As Jenny Cameron from Sabre Safety prepares to “ride the storm” of low oil prices, her eyes are set firmly on international markets.
The firm, which is based in Cupar but opened its Aberdeen site on the Kirkhill industrial estate in 2012, is also serving a market that is growing – despite the fall in the oil price.
Sabre specialises in the niche market of breathing apparatus systems for toxic gas environments, as well as offering Opito and SVQ-level poisonous gas awareness training and gas testing training.
She says that up to 90% of firms in the North Sea use Sabre Safety equipment and services, where “sour gas” – which contains toxic hydrogen sulfide – is often a byproduct of the use of saltwater injected into wells.
And, as gas is further exploited, giant Total estimates that 40% of the world’s untapped gas reserves are sour.
“There are areas throughout the world where there are heavy areas of H2s – Italy is one. The Caspian tends to be very high.
“It is good for our company because of the experience we have,” says Ms Cameron.
Ms Cameron was one of a trio of directors who founded Sabre in 2001.
She, alongside her husband Allan and Doug Smith – who is chairman – left an American firm, which she tactfully declines to name.
Her background was in logistics but she started doing the books for the foundling firm. This led to her taking an MBA in finance while also taking the role as chief executive.
“We felt we could do a better job. And we did,” she says jovially.
“We started off extremely small. Now we employ 160 people and have offices all over the world.
“With a high percentage of the market share in the UK – we obviousy want to maintain that, but we have focused on overseas.”
The firm’s move into international markets was entrenched well before the oil price started falling.
“Over the past three years, the company has shifted from a 90:10 UK/rest of the world operation to a 50:50 operation,” says Ms Cameron. “Our success in export markets has been driven not just by investment in people, training and quality systems, but, critically, by our commensurate investment in country knowledge and expertise.”
Recently the firm ranked 27th on a list of 100 privately-owned SMEs in the UK with the fastest-growing international sales over the last two years.
With offices in Norway, Canada, the US and Malaysia, as well as being registered to operate in about 20 different countries, interestingly establishing its Italian office was most challenging after the firm won a contract there in 2012.
“When we went in there we thought it was a European country. But it’s very proscriptive,” says Ms Cameron.
But Ms Cameron, who is a shareholder in the business, is made of tougher mettle.
Her family ran a country house hotel in Tomintoul for 56 years until her father died prematurely.
This perhaps gave her the required resilience when working in such a male-dominated industry.
“Sometimes I go to a lot of events with my husband and everybody talks to him.“It is hard sometimes. I’ve come against real challenges.
“They made me tougher and more resolute in pushing forward and making sure I was successful.”
Q&A
Who helped you get where you are today?
Douglas Smith the chairman of the company has always had full faith in me. He has really helped lead me to where I am.
A lot of the people we work for have pushed me forward.
What do you still hope to achieve in business?
In the short term – we have set out a partnership in Malaysia. That is a main area for us. We are also looking at Myanmar.
I hope to continue to see the company grow and for me to grow with it. Every day is a school day.
It is enjoyable watching people you have nurtured develop.
If you were in power in government, what would you change?
My father always said there’s only one thing worse that paying tax and that’s not.
The government police an easy target for tax.
All of these oil companies are high profile. They are paying their dues. If they are staying in Aberdeen they are paying in Aberdeen. Then you here about Amazon etc that are avoiding tax. That is an area I’d look at is tax avoidance.
What are you reading, listening or glued to on TV?
I’m heavily into Tom Rob Smith’s trilogy of Soviet thrillers.
If you were a character in history or fiction, who would you be?
Miranda Priestly played by Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada is someone I’m sometimes compared with. She’s tough with a soft centre.
What do you drive and dream of driving?
I drive a Volvo C90 convertible, which is quite nice. But I love Jaguar. I want a new Jag F-type.
What would your children or partner say about you?
I’m a workaholic, passionate and compassionate.
Which charity do you support and why?
We don’t have a particular charity we support. We had an event recently that was in support of a children’s charity.
We normally do ladies day at Auchterhouse which supports a lot of charities.