Aker Solutions ramps up Stockton-on-Tees operation

19 september 2012 19 September 2012 - International oil services group Aker Solutions is set to ramp up its presence in the north east of England. The company aims to create up to 100 jobs in its new Stockton-on-Tees engineering office over the next three years. Aker Solutions' drilling technologies business will be the main occupant in the new office, which is located right next to the company's current premises at the Preston Farm industrial estate, Stockton-on-Tees, UK. The office will house product engineers who will be working on a wide range of topside drilling equipment. Aker Solutions is one of the top-two global suppliers of deepwater drilling packages for offshore drilling rigs and drillships. "We are well aware of the excellent oil and gas engineering competence in the north east of England. We are experiencing significant growth, so we want to tap into this market to further support both our UK and international customers," says Thor Arne HÃ¥verstad, head of Aker Solutions drilling technologies business. The new engineering office has a capacity of 100 people. Aker Solutions aims to hire 30 by year-end. But the long-term ambition is to utilise the entire office capacity. "The north east region has a proud industrial heritage with a huge engineering competence base. Additionally, it contains several excellent educational institutions that produce exactly the type of competence we need, for example structural and mechanical engineers. We also know that many engineers commute from the north east to other parts of the UK. Hopefully our plans will make some of them consider Stockton-on-Tees as an even more attractive option," adds Thor Arne HÃ¥verstad. Aker Solutions has a history in Stockton-on-Tees that dates back to 1986. Today the company has approximately 100 employees in Stockton-on-Tees. This team provides support services to Aker Solutions globally within IT, finance, accounting and HR. Up to 20 employees will be added to the global business services operation over the next two years. The current premises also house a team that provides engineering support on platform upgrade and maintenance projects on both the UK and Norwegian continental shelves. In addition, Aker Solutions' specialist recruitment consultancy, Aker Advantage, also has an office in Stockton-on-Tees. Aker Solutions will move into its new Stockton-on-Tees office at the end of October. Earlier this year Aker Solutions announced that it is looking to grow its Aberdeen operation with 500 jobs over the next two years. Additionally, the company aims to build up a 1 700-strong London engineering hub - thereby creating 1 300 new jobs - by 2015. Today, Aker Solutions has approximately 3 200 employees in the UK. The company is one of Scotland's largest employers with a workforce of more than 2 700 people in Aberdeen. In addition to Aberdeen, London and Stockton-on-Tees, the company has smaller offices and facilities in Great Yarmouth, Hastings, Maidenhead, and Whitstable. The company employs 25 000 people worldwide, and has annual revenues of approximately GBP 3.9 billion. ENDS For further information, please contact: Media: Endre Johansen, VP Corporate Communications, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 22 94 58 91, Mob: +47 416 10 605, E-mail: endre.johansen@akersolutions.com Investor relations: Lasse Torkildsen, SVP Investor Relations, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 67 51 30 39, Mob: +47 911 37 194, E-mail: lasse.torkildsen@akersolutions.com Suppliers: For further information about sourcing and potential subcontracts for this project, please visit www.akersolutions.com/suppliers Career opportunities: Visit http://www.akersolutions.com/careers Aker Solutions provides oilfield products, systems and services for customers in the oil and gas industry world-wide. The company's knowledge and technologies span from reservoir to production and through the life of a field. Aker Solutions brings together engineering and technologies for oil and gas drilling, field development and production. The company employs approximately 25 000 people in more than 30 countries. They apply the knowledge and create and use technologies that deliver their customers' solutions. Aker Solutions ASA is the parent company in the group, which consists of a number of separate legal entities. Aker Solutions is used as the common brand and trademark for most of these entities. In 2011 Aker Solutions had aggregated annual revenues of approximately NOK 36.5 billion. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see www.akersolutions.com. This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Aker Solutions ASA via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1641758]