Europa moves into oil industry FM

26 August 2008

In a £6m contract with ASCO, the Aberdeen based global leader in oil and gas logistics, Europa is to deliver a flexible and scalable FM service to support its business operations across its sites in the UK.

ASCO Group Limited’s core business is the management and operation of Oil & Gas supply bases. With bases in the UK, Norway, Canada, Trinidad, USA and the Caspian, it operates in more oil & gas regions than any other specialist logistics company. It also provides complimentary waste, marine and freight forwarding management services. ASCO is headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland and employs over 1300 personnel worldwide.

The ASCO sites in the UK are a mixed portfolio of corporate offices and industrial facilities, warehousing and storage in locations stretching from Great Yarmouth in the south of England to Sheffield in the north and to Peterhead and Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland. .

ASCO provides logistics services that support drilling operations for leading oil and gas companies around the world and requires support of the highest standard to help it maintain its own high level performance. Europa will be providing ASCO with an increased level of management and support with higher levels of service delivery. It will also oversee the central coordination of all services including helpdesk, sub contractor management, M&E maintenance, cleaning and security services.

Gordon Rowan, account director at Europa, says: “Our approach to delivery is highly adaptable. ASCO has selected individual elements from each of our service lines, which when combined create a flexible package to meet their needs. It is really exciting to be working in such a fast moving environment with an ambitious business with a great reputation.”

Gary Topping, the group property and facilities manager of ASCO, adds: “Europa understands the consequences of disruption to the service delivery within our business locations. Our goal as a business is simple – safe and assured delivery. We have made the decision to consolidate the multiple direct sub contracts with just one supplier, to improve that offering and lessen the risk of our operations being disturbed or delayed.”

David Pollock, the managing director of Europa comments: “The ASCO contract is a significant step forward in our new business direction in the corporate sector. After the initial contract mobilisation, Europa will work with ASCO on a three year contract that will complement and support ASCO’s business activities and developments. We are looking forward to the new challenges ahead of us and believe that our brand of integrated FM is right for this specialised market.”

Europa aquired United Utilities FM in February 2008 to significantly increase its size and strengthen its 'hard' services capability.

Billy Allan, the chairman of Asco, formerly led the MBO at Stiell Facilities in 1998 a company he had joined as an apprentice. He then led Steill Facilities into Alfred McAlpine. In 2006 he invested with others in a significant share of Europa Support Services, and he is currently its chairman. This move to improve the FM of ASCO is a natural culmination of his expertise in FM.

Europa is a privately owned, leading facilities management business, operating right across the UK. It employs nearly 2,000 FM professionals with its head office in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Europa delivers integrated FM services across four markets – corporate, public, retail and utilities providing a bespoke or a total package as required.