JDR BRACES FOR POWER SURGE
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Subsea power and umbilical-lines supplier JDR Cable Systems expects to double in size within the next two years as it builds on its investments in assembly of high-voltage alternating current export cable for the offshore wind industry as well as deep-water oil and gas.
Anthony Guegel 06 September 2011 19:24 GMT
Outgoing chief executive Pat Herbert told Upstream the company’s current backlog of subsea cable projects is “well north” of £100 million ($161.4 million) and growing.
In late June, JDR’s facility in Hartlepool Docks started loading out medium-voltage cables for the London Array Windfarm, one of the world’s largest offshore wind farm projects.
To lead this new phase of growth, JDR named Andrew Norman as its chief executive, effective 19 September. Norman previously served as president of Dresser Flow Technology Europe.
Herbert, who has served as chief executive for the last 10 years, will stay on with JDR as executive chairman with ongoing responsibility for strategic direction and stakeholder management.
“JDR has undergone significant change in recent months as we have worked to ensure it is well placed to build on its position as the offshore energy industry’s Partner of Choice,” Herbert said.
“With Andrew’s appointment, and our current senior management, I am confident we now have the leadership team to take JDR to the next stage of its development as we continue to enable our clients around the world operate in the most challenging of subsea environments.”
One of those significant changes was the commissioning this summer of the new vertical laying-up machine (VLM) at JDR’s facility in Hartlepool Docks in the UK.
The VLM, along with 4000-tonne capacity carousels, enable JDR to manufacture longer length medium- and high-voltage alternating current export (HVAC) cables for the offshore wind energy market.
Last April, JDR sold its Rotterdam-based Marine Cables division to Fugro to focus on umbilicals and subsea power cables.
JDR has made other staff changes: Patrick Phelan, former managing director of the umbilical systems division, has been named managing director-commercial.
Last month, JDR appointed Martin Boden chief financial officer. Also, Bob Solberg, who served last eight years as non-executive chairman, will be a director of the company.