Scotland’s First Minister Officially Opens Ferguson Group’s New Headquarters

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday (October 25) officially opened the global headquarters of The Ferguson Group, specialists in the rental of containers, accommodation modules and engineering modules to the offshore energy industry around the world.

The Ferguson Group has operated out of the north-east of Scotland for 30 years and the purpose-built £6million facility on a prime site at Midmill Business Park, Kintore, signals its ongoing commitment to the region.

The new facility houses the Ferguson Group headquarters and its Ferguson Modular hire and IceBlue divisions while the company’s manufacturing operation will remain at the company’s base at Harlaw Road, Inverurie. The Ferguson Seacabs division remains based at Bridge of Don.

Design and build work on the 5.25 acre site at Midmill was carried out by Kintore-based Malcolm Allan Housebuilders Limited with supporting services provided by Aberdeenshire suppliers.

 First Minister Alex Salmond said: “I am delighted to be in Kintore to officially open the impressive new global headquarters for the Ferguson Group – a forward-looking, innovative company that is enjoying considerable success, both here and abroad.

“Ferguson Group is a real success story for Scotland and north-east, and the firm’s international growth over the past three decades shows how companies founded to take advantage of the opportunities offered by North Sea oil and gas have now expanded across the globe and into new sectors.

“These splendid new headquarters are testament to that success, and I hope they will help continue the growth of Ferguson Group, as well as acting as a beacon to firms across Scotland showing what can be achieved through innovation, hard work and seeking out new customers in new markets.”

Ferguson Group Managing Director Steven Ferguson said: “The Ferguson Group is currently midway through a three-year, £75million investment programme across our operations to support our global expansion strategy. Our new HQ is a vital part of our plans and we are honoured that the First Minister is here to recognise our achievement and help us launch the next phase of our international growth.

“Our product ranges are the best in the marketplace and creating the infrastructure at our new premises in Midmill, Kintore, will ensure we continue to provide the best possible modules and an excellent standard of service for our customers. The space at the Inverurie facility reached capacity and by moving the Hire division to Kintore, our Manufacturing division now has the space they need to grow and continue to produce the highest quality DNV 2.7-1 certified modules in the industry.’’

The Ferguson Group employs 155 people worldwide through its Ferguson Modular, Ferguson Seacabs and IceBlue divisions serving the offshore container rental and accommodation modules markets. The Group has operations in all major global oil and gas locations.

Over the coming months, a new base will open in Dubai, while the Ferguson Group’s teams in Norway and Australia will move into larger premises in Stavanger and Perth, respectively.

Mr Ferguson commented: “Our new HQ has been designed with space for us to continue to grow in future and we will continue to take on more staff to meet the demand for our services.

“We took our time to find the best possible site for our needs and we believe that the Midmill site, which is adjacent to the A96 and less than 10 minutes from Dyce, is the ideal location, keeping us based in Aberdeenshire but still close to many of our key clients in the city”.

The interior of the new HQ comprises three-storey office accommodation, a large covered maintenance workshop including a 25-tonne crane, a test area and stores, whilst outside there is an extensive storage yard, wash-bay, quarantine area to prepare modules for their next hire and a straddle carrier to increase the efficiency and safety of loading and unloading the large accommodation modules.

About the Ferguson Group:

The Ferguson Group employs 155 people worldwide through its divisions serving the offshore container rental and accommodation modules markets. The Group, headquartered at Kintore, Aberdeenshire, has operations in all major global oil and gas locations to ensure the best service for its customers.

– The Ferguson Modular Ltd division has been building A60 offshore accommodation modules since 1976. Ferguson Modular has a reputation for manufacturing the highest quality accommodation & workspace modules currently available in the global marketplace. All products are built in-house to the latest specifications and with this control over the production process Ferguson Modular can guarantee the quality of the end product and delivery schedules. The product range includes a variety of A60 DNV 2.7-1 accommodation and workspace modules predominantly for the offshore market, and Modupack a unique and flexible panel system module suitable for onshore use.

– The Ferguson Seacabs Ltd division has been serving the offshore container rental market for over 30 years and is now a major provider in the supply of specialist cargo transportation equipment. Ferguson Seacabs has a global fleet of over 15,000 offshore containers, tanks and baskets, with divisions in the UK, Norway, Singapore and Australia.

– IceBlue Refrigeration Offshore, the most recent addition to Ferguson Group, provides refrigerated containers to the offshore sector. All the units are certified in accordance with DNV 2.7-1 and EN 12079 standards and are available from the Group’s worldwide bases. IceBlue Refrigeration Offshore’s global fleet of refrigerated containers are offered in sizes from 2.5 metre to 6.0 metre units providing refrigeration and freezing solutions for offshore food transportation and storage.

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Source: Ferguson Group , October 26, 2011