MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd, one of the UK's leading aerospace companies, has confirmed it is to re-structure and re-brand its oil & gas engineering service divisions and create a stand-alone subsidiary - MBAe Oil & Gas Limited.

Oil & gas has become an important growth sector for MB Aerospace in recent years and the management team felt it was necessary to create a more focused trading identity, which will allow MB Aerospace to secure further significant contracts.

The news follows the appointment last year of Dave Sturrock as managing director of the group's oil & gas divisions, which include Wellclad and Roberts Pipeline Machining.

Dave joined the group from Triton Group Holdings Ltd where he held the position of group chief operating officer since 2008. Prior to that he held a series of senior positions, including vice president - subsea production systems, at global subsea oil & gas company Vetco Gray where he worked for almost 20 years.

Dave has been working alongside the existing management team of Norman Roberts and Robert Hutcheson, who have played a key role in the success of the divisions to date, to develop a strategic plan of growth.

Craig Gallagher, chief executive of MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd, said: "Historically we've always had a presence in the oil & gas sector and have built up significant expertise and experience of the industry. This is despite it not being a key part of our service offering which has always focused on aerospace.

"Since 2009, when we embarked on an ambitious expansion programme, our oil & gas divisions have secured a series of lucrative contracts from across the Middle East and North Africa, and we now wish to replicate this success in the UK, and further afield. It was for this reason we have created a stand-alone subsidiary and in Dave we have recruited an experienced industry executive who will help drive this part of the business forward."

Dave Sturrock added: "Many people don't realise MB Aerospace is active in the oil & gas industry, even though it has an impressive track record of success in securing and delivering high-profile contracts. I believe there is huge potential for growth but to achieve our ambitious plans it is important we have a unique brand and identity which will sit comfortably within the wider group.

"It will help generate more awareness of our breadth of services and with a determined and focussed team now in place, I'm relishing the opportunity of building on the success of both Wellclad and Roberts Pipeline Machining."

Established in 1953, Roberts Pipeline Machining specialises in the design and manufacture of a wide range of portable machining systems for use on land, topside or sub-sea for the oil & gas industry. It is the only UK-based company that manufactures and designs such products, which are used by some of the leading diving and pipe-laying companies across the globe.

Wellclad is an acknowledged leader in weld overlay technology, and was one of the first companies in Europe to develop weld overlay as a routine process for the "cladding" of alloy steels with corrosion resistant alloys in the subsea, oil & gas environment.

Notes to editors:

MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd
Headquartered in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd specialises in the supply chain management, design, integration and assembly of defence and commercial aerospace systems and components.

The company comprises three main aerospace business streams, MB Aerospace Burnley, MB Aerospace Derby and MB Aerospace Motherwell. MB Aerospace oversees all supply chain management, launch system assembly, component manufacture, precision machining of complex components, inspection and testing.

Roberts Pipeline Machining specialises in the design, manufacture, sale and rental of pipeline machining services, while Wellclad has an unrivalled reputation in weld overlay and the machining of subsea components.
For further information please visit www.mbaerospace.co.uk.

Issued by The BIG Partnership on behalf of MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd.
For further information please contact:
Brian McClean, The BIG Partnership        tel: 0141 333 9585 / 0775 4390 160