Energy sector potential boosts NOF membership

An energy sector business development organisation has enjoyed a membership boost as firms seek to maximise opportunities in the oil and gas and offshore wind sectors.

NOF has experienced an increase of almost 40 businesses in the last quarter, which follows an upturn in offshore oil and gas activity and opportunities for diversification across offshore wind.

Durham-based NOF supports the supply chain across the global energy sector to help identify new business opportunities.

Earlier this year, it focused its support on key business development services to provide members with an enhanced package that helps identify new prospects and build new connections.

More than 60 per cent of the new members highlighted NOF’s business development service as the main reason for joining, with the service supporting operators with future business plans and providing help to identify opportunities in the UK and around the world.

NOF facilitates thousands of targeted introductions every year between members and energy sector partners, with more than a third of the new members highlighting this as a key benefit, alongside its extensive events calendar.

Gayle McCann, from Alnwick-based William Hackett Lifting Products Ltd, which has recently re-joined NOF, said: “It made sense to re-engage with NOF as some of our distributors are now members and our goal for 2020 is to engage more with end users and grow our contacts in the fast-growing energy sector.

“We see NOF as a good platform in order to help facilitate these meetings and reach a wider audience.”

NOF’s ability to bring together its extensive network of developers, tier one contractors, OEMs and diverse and experienced members from the offshore industry delivers mutual benefits across the sector.

Paul Livingstone, head of business development at NOF, said: “The demand for reliable, cost effective energy is driving innovation and investment and our organisation is at the heart of enabling our members to play a significant part in the industry’s development.  

“Membership has been growing at a time when the energy sector is changing.

“Our new members want to use the tailored support we provide to gain market intelligence and tender for supply chain contracts.

“They are part of our growing network, which comprises of ambitious and talented businesses that are able to transfer their technical knowledge and ability across the energy sectors.

“The offshore oil and gas industry continues to recover, and along with a buoyant offshore wind industry, the skills, products and services of our members are very much in demand.”

Pictured: NOF’s Paul Livingstone, left, with Josh Burgess, operations manager at William Hackett Lifting Products Ltd