Technology centre boost for the Tyne

Dec 31 2008 by Jon Tunney, The Journal

EXPANDING offshore oil and gas industry supplier Wellstream International has provided Tyneside with a welcome confidence booster.

The company is planning to build a new technology centre at its Newcastle base, securing jobs at a time of economic gloom.

The development at Walker Riverside, on the site of a former shipyard, has been approved by Newcastle City Council.

Wellstream manufactures flexible pipe used in the extraction of oil and gas in some of the world’s harshest offshore operating environments.

The new centre will provide research, development design and prototype manufacturing facilities. These activities are presently carried out in the existing factory and the new centre will free up space needed to maintain and increase product manufacture.

It will enable a team of 50 staff scattered around the site and in adjacent rented buildings to work under one roof and up to 10 new jobs are expected. The company employs a total of around 500 at the Walker complex.

The project will also be a centre of excellence, linking up with customers and the city’s universities.

Newcastle City Council development control committee gave the go-ahead for the scheme, which also includes office accommodation and parking.

The offshore supply industry is one of the Tyne’s major manufacturing success stories and this part of Walker is dominated by two production companies specialising in cable and pipework products, Wellstream and Duco.

Bosses at development agency One North East said the scheme was a boost to plans to turn the region into one of the industry’s world leaders and would help provide a platform for future economic growth.

In a report to councillors, Harvey Emms, the council’s director of planning, said Wellstream’s presence had a spin-off for another 200 plus North East companies which provide products and supplies.