Subsea Technology & Rentals (STR), a leading global provider of advanced sensor technology and solutions for the offshore energy and marine science markets, has welcomed Maxime Even as the new General Manager of their Singapore Technology and Service hub.
With over two decades of experience in the offshore survey industry, Even will play a key role in supporting STR’s clients across Asia-Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East, while his background in marine operations, business development and project management will help drive growth and expand STR’s regional operations and client base.
Jason French, STR’s Regional Director for APAC, said: “With his impressive experience in the offshore survey market, Maxime brings a wealth of regional knowledge to our hub in Singapore and understands the unique challenges faced by our clients. The APAC region presents significant opportunities, particularly in offshore renewables, and we know Maxime will contribute greatly to our continued success in this dynamic and rapidly growing market.”
Established more than 20 years ago, STR operates globally and serves clients in the offshore energy and marine science markets, helping them acquire mission-critical marine data through the provision of advanced subsea sensor technology, solutions and services.
As the 23rd of June marks International Women in Engineering Day, we’re shining a spotlight on the achievements of women in the engineering field and recognising the invaluable contributions of female engineers worldwide.
At STR, we are proud to champion the talents of our diverse team. We sat down with STR’s Group Technical Compliance Engineer, Shani Perdicou, to explore what led her to a career in engineering, the challenges she has faced in the field and the advice she would give to aspiring female engineers.
Tell us about your journey so far, and what inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
“My career began in 2003 when I joined the Royal Navy as a Mine Warfare and Communications Specialist serving in Portsmouth, Plymouth and Scotland. This role marked the beginning of my journey into the world of engineering and after eight years in the Navy, I transitioned into the geophysical sector, working offshore as a Geophysical Engineer for a marine survey company. This position appealed to me as I’ve always preferred to be hands-on and I thoroughly enjoyed being offshore, as well as the flexibility that being on a six month rotation allowed me to have.
“Throughout my career, I’ve often been one of only a few women in predominantly male-dominated environments, which has reinforced my commitment to supporting and advocating for more women in engineering.”
How would you describe your current role at STR and what does a typical day look like for you?
“I am the Group Technical Compliance Engineer at STR, and my main responsibility is managing our database of assets that support our clients’ projects. My day-to-day tasks centre around ensuring all equipment is of the required standard, which involves a thorough process of monitoring and repairing faults, internal failures and damages. I’m also client facing and issue technical reports on damaged equipment, as well as arrange payments and third-party repairs.
“While I’m not on the front line of securing new business, my role is crucial in maintaining the quality, reliability and performance of our assets – which is something STR prides itself in.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
“I thoroughly enjoy the variety of my role and the opportunity to interact with colleagues across all of our Technology and Service hubs, including Australia, Scotland, Singapore and USA. I also love engaging with different departments, from the sales team and engineers, to the calibration and finance departments. The diversity in my responsibilities, and the fact that I’m recognised as a key member of the operations team, always keeps things fresh and interesting!
“STR has provided me with fantastic support and flexibility, which is particularly important for me having young children. The company is also committed to professional development and encourages everyone to participate in training and developing their domain knowledge and career – I will soon participate in the company’s new “People Development” programme aimed at team leaders and supervisors who manage, or will soon manage, a team.
What do you think are the biggest barriers currently facing women in engineering, and how has this changed from previous years?
“I would say that one of the biggest barriers for women in engineering is visibility. Young people, particularly young women, don’t see or hear enough about female engineers which potentially encourages the stereotype of who ‘should or shouldn’t’ be an engineer.
“For a long time, I think there has been a perception that to fit into an engineering role, you need to be a certain profile of person, which can be discouraging for those who don’t fit that mould.
“Having said that, the industry has changed for the better since I started my career. In the past, hiring managers would feel obligated to interview a female candidate just to tick the diversity box. Nowadays, the focus is more on qualifications and personal attributes, which is a significant progression. There’s also been a noticeable increase in female representation in STR and at industry events – I’ve seen more female speakers and attendees on LinkedIn recently, which is great and reflects the positive changes happening within our field!”
What challenges have you faced as a woman in engineering, and how have you overcome them?
“When I joined my vessel in the Navy as one of the first females in mine warfare, none of the 38 males on board had ever sailed with a female before. Because of this, several crew members had to be convinced that I was capable of doing my job, not just intellectually but also physically. I was fortunate to work with a good group of people who didn’t focus on my gender, however, the perception that females are weaker than men was often a challenge. Despite this, I wasn’t given any special treatment and was expected to perform the job just the same as everybody else.
“Another challenge I’ve faced as a woman in engineering was uniform related. When I started going offshore, the overalls provided were tailored for men and often didn’t fit properly. Trousers were too long, and boots and gloves in my size were rarely available. As well as this, the expectation to go above and beyond to justify my position in a male-dominated field was also a struggle. Thankfully, over time, I think the industry has become more inclusive and focused on skills and capabilities rather than gender.”
What initiatives have you seen or would like to see that support women in engineering?
“I’ve noticed an increase in career fairs at local colleges and schools, which is a step in the right direction. I’ve participated in a few of these with STR, where we visited a local college and the students found out more about what we do. As a result of this, we recently had a female student join us as a Trainee Engineer following a work placement.
“I think it’s crucial to engage with students when they’re around 13 or 14 years old to make them aware that engineering is a viable and exciting career option. It’s encouraging to prospective employees that STR has female engineers across all our departments, making new female hires feel supported. The more we reach out to students and show them that engineering is an accessible and rewarding career path, the more we can open doors for the next generation of female engineers.”
What advice would you give to young women who are considering a career in engineering?
“Go for it! My mum always told me that engineering offers a career for life; it’s one of those professions that’s always evolving, we see how quickly technology develops!
“It’s important for young women to remember that engineering isn’t gender specific and the industry is just as suitable for females as it is for males – there are no jobs in engineering that are solely built for men. If you have the capability and are willing to put in the work, you’ll succeed!”
Are you passionate about STEM and looking for a diverse career in the offshore industry? Visit our website to discover our latest vacancies: https://www.str-subsea.com/careers
Taking place every two years in London (UK), Oceanology International is a place where knowledge across the marine science, offshore energy and technology markets is shared, cementing it as a central hub to showcase innovation and discuss new ideas.
As a global provider of mission critical sensor packaged solutions, enabled through in-house innovative and specialist services, our primary focus is to enable the acquisition of higher quality, critical marine data. With innovation at our core, Oceanology was our primary platform to showcase our cutting-edge products, including a member of our Smart Deployment System product range – The SeaTow 2000 electric winch, our SeaCount cable measurement system and our deepwater SeaSpyder drop camera system; all of which represent pioneering engineering. It was also the perfect opportunity to announce our latest advancement in New Product Development (NPD), such as our Fast Deployment System and ROV Multiplexer, both of which are being developed in-house by our Products & Technology (P&T) team.
Bringing specialists from core divisions of our business – operations, products and technology, senior leadership and sales – each team member discovered trends and insights that will help us unlock new opportunities and develop solutions for our customers. Here, we discuss our key takeaways and how we think these shape the future of the subsea industry.
Insight 1: Preference has shifted in favour of autonomous and remote operations
Driven by economic factors, health, safety and environmental concerns and of course, feasibility through advancements in technology, the move towards autonomous operations on uncrewed service vessels (USVs) is increasing, and therefore the demand for products with remote capabilities is significantly growing.
With this new way of working bringing a multitude of benefits such as increased safety by removing people from hazardous environments, unmanned operations resulting in a smaller carbon footprint and cost savings through reduced personnel as well as the unit cost of the asset (USV vs manned vessel), it’s no wonder that questions on remote capabilities were on the rise at this year’s Oceanology event.
Raymond Forsyth, Group Technical Director said: “With this shift comes the need for new innovation and changes in ways of working, coupled with robust, reliable technology. While remote operations come with many advantages, the quality of the product needs to be unparalleled to ensure high performance without manual input and offshore maintenance. It’s also important to consider that unmanned vessels tend to be much smaller than conventional manned vessels, therefore a compact product design that can be operated autonomously is often a required feature.
“Conversations around remote capabilities were often directed to our SeaTow 2000 electric winch which we had on display, as ultimately, our Smart Deployment System range (SeaTow) enables the entire survey project. Our SeaTow products have been designed to go much further than just ticking the box for remote operations, the winches not only correct any arising faults but also report on performance statistics to minimise any downtime.
“It’s still important to note that human experience and intervention is required to enhance project performance, and it’s vital that specialist knowledge and experience is used to ensure the correct technology is selected and working cohesively with other equipment as a complete sensor solutions package. Autonomous operations will be an important part of the future way subsea operations are managed. However, it will take time for the markets to adopt this new technology and success will be dependent on strong collaboration across the whole supply chain.”
Insight 2: The demand for single high-performance products has extended to innovative solution-led packages with a focus on equipment integration
Fundamentally, customers need subsea deployment systems and sensor products that are reliable and high-performing to complete their operations, but there’s been a shift from using equipment from various manufacturers to looking for multi-product packaged solutions from one service provider that can integrate all the technologies to solve a number of challenges at once, while maximising data capture.
There are many benefits to working with one service provider that uses the same engineering and operational methods – products will work in harmony, prompting enhanced operational efficiency, reduced costs, and less impact on the environment when considered as a full package offering. When selecting technology packages for projects, it’s vitally important we engage with our clients, forming an extended part of their operations team, to understand the specific user case, the subsea environment, vessel / USV and the desired data requirements – only then, can we provide the optimum results.
Steve Steele, CEO said: “Throughout the event, customers were keen to discuss technology that would enable smarter working, increased efficiency, reduce the impact on the environment and improve data quality, therefore being able to do more with less.
“At STR, we have a very strong heritage of innovation and we were proud to showcase some of our products at the event. We have been designing and developing in-house products for more than twenty years and are continually challenging ourselves on enhancing our product offering. At our Innovation and Technology Centre in Great Yarmouth, we are continuously investing in our team, infrastructure and expanding our in-house product catalogue – as evidenced by two new products that we’re bringing to market in 2024.
“Our mission critical products (we refer to them as “enablers”) form part of a more comprehensive product package offering, and it’s one of the reasons why our clients work with STR. Managing subsea projects is complex, no matter the market sector, and they are getting larger with greater demands on our client project teams. At STR, we work very closely with our clients to provide the right mission critical sensor package solution and after-market service care to de-risk our clients’ projects and maximise their results.”
Insight 3: The environment is rich for product development and cleaner technology remains a priority
As technology advances, we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible within the subsea sector, and the buoyancy and positivity in the market strengthens the appetite for smarter engineering and paves the way towards the energy transition.
With environmental concerns remaining at the top of companies’ agendas, we made the decision years ago to engineer electric winches and raise awareness of the benefits over their hydraulic counterparts, but education is still key to encourage and support this approach being adopted on a global scale.
Rob Williamson, Group Research and Development Director said: “Throughout the event, we received a high volume of interest in our Smart Deployment Systems (SeaTow 2000 electric winch), with clients intrigued to see if its technical specification and capabilities can address their challenges.
“For example, adopting the use of our electric winches can solve deck space challenges as they eliminate the need for such an intensive power source while benefiting from higher motor efficiency. This, combined with a lower power generator and low standby power consumption, means operators can significantly reduce fuel expenses while reducing environmental concerns through excellent motor efficiency.
“In addition, a core focus for us was to announce our latest innovations, our Fast Deployment System – which will significantly support autonomous and remote operations – and our ROV Multiplexer – which takes data acquisition to an even more advanced level. Both these products are integral to complementing our subsea packages and increasing efficiency for our customers.
“Our aim remains simple, we’re not building products just to sell it, we’re engineering equipment to solve our customers’ problems, helping them complete their surveys to an unrivalled standard while also enabling them to transition to more sustainable methods.”
In summary, this year’s event presented an extremely positive outlook for the subsea sector and the main trends support the transition to the global goal of reaching Net Zero. While there were concerns raised about the global supply chain and market demand, the show symbolised investment within the sector and emphasises the importance of collaboration between suppliers to overcome common challenges and achieve ambitious targets.
With more than 20 years’ electronics and operations experience, Michael Greening joined STR in 2023 as our Rental and Services Sales Manager for the Americas region.
In this instalment of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, Michael shares his perspective on what makes STR the go-to choice for subsea technology, why he is so passionate about the work he does and what he sees in STR’s future…
Tell us more about your career background and what led you to STR…
“I began my career in the Marine Corps, where I served for 11 years focusing on avionics and electronics for helicopters. I then became an electronics instructor before transitioning into the subsea industry.
“My first role in this sector involved technical and engineering support on ROVs and support equipment for an ROV provider in Louisiana. This led me to a position as an offshore Survey Engineer at a leading global offshore survey company where I progressed to project support manager, then operations manager.
“During this time, I got to know STR through renting its equipment and was always impressed by the quality of the service. I previously worked with Randy Mullins, STR’s Regional Vice President, and when he joined STR at the beginning of 2023, I was keen to explore new opportunities to further develop my career. When the opportunity arose to lead the regional sales team at STR, I felt the growth ambitions of the business matched my personal goals.”
What is your key area of expertise and which of STR’s technologies are you most involved in?
“I’m highly experienced in construction and survey equipment such as LBL and surface positioning, but since joining STR, I’ve developed a great understanding of geophysical equipment. The confidence and knowledge I’ve built on the equipment is down to the incredible team that I work with, which is full of individuals passionate about enabling each other’s progression and finding effective solutions for our customers.
“I think this approach has allowed me to fit in really well with the STR team and the work we do. Throughout my professional life, I’ve thrived in high-stakes environments that demand quick reactions, precision, and the ability to solve problems. From challenging circumstances in the Marine Corps to handling imminent requests in the offshore industry, I’ve honed my ability to find fast and effective solutions to solve problems.
What does a typical day look like for your role, and what is your ultimate goal?
“I’m up early to catch up with the UK office and handle some emails – it’s a great start to the day to feel organised and on top of customers’ priorities. By the time 8am rolls around, my focus shifts to regional meetings and customer calls.
“I spend about 70% of my time communicating with customers discussing their operational requirements and making sure they’re getting the optimum technical solution for their project, including pre-mobilisation equipment integration tests.
“My goal every day is to get as much information from our customers as possible to ensure I can deliver a service that makes their jobs easier and more effective, all while getting back to them with a solution as quickly as possible.
Why are you so passionate about the work you do?
“For me, it’s the fast tempo of it all and the support I receive from everyone at STR. I’m the type of person who just can’t sit still for too long, and I’ve always thrived in a fast paced environment where I need to solve problems quickly. At STR it’s constantly dynamic and different every day. One moment you’re attending team meetings or completing paperwork, the next you’re helping a customer with an urgent request that needs to be solved as soon as possible.
“I’ve also always enjoyed being part of a team, whether it was playing sports growing up, being in the Marine Corps or being part of an offshore team. What I really like about working at STR is the level of camaraderie – everyone is working towards a common goal, which you don’t always get in business.
“Another reason I’m so passionate about working for STR is that there’s a real commitment to supporting its team and what’s important to them. With my background in the Marine Corps, STR now sponsors a veteran non-profit organisation called Now or Never, which I’m really passionate about. It organises fishing and hunting trips for veterans to help build trust and relationships or support those who are having a hard time connecting with the civilian world once they’ve come out of service.
What do you see in STR’s future over the next 3 to 5 years?
“STR has experienced significant growth both internationally and locally. We have quickly transitioned from start-up to a scale-up business in the USA and we are excited about the emerging offshore renewables market. One of our main goals is to continue to support our customers’ growth through our diverse service suite. STR has invested in all its facilities, equipment fleet and the organisation and we have recently increased the capacity of our in-house production team. We have a new product development plan, which is very exciting, and I believe will further enhance STR’s technology and service offering.
“Autonomous systems, new technology are transitioning some offshore activities and ways of working from offshore to onshore, reducing the number of people on vessels and rigs. As a result, there’s going to be an increased requirement for specialised technical experts to integrate and maintain the equipment during mobilisations and project operations. This is an area STR can continue to deliver value to our customers.”
Why do you think people choose STR as a supplier?
“What I’ve learned is that if you want to separate yourself from your competition, you have to ask yourself ‘How fast can I solve my client’s problems and provide them with the optimum technical solution?’. As someone who comes from an operations management background, I’ve been on the other side of the fence where you’re trying to mobilise a vessel on a Friday night, you’ve got a question and there are no suppliers available to answer the phone until Monday. Those 48 hours could potentially cost >$200,000 in vessel time lost waiting for that answer.
“At STR, we are an organisation from top to bottom with a depth of operational experience and strong domain knowledge. We’re always prepared to go the extra mile to get the best technical solutions package delivered to our customers on time. We pride ourselves in being agile and providing our customers with best-in-class customer service – providing the best customer experience drives strong re-occuring sales and helps develop very strong customer relationships.
When you work with STR, it’s not like going to Walmart and picking something off the shelf – we dig deep into the engineering and operations side of things, and ask ‘what application do you need the equipment package for?’, ‘How can we support you to optimise vessel uptime, improve data acquisition and overall project performance’ That’s the level of attention and customisation our customers need from STR – it’s more of a partnership with the customer and it’s one area we pride ourselves in doing differently from our competitors.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?
“This isn’t so much a piece of advice but a quote that I have always remembered throughout my career: “They say that no matter how hard you work, there is always someone, somewhere who is working harder than you – be that someone”.
“This is something that I’ve applied in all areas of life, both personal and professional. There are many things that are out of our control, or things that other people are better at, but the one thing that is controllable by any person is their work ethic. If you work hard, stay curious about what you don’t know and learn from your mistakes, then you’ll succeed.”
Find out more about STR and our suite of best-in-class services here…
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.
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.
