Offshore Europe: North-east’s fast-growing tech sector in the limelight

Opportunity North East (One) will be exhibiting at the SPE Offshore Europe (OE) oil and gas show for the first time next week.

The region’s driving force for economic development will showcase some the area’s most innovative technology companies to a global audience.

OE gets under way at P&J Live on Tuesday and runs until Friday.

Digital technology is a key growth sector for the region. Benchmarking analysis commissioned by One and Scottish Enterprise earlier this year revealed Scotland’s third largest technology cluster, in the north-east, now comprises more than 300 companies.

Nearly 4,400 people working in north-east technology sector firms

Together, they employ nearly 4,400 people and turn over more than £520 million a year. They also have acess to a focal point for industry collaboration, One Tech Hub on Schoolhill, Aberdeen.

These businesses are working across markets including agriculture, clean technology, healthcare and sustainability.

Energy industry technology is the dominant focus, with 42% of companies, 59% of the employees and 59% of sector-wide turnover.

One digital technology director Karen O’Hanlon said firms were increasingly targeting new market opportunities in energy-related fields.

She added: “North-east Scotland has one of the largest clusters of energy tech businesses in Europe. They increasingly provide tech products and services beyond the oil and gas market, and respond to opportunities in emerging high-growth sectors such as clean tech, climate tech and renewables.

“This diversification is essential to the continued growth of the region’s innovative tech cluster, and its deep energy sector knowledge differentiates it from others in the UK.”

One will have a stand, 2L40, in the Scottish Development International area at OE 2023.

It will be highlighting the work of companies such as Fennex, Intelligent Plant, STC Insiso, Solab IT Services and Sysmax.

Solab will be promoting its Onboard Tracker online crew management, rota, certification and competence software.

Kevin Coll, the firm’s managing director, said: “Innovation and technology are at the core of a dynamic and growing cluster of ambitious scaling tech businesses in north-east Scotland.

“It is great to be able to demonstrate the strength of the community and its solutions to the global energy sector at Offshore Europe. Customers are increasingly prioritising digital technology to transform how they operate and accelerate their journey towards a sustainable future.”