Work has begun on expanding Osbit’s headquarters to accommodate the company’s rapidly expanding workforce and facilitate an increase in demand for its engineering expertise in the global offshore renewables and oil & gas markets.
The company is constructing a new single-storey extension within the site of its head office in Northumberland, UK to deliver an additional 300 square metres of working space. The new office will house multiple project teams within Osbit’s innovative engineering workforce, providing space for up to 50 additional staff.
The building project, which is due for completion in Spring 2020, is being undertaken with support of a grant of £151,000 from the North East Rural Growth Network’s Rural Business Growth Fund (RBGF), a programme designed to accelerate business growth and stimulate employment in rural communities. Twelve new jobs will be created at Osbit as part of this development, with two new staff having already been hired.
Dr Tony Trapp MBE, Executive Chairman at Osbit Ltd, said: “The continued growth of our business in the oil & gas and offshore renewables markets, combined with our desire to attract and retain talented engineers, has created the need to expand our premises.
“The new space will create much needed additional capacity to support our expansion plans and project-centric working approach.
“Osbit is a unique place to work and our existing office is an important part of our company’s culture. I am delighted we are able to expand our premises and remain in this outstanding setting, with support from the North East Rural Growth Network.
We are very proud to be headquartered, operated and owned here and to continue the North East of England’s legacy as a globally recognised hub for engineering excellence”.
Rural Growth Network Manager Katy McIntosh, who worked with the management team at Osbit to identify the rural grant funding opportunity and complete the successful grant application, said: “Investment in this project means that Osbit has the opportunity to remain at its current location by delivering the good quality accommodation that its market-driven expansion demands. The new space will give the team flexibility to accelerate growth, stimulating further job creation with 12 new jobs for local people.”
The company’s existing office on the site, Broomhaugh House, has a strong heritage in North East England’s engineering history. Built in the 19th century, it was once the family house of the Swan family, co-founders of renowned local shipbuilders Swan Hunter. It was later home to The Engineering Business, which was founded by Osbit Executive Chairman, Dr Tony Trapp MBE.
To find out more about the Rural Growth Network or Advance Northumberland, please visit https://www.advancenorthumberland.co.uk/, or follow them on LinkedIn.
About North East Rural Growth Network
The rural parts of the North East LEP area play a very important role in the local economy, accounting for a significant share of total employment, providing above average levels of new business starts, and contributing disproportionately to the region’s visitor economy.
They also offer future growth opportunities through key rural sectors (including knowledge intensive business services, tourism, food and drink, energy, and environmental services), and the economic potential of rural towns.
Following the Government’s Rural Economy Growth Review in 2011, the North East Rural Growth Network (NERGN) was formed as part of a pilot national programme to stimulate economic growth in rural businesses and communities.
As a result of the success of the Pilot North East Rural Growth Network (NERGN) growth programme, a new programme of business support has been developed to strengthen the North East Local Enterprise Partnership rural economy over the period 2015/16 to 2019/20.
The overall programme has secured £6million Local Growth Funding through the North East Growth Deal to deliver a range of interventions to boost rural economic growth in the NELEP area.
The North East Rural Growth Network (NERGN) covers the rural areas of Northumberland, Durham and Gateshead. The programme is supported by Northumberland County Council as the accountable body and delivered by Advance Northumberland, on behalf of Northumberland County Council. The NERGN is governed by stakeholders representing Durham County Council, Gateshead Council, Northumberland County Council, Advance Northumberland, Northumberland National Park Authority, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Country Land and Business Association, the National Farmers Union, the North East Enterprise Agency Ltd, the region’s Leader Local Action Groups, Visit County Durham, Northumberland Tourism, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, Newcastle University, North East Equalities Coalition and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair.
About Advance Northumberland
Advance Northumberland is a unique economic regeneration company, established by Northumberland County Council with a clear remit to improve prosperity, quality of life and increase business activity throughout the communities of Northumberland.
Focusing on the needs and aspirations of the county, addressing economic and housing challenges whilst capitalising on Northumberland’s significant assets and opportunities, Advance Northumberland will seek to provide positive intervention across carefully selected regeneration, business support and place-shaping projects.
Wholly owned by Northumberland County Council and with a board made up of public and private sectors, Advance Northumberland is the Council’s primary regeneration delivery vehicle.
It employs a wide range of investment, development and regeneration capabilities to shape places and promote economic growth and prosperity in Northumberland.
About Osbit
Osbit is an offshore technology company, with an extensive global track record in the development of cutting-edge equipment for back-deck and subsea applications. Osbit’s engineers design and build bespoke equipment, primarily for use in the offshore wind, oil & gas and subsea industries.
The company specialises in developing appropriately engineered solutions and delivering them ‘On Spec, to Budget and In Time – also known as the OSBIT standard. Osbit develops and delivers engineering in a diverse range of technology streams, including subsea trenching, offshore access, well intervention and pipe & cable lay.
The company’s head office is in Northumberland, UK and it also operates an assembly and loadout facility, based at Port of Blyth.
For more information about Osbit, please visit our website at www.osbit.com.
