Aker Solutions will build a new state-of-of-the-art umbilical manufacturing plant in Pekan, Malaysia, to meet the anticipated growth and the needs of their Asia Pacific customers. The total investment of USD 60 million will expand Aker Solutions’ manufacturing capacity and strengthen their position as a leading producer of steel tube umbilicals.
The new manufacturing facility close to Kuantan, on the east coast of Malaysia, will complement the existing umbilicals manufacturing plants located in Moss, Norway, and Mobile, Alabama, US.
“I am very excited about the opportunities that will be created by our new manufacturing plant in Malaysia and the added capabilities it ensures. This new plant increases Aker Solutions’ footprint in Asia and our capability to serve customers in the Asia Pacific region,” says Tove Roskaft, head of Aker Solutions’ umbilical business.
She adds: “The umbilical market has robust fundamentals and this strong growth is expected to continue. This investment gives us a strategic advantage in the already booming oil and gas market in the region. As a technology and market leader, we are now ready to take on the opportunity of having umbilical manufacturing hubs in three major oil and gas regions of the world.”
Over the past few years, Aker Solutions has invested heavily in Malaysia, which is the company’s hub for the Asia Pacific region. This includes their first-class manufacturing centre for subsea production technologies and drilling risers in Port Klang, close to Kuala Lumpur. The company also has a 600-strong front-end, design and engineering hub in Kuala Lumpur.
Subsea umbilicals are deployed on the seabed to supply necessary controls and chemicals to subsea oil and gas wells, subsea manifolds and any subsea system requiring a remote control. Over the past 15 years, Aker Solutions has delivered more than 400 umbilicals to some of the world’s most challenging fields, from harsh environment to ultra-deep, high-pressure water conditions.
Aker Solutions has already opened its regional head office for umbilicals in downtown Kuala Lumpur managed by Mr. Crawford Tennant who is an industry veteran and former head of the Aker Solutions facility in Port Klang. The Pekan facility is scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2013.
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff , April 13, 2012; Image: Aker Solutions