Inovatum AS

Tooled up

Established in autumn 2010 by founders Lars Skjold, Frode Gaupås and Janny Angvik Aasen, Inovatum AS is the successful result of 15-20 years experience in the ROV and subsea industry.

Having worked with major firms such as Thales, Fugro and DOF Subsea as an ROV supervisor, Lars used his expertise, contacts and passion for innovation to set up a company that is capable of finding solutions to the demands of the evolving oil and gas industry. Striving to save customers time and money through the provision of high quality products, Inovatum enables each customer’s ROV to successfully complete challenging projects.

“We started three years ago, after noticing a decrease in companies making their own tools. With all equipment being made outside of companies, I left the firm I was working for and began getting work from other areas,” begins Lars. “Our current services include the provision of ROV Shackles, ROV tooling, and always providing a quick turnover for turnkey prototypes. We also offer audit services on ROV systems and are currently improving our rental pool of ROV tooling and subsea lifting equipment.”

Boasting customers such as Bibby Offshore, Swire Seabed, DOF Subsea, NeoDrill and Technip, as well as a wide range of Norwegian firms, Inovatum AS is enjoying positive growth and ongoing demand, which is anticipated to continue with its newest invention, the InoShackle, as Lars highlights: “The market has been very good for us, we can’t complain at all, and we anticipate demand to continue with the sea water operated, patent pending InoShackle. Inovatum designed the system, while a Norwegian firm called FRAM, which has been in the lifting industry for many years, manufactures it. This product is used for quick and efficient heavy lifting projects and is available in sizes from 15 to 1000 Te WLL. So far there has been very high interest, and to date several orders for InoShackles have been secured.

Responding to the oil and gas industry’s need for environmentally friendly installation/recovery equipment, the seawater operated InoShackle uses a standard high-pressure water jet system that is connected to an ROV with one hose, thus eliminating the risk of oil contamination. Small in size and highly efficient for quick operations, the product boasts a compact, lightweight design, making it easy for the ROV to handle and eradicates the risk of losing cargo through the splash zone. With two hot stab connections, one for opening and one for closing of the shackle, the unique product is simple and safe to use.

Dedicated to providing safe, high quality and environmentally friendly services on a global scale, Inovatum’s personnel think outside the box to deliver new tooling solutions for customers, while also taking full personal responsibility for their own safety and those working with them. “We hire people on a yearly contract and tend to have between six and ten staff working for us at any time. Its important for us to keep our numbers low and to remain a small company as it enables us to provide a quick turnaround. With the amount of staff we have, we can custom make one-of-a-kind tools that are used once in uniquely challenging situations,” says Lars.

He continues: “This is something we are well known for; customers call us up and we go through the production process quickly, which saves companies a lot of money and minimises down time. We also have specialist engineers that can install the systems anywhere that the vessels are set up around the world. With a whole network to help us and work with us we have created a reliable option for customers; we are dedicated, if a client wants something done Christmas Eve we will do it.” Keen to offer the easiest solutions to customers, the dynamic company relocated to a new Bergen office with a quayside capable of taking in vessels in 2012. It is here that Inovatum also intends to develop a pool of rental equipment for the subsea heavy lift market in the future.

As global demands for environmentally friendly products continue to increase, Inovatum is in an advantageous position as it pushes the InoShackle into the subsea market; reaching the specifications of subsea operations in Brazil, the company anticipates high demand from customers operating in this area. “We aim to spread awareness of the InoShackle on a global scale and boost our workload through this product,” says Janny. “Over the next few years we intend to become more involved in heavy lifting and the subsea sector, while also expanding our tooling division. Ultimately we want to keep working and increase our cash flow. There is currently a constant stream of work for us, sometimes a little too much, but we go where we are needed to get the job done,” concludes Lars.

Inovatum AS
Services: Invents and develops ROV tooling for the subsea market