Welding investment and expansion for Responsive Engineering Group

Operating from the newly refurbished and expanded 20,000 sq ft site, Responsive Engineering has a leading position in the welding of super duplex stainless steel and other difficult materials, used in the fabrication of high integrity components and equipment for some of the world's most demanding environments - subsea valves and high pressure pumps for the oil and gas sector, as well as cooling impellers for nuclear power plants. Customers include Cameron, the US-based global provider of offshore control equipment for the oil and gas industry, and oilfield services provider Schlumberger. During the past year, the group was the first company in the North East to attain ISO 3834 accreditation, the advanced welding standard. The investment, which includes a large and separate non-ferrous welding shop, new overhead craneage, a 'show room' flooring system, mobile clean rooms and comprehensive extraction systems has enabled Responsive to develop a facility that is said to be more akin to a precision engineering shop. It boasts almost 50 state-of-the-art welding bays, with considerable investment having been made in latest welding equipment technology. The privately-owned Responsive Engineering Group, which employs 180, has expanded from a turnover of less than £4 million in 2005 and will close the year to 31 March at around £15 million. The Group expects continued growth in the new financial year and expects turnover to approach £18 million. Technical director Geoff Harmer, said: "This has taken the business forward significantly and is a key element in us providing welding services to extremely demanding markets, such as sub-sea oil and gas. To even think about a weld failure in such a hostile environment is simply out of the question." Peter Bernard, managing director the Responsive Engineering Group, said: "This investment not only strengthens our business immediately, but underpins further growth as the company moves to meet strong demand for its expertise. "We are committed to having the best facilities and technology possible to enable us to provide customers with the highest standards of quality and service. "Our new facility will ensure we can manage production effectively and efficiently, and meet the demands for specialist welding, as well as complex and high integrity fabrications on a globally competitive basis." As well as the welding and fabrication division, the company also operates specialist divisions for high precision CNC machining, laser and waterjet cutting, assembly, testing and pressing activities. Image: Peter Bernard (right) with Ian Hudspith (left) and Geoff Harmer in the new £1.7 million welding facility at Responsive Engineering.