NatalieAdmin, Author at STR

Remote operations are on the rise across the offshore industry, in a bid to drive efficiencies, de-risk projects, decrease carbon emissions and ultimately reduce costs.

For survey projects specifically, having a fully autonomous vessel – such as an unmanned surface vessel (USV) – or lean crew vessel will eliminate or significantly reduce the people required to run the operation, saving both operating and environmental costs. However by taking humans out of the equation, challenges can arise and selecting the right equipment for the job becomes of paramount importance.

Rob Williamson, Group Research & Development Manager at STR, delves into the world of remote operations and autonomous technology, introducing STR’s range of electric winches and showcasing how they’ve been designed to enhance and guarantee the success of remote subsea surveys.

Key equipment considerations for remote operations:

“Human beings are great problem solvers – they can intervene if something goes wrong, and use their experience and intelligence to help and enhance a project. With remote vessels, this can’t happen in the same way – when equipment malfunctions, there are no engineers onboard to repair it.

“This is why project teams need to focus on selecting robust equipment that is suitable and able to be controlled remotely. The key factors to consider during the selection process are the design of the apparatus, size and shape, level of automation and intelligence, reliability and power efficiency.”

The important role of the winch:

“A winch enables the entire survey project. When a sensor is deployed underwater, it’s the winch that must deploy and recover the cable reliably and neatly, and this can be quite a challenge, as the cable can get contaminated with debris or fishing nets, it may not wrap neatly back onto the winch, or it may break. It is also an integral part of the vessel’s safety system.

“For remote operations, more responsibility is placed on the winch to look after itself – it ultimately has to have more intelligence and be highly reliable.

“At STR, we have designed our fleet of electric winches to not only tick the remote operations boxes, but go far beyond them. Without human support, they ensure everything is working correctly, can stop and make themselves safe or fix issues, and ultimately report advanced performance statistics.”

5 features of STR’s electric winches that enhance remote operations:

1. Reliability

“Reliability is at the heart of our winch design. We’ve selected the highest quality parts, and mechanically everything is extremely strong – and the performance we’ve seen over the past 20+ years demonstrates our dedication to delivering a robust product.

“As we design and manufacture our own products in-house at STR, our electric winches benefit from rigorous testing, servicing and maintenance, as well as continuous optimisation from a design perspective – as we take learnings from the field, and enhance our winch design accordingly to enable our customers to get the most value.”

2. Power efficiency

“The STR electric winches have a custom-designed control system to maximise performance and efficiency, while managing operating performance. We’re able to extract the maximum power efficiency out of every single component, ensuring this is balanced with high levels of performance and reliability. For example, the SeaTow winches typically offer 50% power saving compared to traditional electro-hydraulic winches.”

3. Remote interfacing software

“We have spent a significant amount of time designing and developing our winch remote interfacing software, and this is a huge differentiator for STR compared to competing products in the market.

“Our electronic control system is a complete custom design, developed in-house, and it not only increases the intelligence and capabilities of our winches, it also makes the installation and user control extremely easy for our customers. The software essentially makes the winch self-sufficient and trusted to look after itself.

“The system can fully integrate into our customers’ own software & control systems as communications using our MODBUS protocol, is well documented and supported using our example software. It’s also extremely easy to switch in another STR winch with zero calibration required – it is essentially plug-and-play.

“The features supported through this custom software include performance statistics, fault reporting, power logs, and more. It also enables high levels of remote access, with the user able to stimulate every function of the winch from anywhere in the world.”

4. Low noise operation

“Our electronically controlled winches have an extremely low electromagnetic noise level, as they’re designed specifically to maximise the length of cable and performance of the attached sensors. This allows our customers to extract the absolute best performance out of the tow cable, and do much more with a shorter cable length. For remote operations, this is ideal as it means more can be done with a smaller winch, which will take up much less space on the vessel.”

5. Compact installation footprint

“The STR winches for remote operations strike the perfect balance between performance and size. We guarantee performance will not be matched by any other winch in the market than that of STR’s SeaTow range. We believe our products offer the highest level of performance and reliability with the smallest footprint – which means you’ll achieve higher value from your remote project. We do not compromise on quality.”

If you would like to learn more about STR’s range of electric winches for your upcoming remote survey project, or speak to a member of our team, click here.

Discover STR’s range of electric winches.

In this recent edition of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, our Group Technical Manager, Raymond Forsyth, discusses his journey while working at STR. Since joining the company in 2016, Raymond has embodied the STR values displaying teamwork, integrity and being dynamic to give our customers the best solutions, all while being a supportive mentor to our newer team members and playing a pivotal role in developing the STR Academy.

In this recent edition of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, our Group Technical Manager, Raymond Forsyth, discusses his journey while working at STR.

Since joining the company in 2016, Raymond has embodied the STR values displaying teamwork, integrity and being dynamic to give our customers the best solutions, all while being a supportive mentor to our newer team members and playing a pivotal role in developing the STR Academy.

Read more to discover more about Raymond’s diverse career background, why he thinks customers choose STR, and more…

How would you summarise your career background and what led you to STR?

“On leaving secondary school I studied electrical and electronic engineering but went on to work in my family’s businesses in the hospitality sector. I then relocated into Aberdeen where I managed a number of successful premises and finally my own, where I was nominated for three National Awards for quality and service, winning two of the categories and coming runner up in the third…to my brother!

“That’s where my attention to detail and desire to deliver a consistently high level of service and quality product comes from. I feel this is fundamental to the success of any business and something we take great pride in ourselves at STR across all regions.

“Several years later, I retrained as an ROV technician and was fortunate to be hired on completion of the course during a period of downturn in the industry. In this role I worked hard both onshore, maintaining the vehicles and integrating project specific equipment, and offshore on projects themselves to achieve the various competencies required to progress my career. I started off as a trainee and then moved up to senior pilot technician and supervisory roles.

“During this time I was mentored by some great people who recognised I had ability and was willing to put in the effort required to be successful. I will always be grateful that they passed on their knowledge and offered sound guidance and advice in what was an alien environment to me.

“STR was the preferred equipment supplier for my previous employer, and part of my role was the testing and integration of all the different equipment and sensors we hired, which on completion gave me a great sense of achievement. This was my introduction to STR and when the company was looking to open an Aberdeen base, I was asked if I would be interested in coming on board and jumped at the opportunity.”

How has your role evolved since joining STR, and how have you utilised your experience?

“When I first joined, I worked predominantly offshore as a survey technician. While onshore, I would travel down to the STR base in Great Yarmouth where I could get hands-on experience while carrying out testing, preventative maintenance and repairs on a diverse array of equipment and in-house products. I really enjoyed that experience and would take every opportunity available to get exposure in the field, where you develop a real understanding of the equipment you may be integrating, troubleshooting, or repairing in the workshop, offshore or while offering technical support.

“Around 2 ½ years later, I moved into an onshore role as a Senior Base and Support Engineer, then as Technical Operations Supervisor, overseeing the STR workshop in Cults, Aberdeen before we moved to our current location in Altens. That’s when things really changed, this was a much bigger workshop and warehouse facility, which meant that STR was going to have a real presence in Aberdeen!

“We moved quickly and started developing our new STR Technology and Service Hub in Aberdeen, and from there we really hit the road running with both new and existing customers.

“Over the following years, I was promoted to Technical Operations Manager and now hold the position of Group Technical Manager, where I continue to work closely with our customers and regional technology and service facilities, almost as an extension of their team.

“I think I’m one of a few people who has been to every original STR site. It has been, and continues to be, a truly exciting journey and to play a small part in the evolution of STR fills me with immense pride.

“STR has experienced rapid growth and now boasts new service facilities in Perth, Singapore and Houston, with a Technology and Innovation centre in Great Yarmouth. Having supported the start up of our international locations, I am looking forward to supporting our new Perth facility in the new year.”

What does a typical day look like for your role – what is the ultimate goal for you?

“Every day is so different but it’s those challenges and changes that make the job enjoyable for me. One of our key values at STR is that you have to be dynamic, because things will change and we have to be ready to adapt so we meet our customer needs.

“I think the unique thing about my role is that I’m supporting our global teams in maintaining the high service and quality standards we strive to deliver. So, week to week I can be at each corner of the globe, supporting the STR teams and ensuring the same high standards, levels of support and service are being provided throughout.”

What do you enjoy most about your job?

“I’m lucky to be working in a job where I enjoy so many aspects of it. I work closely with world renowned subsea operators and equipment manufacturers, as well as our own in-house technology and product suite, adapting products and software to improve the wide range of OEM technologies and products we have in our fleet, which excites me.

“I enjoy working closely with our senior management and R&D teams when it comes to innovations and developing new technologies to further strengthen our unique product and equipment offering, and working with clients to get them into the market.

“I love working with a team and helping others, whether it’s our customers in the form of technical support, providing operational input and insight into our new product development (“NPD”) programme or mentoring the newer members in our team and helping them develop their careers and experience.

“I still get a real buzz assisting in the integration of large, complex spreads of equipment and seeing it all come together in preparation for client Factory Acceptance Testing and feel great satisfaction when the kit is packed up and shipped out, as it takes great effort from all STR departments to deliver a quality product and service successfully.”

Tell us about the STR Academy? Why is this something you’re passionate about?

“When I started out in this industry, I appreciated the support and mentorship I had from senior figures, so I wanted to be a good supervisor and invest the time in supporting those more junior than me going forward.

“The STR Academy is something I’ve played a big part in developing, because I’m so passionate about supporting others’ progression and implementing positive processes. Teamwork and succession planning is crucial for any company, so the STR Academy provides a clear path of progression and ensures every team member has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

What do you see in STR’s future within the industry over the next 3 to 5 years?

“Everything we do at STR is built around teamwork, succession and growth. There’s no boundary for what the future holds, which is incredibly exciting.”

Why do you think people choose STR?

“I believe the level of interaction we have with our customers, as well as the effort we put into finding effective – and sometimes bespoke – technical solutions is what really sets us apart.

“We’re there for the full life cycle of our customers, from conception, during the project, right through to completion – and at every stage we’re on hand to support to ensure we deliver a superior level of service.

“Our equipment standards and the quality of our technical support is fantastic, and everyone in the team is so passionate about what we deliver, whether it’s the operations team, the sales team, the technical team – everyone really cares about what we do. I feel like that personal touch and the ethos behind the company has not been lost, even through our transition onto a global platform.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

“Be dedicated, work hard and stay focused – opportunities will follow! If you have that mindset, you will succeed in whatever you do in life.”

In this blog post, our Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Jason French, takes you on a visual tour of our exciting new Singapore facility, delving into its key features and what each new zone unlocks…

At STR, our mission is to provide customers with a competitive edge when it comes to their subsea projects, which is why we continuously strive to produce premium quality products and equipment to help enable superior data acquisition for our customers. A large part of this is investing in our locations around the world, ensuring we can provide an exceptional service offering across each region.

With this ongoing commitment in mind, we recently expanded our Singapore premises to a new location that offers enhanced capabilities. Not only is our new facility three times the size of our previous space, but it also embodies our drive to strengthen our subsea technology and equipment solutions, particularly within Asia Pacific.

Here, our Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Jason French, takes you on a visual tour of this exciting new facility, delving into its key features and what each new zone unlocks…

1. Reception and meeting room

“This area is the first impression for anyone visiting our Singapore premises. It’s separate from the core working area of the facility and provides a welcoming environment for visitors to enjoy our hospitality.

Our previous premises had a more industrial feel, so this professional office space gives us the ability to have more in-person time with our customers and collaborate on projects before they reach the engineering stage. We have also had customers use our facilities to hold their own meetings with their external clients, this is something we’re passionate about facilitating as our aim is to always act as a strategic partner and extension of their team wherever possible, to help their operations run smoothly.“

2. Electronics workshop

“Flooded with natural light and with enough workstations for 10 engineers, which is significantly larger than our previous site, and a hub of activity where our team works on our equipment and develops solutions.

This workshop is also where the engineers carry out some of STR’s testing processes, all of which are governed by our technical centre of excellence, where we conduct internal compliance audits throughout the year in line with our Quality Management System.”

3. Warehouse

“Our new warehouse in Singapore is a vast space, roughly three times larger than our previous facility. This huge increase in size allows us to store more of our equipment at this site, which gives us the ability to deliver equipment in this region swiftly and efficiently.

“Inside, we have installed LED lights and large power-foil fans to keep the team cool while reducing our overall energy consumption. For equipment storage, we introduced new racking, with each piece of tech correlating to the location set in our asset database. Additionally, to keep our operations as green as possible, we’ve also sourced an electric forklift and electric van as well.”

4. Test tank

“This test tank is our most recent addition here and one which we’re all very excited about. ts vast size means we can assess even some of our largest equipment with ease. Since a lot of our products are used underwater, it’s important that it all gets wet tested prior to being dispatched. In the test tank we can assess the water tightness and underwater functionality of our equipment, ensuring the quality is as it should be and providing our customers with peace of mind that it will work as expected once deployed.”

5. Calibration lab

“The calibration lab is another significant stride forward for our Singapore team. The new facility is sufficiently equipped to undertake pressure calibrations on subsea equipment which, like our new test tank, further ensures the quality of our equipment and services.

“Our calibration lab is currently set up for pressure sensor calibrations using a dead weight tester in accordance with our well established global process for sensor calibrations and tests. We can certify our own equipment locally in the region, which leads to increased uptime and faster delivery for our customers.

“We also welcome customers who wish to attend our equipment testing process in person prior to the equipment being delivered to their worksites. In these instances, we can provide desk space and meeting facilities during the testing. Not only that, the calibration lab also provides the ability to check customer owned equipment in the same way as we would evaluate our own, offering additional support in terms of analysis.”

“Overall, our new Singapore facility is more than just a larger building; it’s a reflection of our mission to deliver enhanced subsea technology and equipment solutions in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. With such a huge investment in our development and capabilities, we’re looking forward to the next chapter for our Singapore team.”

Learn more about our unrivalled fleet of specialist equipment, and get in touch with the Singapore team here.

In this blog post, our Regional Director, Neil Jackson, examines six common problems associated with hydraulic winches, and how STR’s experience in harnessing the superior benefits of electric winches through our innovative SeaTow product line can help to overcome them…

For many years, hydraulic winches have been the preferred choice for a number of industries when it comes to pulling large, heavy objects over extended distances in an offshore setting. However, despite their widely known acceptance, these winches present a number of challenges both to the crew members using it and to the wider environment, which are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Times are changing and electric winches have proven to be an innovative alternative which eliminate the issues that come with hydraulic systems. Not only do electric winches offer enhanced efficiency and reliability when compared to their hydraulic counterparts, they also offer better control, precision and ease of installation.

Problem 1: High energy consumption, even when static

Hydraulic winches have been a go-to choice for a number of years, as they used to have a lower Electro-Magnetic Interference level (EMI) than electric winches, which resulted in improved communications performance on the tow cable.

That being said, hydraulic winches are notorious for their high energy consumption. While not in use, they still demand a considerable amount of hydraulic power to maintain operational readiness. This means a constantly running, high powered generator is required, resulting in elevated fuel costs over the long term and the risk of being rendered unusable if a hydraulic power source isn’t available.

The solution:

Switching to an electric winch eliminates the need for such an intensive power source, as it benefits from higher motor efficiency than hydraulic winches and only consumes high power when in motion. This, combined with a lower power generator and low standby power consumption, means operators can significantly reduce fuel expenses for a more cost-effective operation.

Although hydraulic winches have been renowned for having the upper hand in terms of EMI levels, our SeaTow winches have been carefully designed to offer outstanding EMI performance to that of virtually all other winch types – including most hydraulic winches. This means operators can capitalise on the cost savings electric winches offer in terms of energy efficiency, without compromising on the winch’s communications performance.

Problem 2: Environmental and safety concerns

Hydraulic winches are complex systems and utilise high-pressure hoses that are susceptible to wear and tear from the harsh offshore locations they’re typically used in. Over time, this deterioration can result in high quantities of oil leaking into the surrounding environment. Hydraulic oil leaks present a serious environmental risk within the sensitive offshore locations they’re used, as well as increasing the risk to worker health and safety.

In today’s world where climate concerns and environmental issues are a critical focal point across numerous industries and locations, it’s imperative that a cleaner, safer solution to hydraulic winches is more widely available for subsea operations.

The solution:

Electric winches are much cleaner for the environment than their hydraulic counterparts, offering a lower environmental impact as a result of their excellent motor efficiency and low standby power consumption.

Our SeaTow product line can operate effectively at both low and high pressures with no pumped fluids required. Without hydraulic fluids, the risk of oil leaks and spills is completely eliminated, which makes our electric SeaTow winches not just an eco-friendly option, but a choice that also enhances workplace safety.

Problem 3: Complexity in cooling systems

Another key challenge when using hydraulic winches is that they generate a significant amount of heat when a large load is placed on the tow cable. This puts a high amount of strain on the hydraulic heat exchanger cooling system as a result, and means that hydraulic winches require the added complexity of water cooling systems being installed on the vessel.

This can become laborious and potentially hazardous for crews, as the cooling system will require additional maintenance such as filter changes, cleaning the hydraulic pumps and oil top-ups. It also requires extra care to be taken so as to avoid oil discharge from the hydraulic system into the surrounding environment. In the long-term, this can result in inefficient operations and time wasted, as well as potentially dangerous working environments.

The solution:

Electric winches such as our SeaTow product line are designed with integrated electronic systems that capture and dissipate heat internally. This makes the winch self-sufficient, eliminating the need for external energy capture or management systems to keep the system cool and safe. Additionally, since electric winches are air-cooled, there is no risk of them discharging contaminated water into the surrounding environment, which further positions them as a more eco-conscious choice for offshore operations.

Problem 4: Basic control systems susceptible to wear and tear

The control systems in hydraulic winches are often quite simplistic, utilising valves, relays and contactors for their operation. These elements can only offer a basic level of control, and are prone to wear and tear which further reduces the reliability of the system over time.

As a result, hydraulic winches often require frequent maintenance and part replacement, making them inefficient and potentially more costly in the long run.

The solution:

Our SeaTow electric winches employ an advanced electronic control system that minimises the use of simple components that are more susceptible to wear and tear, as used in most electro-hydraulic installations. Not only that, these advanced systems provide a superior level of control, status monitoring and operator feedback, while supporting remote communication control.

This makes electric winches well suited to projects on remotely operated or lean-crewed vessels, while also improving the overall reliability and reducing maintenance downtime, to ensure operations run smoothly.

Problem 5: Noise pollution

Hydraulic winches are known for being very noisy and creating a high vibration when in operation. This can be a significant concern in environments where noise pollution is a problem, such as offshore locations where marine life could be disturbed by the excessive noise.

Not only that, the constant humming and loud noise from a hydraulic winch can also be disruptive to the crew members operating the winch too, which can have a detrimental effect on productivity in the long term.

The solution:

With electric winches, the requirement for noisy Hydraulic Power Units (HPUs) is virtually eliminated, allowing for low noise levels which in turn better supports job site communications and overall safety. Our range of SeaTow electric winches are carefully engineered to ensure quieter operations for this reason, which provides a more comfortable work environment for operators and is less harmful to sensitive marine habitats.

Problem 6: Complexities in mobilisation and demobilisation

Although they are powerful and durable, hydraulic winches are known for being difficult to install, since they require the installation of a hydraulic pump first. From multiple lifts to installing additional cooling systems, the process can be complex and time-consuming for the crews involved, with a lot more components required to power the winch.

When it comes to demobilisation, the same challenges apply, often requiring a larger operational footprint resulting in additional time, budget and resources to do so safely.

The solution:

One of the key advantages of an electric winch is that it is generally much easier to mobilise and demobilise compared to a hydraulic alternative. To transfer the winch from one vessel to another, it’s only the winch that needs to be reinstalled as it runs on the battery of the vessel rather than a separate hydraulic pump, thus allowing for a more swift and efficient process with less operational downtime.

STR’s SeaTow series simplifies the installation and demobilisation process significantly. With a single lift and a smaller environmental footprint, it allows teams to make significant savings in both time and operational costs, making it an ideal choice for businesses looking to improve operational efficiency.

Hydraulic winches may have a long history of use in various industries, but as we move into a more technologically advanced and environmentally conscious era, it’s crucial to consider the superior benefits of electric winches like STR’s SeaTow series. From lower energy consumption and reduced environmental impact, to easier installation and less frequent maintenance, electric winches not only enhance operational efficiency but also contribute to a more sustainable future.

In the latest instalment of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, Nge Aik Moh, our Technical Operations Manager based in Singapore, discusses his journey while working at STR. Having joined in 2019 to help us expand in the Asia Pacific region, Aik Moh shares his perspective on what makes STR the go-to subsea technology partner in the offshore energy and marine science markets as a global provider of technology, equipment solutions and data Services.

In the latest instalment of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, Nge Aik Moh, our Technical Operations Manager based in Singapore, discusses his journey while working at STR.

Having joined in 2019 to help us expand in the Asia Pacific region, Aik Moh shares his perspective on what makes STR the go-to subsea technology partner in the offshore energy and marine science markets as a global provider of technology, equipment solutions and data Services.

Read on to uncover what Aik Moh enjoys most about STR, the best piece of advice he’s ever received in his career, and more…

How would you summarise your career background and what led you to STR?

“I started my career at a British-owned company, Sonardyne International, and worked there for 12 years as an offshore support engineer, then a workshop manager, and finally an offshore manager. My role initially involved worldwide installation, commissioning and 24-hour support, before advancing to project management with a continual focus on quality and service – this was the foundation of my technical knowledge and practical experience.

“I was then fortunate enough to experience working with other survey companies and engineering startups to help set up workshops, before spending four years at Neptune Marine Services where I was responsible for establishing its survey workshop in Singapore as part of its international expansion strategy into Asia Pacific. These experiences of creating fully operational departments led me to my current position as a Technical Operations Manager for STR in Singapore.”

How has your role evolved since joining STR, and what does a typical day look like?

“I joined STR as part of its international expansion strategy into Asia Pacific. At first, my role involved securing facilities, meeting clients and helping build a fully operational capability. Since I started with STR we have increased our team, our equipment fleet, our facilities and our client network; which I am extremely proud to have contributed to.

“Day to day, my main responsibility is managing the technical and operations team in Singapore ensuring our operations run smoothly and we maintain the highest standards. STR is a customer focused business with emphasis on teamwork, innovation, quality, responsiveness and service and we regard ourselves as technical experts in subsea sensor technologies. Our aim is to be viewed, by our customers, as offering them an optimised equipment solution supported by the best technical support team.

“I closely work with our other service hubs in Australia, UK and Houston, to ensure efficient movement of STR assets and assist with the continued growth of the business. Working as part of a global team ensures STR can provide its local and international customers with a common standard of service and quality.”

Why are you so passionate about your role and where do you see STR in the future?

“I’ve had the benefit of being at the very beginning of our start-up stage in Singapore which required me to wear multiple hats. We have continued to invest and strengthen our team and have very recently moved into new custom-designed facilities that are 4x larger than our previous, and provide us with more capacity to support our growing customer network.

“Regarding the future, we aim to maintain our competitive position within the global subsea sensor market. There are many neighbouring countries to Singapore that have very ambitious offshore energy project with a high focus on Offshore Wind. STR has the largest and newest fleet of geophysical sensor technologies and our focus on equipment and service quality, we will be very well positioned to support the growing needs of our customers.

“Technology and innovation is at the core of STR and we continue to invest in research and development as we continually look at ways to offer our customers a competitive edge by delivering technologies that are of the highest quality, offer the lowest non-productive time in the field with a high focus on the emerging, disruptive, operating trends and new customer requirements – an example, is our new range of fully electric, autonomous winch systems provide our customers with the ability to deploy large sensor packages from USVs.”

Why do you think people choose STR?

“I think it is a combination of many things. Across the whole business, irrespective of department, we have a very high focus on getting the very small things right and ensuring our customers receive an optimal service to a common standard of quality.

“We have significantly invested in our team, facilities, equipment fleet and in-house product suite. We have the newest fleet in the market and we have a team of technical experts with strong domain knowledge of subsea sensor technology and deployment systems – we want to be regarded as a trusted extended arm of our customers’ project team.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

“I always remember a previous colleague saying to be nice to people on your way up because you will meet them again on your way down. It’s very humble advice and it’s the reason why I work hard to maintain a good network of contacts and build on positive client relationships within the industry. I think that’s another reason why customers choose STR, we really value the relationships we have with our customer network.”

Find out more about STR and our suite of best-in-class services here…

In the latest instalment of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, STR’s Regional Director, Neil Jackson, discusses his journey since joining the organisation in 2009, while providing insight into what the future holds for STR as a global provider of technology, rental equipment and data services to the offshore energy and marine science markets.

Read on to uncover what makes Neil so passionate about his work, the best piece of advice he’s ever received, and more…

As a long-serving employee, can you tell us a bit about your time working at STR?

“When I joined STR in 2009, we were a company of approximately 25 people operating in Great Yarmouth with a core focus in geophysical technologies. We have now grown to a team of 100 experts across the globe, and it has been fantastic playing my part in this exciting journey.

“I started at STR as a Business Development Manager, which was my first role in sales following a military electrical and electronic engineering background, and then working offshore in a geotechnical discipline. This experience set me up well, as I had a broad technical baseline and relatable field experiences, enabling me to deliver a strong service to our customers.

“My role has changed massively since I joined the organisation, as I’ve progressed from Business Development Manager, to Sales and Operations Manager, and now I’m a Regional Director responsible for the largest region within STR. Over the years I’ve supported the growth of our international business, travelled across the world to support customers with our subsea products and services, and helped to lead our passionate team to achieve our ambitious goals.”

What is your key area of expertise? Which of STR’s technologies are you most involved in?

“I’m generally seen as someone who has in-depth knowledge around our historical products. Since the early days, we’ve been seen as the go-to experts for geophysical survey related products, so that’s become my core area of expertise, and that really fits quite well into what’s going on in the offshore energy market at the moment.

“In offshore wind, for example, the ability to map and define the seabed is critical and relies on well developed geophysical surveys. So our knowledge and experiences continue to be very relevant for our customers.”

What does a typical day look like for your role – what is the ultimate goal for you?

“My role is incredibly varied as I hold ultimate responsibility across all aspects of my region – P&L, organisation, customer relationships to name a few, but my typical day is centred around supporting my management team to deliver our day-to-day services and future aspirations.

“Everything we aim to do in the business is all about giving our customers the absolute best service we can, and for me, it’s really important that I have a purposeful connection with our customers. Even though I’m now responsible for worksites in Great Yarmouth and Aberdeen, we’re collectively working as one team, so I feel it’s not only important to share my own experience but to embrace the daily challenges we often face in a reactive industry together.”

What do you enjoy most about your job? Why are you so passionate about the work you do?

“Leading a team of technical experts who provide 24/7 technical support, tailored solutions, equipment rental and services in our industry isn’t for everybody. Although incredibly rewarding, it can be a high pressure, dynamic environment where our customers’ project success will often be dependent on our service delivery, but I’m someone who embraces these challenges and this is embedded in the culture at STR. Across the industry we are seeing notable advancements in data driven solutions which STR is at the forefront of providing its customers, which is great to be a part of.”

What does STR’s future within the industry look like to you over the next 3 to 5 years?

“I think the future is really bright. Supporting the transition into sustainable offshore energy is really exciting but also very important for our future, and it creates a lot of opportunities for businesses like ours who can support the industry with new technologies.

“There are plenty of transferable skills and experiences that can go into the transition, but there’s a lot of new things for us to learn too which is exciting. Our R&D capability means as a company that designs and manufactures its own products, we can continually evolve and focus on the next industry needs. By utilising our domain knowledge, we’re in a really good position to deliver products that support the energy transition. For example, due to an industry drive for remote technologies, our range of electric survey winches that have been used on typical survey vessels for over 20 years now have built-in features for remote operation on USVs, which is seen as the next big advancement in our industry.

“Offshore energy developments around the world continue to evolve at a fast pace, meaning our growth strategy must mirror the demands and needs of our customers. With the support of our investors, we will have an enhanced customer offering to enable a closer role with our clients and their project requirements. We’ve got a successful geographical footprint already, but we will continue our momentum with a focus on offshore renewable energy projects. With our increased activities globally, this creates rewarding opportunities for our team to experience working in different environments and cultures.”

Why do you think people choose STR?

“We’re perhaps not the biggest rental company in the industry but we aspire to be a market leader for service and quality, and with the support of our new investors we continue to grow and diversify in all areas of our business. For me, it’s always been about our service delivery and the client relationships we create throughout the journey. I would like to think our historical and new clients can really connect themselves to our core values.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

“Working in sales, you’re inevitably going to come across challenging situations and customer relationships aren’t always going to be straightforward because they’re facing their own pressures. But don’t burn bridges – focus instead on building partnerships and relationships.

“I was given this advice early on in my career and I’ve come back to it often. It’s important to protect your professional relationships developed throughout your career, because you just never know when you’ll benefit from that relationship further down the line.”

Find out more about STR and our suite of best-in-class services here…

Every day is different thanks to the diverse portfolio of projects I’m involved in. However, my day-to-day activities are to test the STR kit and ensure the quality is consistent and at the highest level we, and our customers, expect.

Can you tell us a bit about your day-to-day activities in your role?

Recently, I’ve also had the privilege to step into a calibration role within the Houston base. Working alongside the calibration team has provided another exciting opportunity to learn, develop my skill set, and gain new experience.

What attracted you to join STR?

My position at STR provided me with the chance to kick-start a brand-new journey in my life.

After learning about the industry from a family friend, I was captivated immediately. With such an exciting future ahead and so much potential to unlock, I was determined to break into the industry. With the work STR has performed in the Americas region, its investment in people, new technology and plans to continue growing in the region, I felt that it was the company for me, and now was the perfect time.

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to step into STR’s brand-new Houston base, where I have learned and grown alongside the business ever since. Easily one of the best choices I’ve made, the team I work with at STR has become like family, and the rotational engineers have become some of my closest friends.

STR is passionate about supporting new talent embarking on their career, what kind of opportunities do you think should be available in the industry as a whole?

I think awareness and understanding is key. I believe that if more people knew about the ins and outs of the subsea energy market, the potential and capabilities of the technology deployed, and the different kinds of equipment packages and solutions we provide every day, they would fall in love as I did.

STR prides itself on creating a culture and work environment that allows individuals to thrive and achieve their potential, develop unique skill sets, and build exciting careers for themselves.

For the industry to continue evolving and growing, it needs to invest in the next generation of leaders, managers, technicians, and engineers. STR has afforded me the chance to learn so much in a short space of time, leaving me excited for what each day brings.

What are your ambitions and goals for your role at STR? Where would you like to be in 3 – 5 years?

When I first started my career at STR, I didn’t think I would be in the position I’m in right now which is a testament to the unique working environment and encouragement for development.

In three to five years, I would like to be someone in the workshop who anyone can come to and feel comfortable asking questions and looking for help or guidance on any subject. I want to be someone who can help others learn and grow, just as my peers have been for me.

STR is a company where if you come to work every day and be diligent in your learning, the possibilities are endless.

What advice would you pass on to other young people looking to break into the industry and kickstart their careers?

Never say no to any opportunity to learn and grow yourself. Instead, dive in head first and take it as it comes.