA and Oman. This is a new and exciting stage in the company's growth in the Middle East."