Metallteknikk AS
Strengthened position
As the name may suggest, Metallteknikk AS, or Metal Technology, is an advanced metal processing and welding specialist with particular expertise in producing stainless steel structures for the offshore and processing industries.
Founded in 1986, today Metallteknikk has two factories within Norway – Bryne 30 km south of Stavanger, which is a sheet metal and ‘white’ steel welding facility, and Forus five km south of Stavanger, which incorporates a CNC machining, water cutting and carbon steel welding department. Metallteknikk is part of BR Industries, which consists of 14 companies and 550 employees within the oil and gas, mechanical, electrical engineering, and agricultural machinery industries. In 2010 Metallteknikk acquired two other companies within the BR Industries portfolio – Simex Mechanical and Trio Machining. Bringing with them competencies in CNC machining, water cutting, and carbon steel welding, this merger has strengthened Metallteknikk’s machining capabilities enabling it to become a total mechanical supplier.
Metallteknikk is one of the market leaders within machining and sheet metal treatment in Norway, manufacturing everything from small brackets up to big constructions and tools. “Compared to other competitors in the market, Metallteknikk’s approach is that no job is too small or too big,” describes Ronny Reiestad, managing director. “Our machine park combined with highly skilled personnel, which work closely with clients, enable us to produce a cost-effective and ideal product for every requirement. This close relationship is particularly important as many of the products we produce are one of a kind, and therefore require special attention from both us and the client to get it right first time.”
In fact, Metallteknikk does not offer a product range in itself – everything is manufactured according to client requests and specifications. This policy means that Metallteknikk has produced everything from ROV tools and hydraulic products, and mechanical components, through to brackets and cabinets for the electrical industry, and up to 50 ft tanks and containers. Although the offshore industry makes up a large part of the company’s yearly turnover, Metallteknikk has also completed projects for customers in the agricultural, industrial, electronic, medical, and defence sectors.
Providing clients with the optimal solution and best design for their proposed project is a fundamental aspect of Metallteknikk’s business ethos. Within this, the company utilises programmes such as AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, and Construction Programme to visualise and calculate the strength of a product, before production begins. Supporting this engineering department is Metallteknikk’s workshop facilities, where regular updates play a key role in enabling the company to offer the kind of bespoke service it does. “Investments are being undertaken every year to ensure that we can meet our customers’ needs, and have the latest technology in order to remain competitive. In 2010 we built a new welding department for the welding of ‘white’ materials such as stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, and inconel. We have also invested in new machinery, such as laser and plasma cutting equipment. Throughout 2011 we have plans to continue to invest in new technology so we can continue to be as cost effective and flexible for our customers as possible,” explains Ronny.
Looking at how these capabilities translate into a working project, Ronny highlights some of Metallteknikk’s most recent contracts: “At present we have a number of new projects underway, including a contract with Sakhalin for the production of 110 fire cabinets, which we won through Bjørge FPE. We are also working on a project producing a number of different transport tanks for dangerous goods, including DNV 2.7-1 rated lifting frames, and tanks certified to International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) regulations. I believe that these contracts reflect our ability to compete globally, despite the high labour costs of the Norwegian market, through efficiency and cost effective solutions.”
Following the company’s three-way merger last year, which has resulted in a new structure, Metallteknikk is looking to utilise its increased capacities to drive the business forwards. With growth anticipated to reach up to 20 per cent this year, Ronny concludes with how Metallteknikk is organising its services to accommodate this increase: “We are expecting an improvement in market conditions throughout 2011, with a lot of new construction and modification jobs coming to the market. In anticipation of this trend, we have planned our investments in facilities and machinery around this growth in demand, which will enable us to take on bigger contracts and work with more complex materials. Going forwards, we are expecting to double our turnover within the next three years, whilst retaining the market share that we have today. Our strategy for achieving this growth is to continue to work closely with our clients to produce strong mechanical solutions, and to gain more business outside of Norway.”
Metallteknikk AS
Services: Advanced metal processing and welding