A landmark building that has helped to secure billions of pounds of investment and more than 800 new jobs to the East is celebrating another high growth success story as one of its high-profile tenants moves on to revive prominent redundant offices in Lowestoft.
James Fisher Marine Services – one of 150 tenant companies which has been supported by OrbisEnergy, the most easterly building in the country – has expanded rapidly into “a fantastic place” that offered it “a high quality operating base with the flexibility to ebb and flow” as it grew its offshore wind business.
The company, which won a £25million contract on the Galloper Wind Farm two years after moving into a small office in OrbisEnergy, quickly took over larger offices with its increasing team.
It has now taken over the former AKD Engineering offices at Horn Hill in Lowestoft, having benefited from the springboard effect of OrbisEnergy.
To mark the company’s successful expansion, OrbisEnergy is hosting a virtual opening of its new offices on Friday (February 24) on the fourth floor of the building that overlooks the Southern North Sea where billions of pounds are being invested in offshore wind projects.
The launch event is being organised in association with the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR).
OrbisEnergy is giving companies the opportunity to tour its available office space before and after the event and to find out how its team could support companies following in the footsteps of graduate tenants such as James Fisher Marine Services, Seajacks, 3Sun Group and many others.
James Fisher Marine Services is well on the way to creating more than 100 jobs, mostly in the Lowestoft area, from its offshore services contract for the £1.5billion Galloper Offshore Wind Farm.
Johnathan Reynolds, of OrbisEnergy, said James Fisher Marine Services was the perfect example of the mission of OrbisEnergy.
“James Fisher Marine Services is one of the flagship companies at OrbisEnergy. It has made huge strides in a relatively short space of time with rapid expansion and an enviable profile in the industry.
“With the newly vacated office space, with impressive North Sea views, we are actively looking for those businesses and business leaders with high growth ambitions where we can add value and make a difference.
“We will be showcasing our vacant offices and giving tours on Friday 24th February, highlighting all the business support, networking opportunities and nurturing that tenants of OrbisEnergy can take advantage of, like James Fisher Marine Services has.”
Mr Reynolds describes the mix of new businesses and multinational operators – Fred. Olsen Windcarrier also has its UK headquarters in the building – as the perfect environment for networking and building business foundations.
In the eight years since it opened its doors, the OrbisEnergy team and support network has nurtured numerous start-ups to major industry players, some becoming international giants in their field, while building itself an international reputation for innovation, efficiency, collaboration and making business and change happen, he said.
“OrbisEnergy was originally conceived as the catalyst behind the region’s vision to be a world leader in the development, deployment and operation of offshore renewables. The role it has played and continues to play is such a critical strategic role bringing the supply chain together.”
OrbisEnergy is owned by Suffolk County Council and managed by Nwes, now the largest provider of flexible serviced offices and business support across the East of England.
Martin Dronfield, James Fisher Marine Services’ Commercial Director, said: “OrbisEnergy has been a fantastic place for us giving us a high-quality operating base in the region with the flexibility we needed.”
“OrbisEnergy gave us an operating presence at the heart of the industry, and since our initial entry, we have extended within the Orbis building.
“It has given us the opportunity to work alongside important clients and partner companies. An innovation centre is designed to build business and to help its occupants win business, and working within the Orbis environment we have achieved that.
“James Fisher is very proud of its local East of England presence and the local content and the jobs that the company has been able to generate as a result of its success”.
In September last year, James Fisher Marine Services won the ScottishPower Renewables Best Offshore Wind Award at the 2016 EEEGR gala awards, which was presented to the company who had made the biggest contribution to the offshore renewable sector in the previous 12 months.
Last year, the company also helped to revive another redundant building in Lowestoft, refurbishing the former Shell base on Commercial Road, Lowestoft, where 120 people will be located as part of the construction support base for Innogy’s Galloper Offshore Wind Farm project, directly off the Suffolk coast.
It will prepare all transit facilities for the offshore wind farm and will be creating welfare facilities, changing rooms and drying rooms at its base. It will prepare the crew transfer and supply and manage multi-support vessels to and from the offshore site. Its multi-purpose wind farm support vessel, Dart Fisher, is currently being fitted out for diving and other specialist services.
*To tour OrbisEnergy vacant offices, contact the team at orbisenergy@nwes.org.uk or call 01502 563368.
