HEECO Eyes New Markets for Expansion

The Humber Electrical Engineering Company (HEECO) in the United Kingdom has consolidated its marine presence and developed into new oil and gas markets.

The Hull-based electrical manufacturing business is known for the design and build of switchboards, motor control centers (MCCs) and control panels for the marine and energy sectors as well as the programming of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and the provision of electrical design solutions.

Celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, it has undergone reorganization with a six-figure sum invested in improvements such as 33,000 square feet of new manufacturing and workshop facilities.

Neil Watson, the managing director of HEECO, said, “The company continues to have great success in the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) market, having been involved with the British fleet built on the Clyde and the Irish fleet built at Appledore with the probability of more vessels to come. The company has also expanded its presence in the oil and gas market working with a number of suppliers, providing 17 large panels into a Kazakhstan oil field project.”
 
Trading in six sectors within the marine industry, HEECO looks to support refit and repair yards, newbuild yards, marine subcontractors, the oil and gas sectors and numerous strategic partners.

The business was rebranded as HEECO in August 2015, and is based on Sutton Fields Industrial Estate in Amsterdam Road, Hull.

Watson said, “The metal workshop is all-encompassing too. We can now deliver circa 4,000 man hours of manufacturing capacity per month specifically into the marine sector - and we often do. Quarters three and four of 2018 will be an obvious challenge given the increase in capacity but we look forward to working with existing and new customers alike to fully utilize the production space that we have. Looking to the future we’re optimistic about the opportunities that Brexit may give with the strength of British manufacturing and the quality of our product. We’re definitely looking to the future with enthusiasm.”

Paul Richardson, technical director of HEECO, said, “Having recently completed works for BAE Systems and Babcock on their respective OPV programmes it’s become increasingly important to ensure that our manufacturing capacity is geared correctly for the future.  

“We’re seeing an increasingly active defense market with the both the Type 26 and Type 31 programs on the near horizon and encouraging buoyancy in the oil and gas sector – not specifically on the price of crude but more likely based on longer-term investment initiatives coming back on-stream.”  

He added, “We’re looking forward to attending Babcock’s July 17 Type 31 forum in Bristol. It’s key that we keep momentum in both the defense and commercial spaces.”