METAL recycling, decommissioning and steel tubulars specialist, John Lawrie Group, has announced it is growing its operations after sealing a deal to develop a new site at the Port of Dundee.
The Aberdeen-headquartered company has reached an agreement with Forth Ports to create a new metal recycling and decommissioning base at the port. Both organisations will invest in the project, which will see an existing two-acre site redeveloped to create a new concrete pad.
A combined investment of around £5 million is being made by both businesses. John Lawrie Group said it will use the site to dismantle “redundant” offshore infrastructure brought ashore during oil and gas decommissioning projects and also for metal processing operations.
Expected to be up and running early next year, the facility will be operated by John Lawrie Group’s metals division. Up to 10 new full-time jobs could be created at launch, with the potential for more in future.
Dave Weston, John Lawrie Metals managing director said, “This is a significant investment for John Lawrie Group and comes 12 months after we acquired a metal recycling facility on Shetland. It underlines our commitment to support the oil and gas decommissioning sector and forms part of our long-term strategy to develop John Lawrie Group’s operations across the country. Operating facilities in close proximity to Scotland’s major ports also acknowledges the strategic importance we see them continuing to play as part of the country’s infrastructure.
“Over the coming 12 months we will be working closely with all of the relevant authorities and licensing bodies as we finalise plans for this development in Dundee. Our aim is to maximise the amount of materials that are reused and recycled, in order to minimise the volume of waste sent to landfill, helping to create a greener and more sustainable economy.”
David Webster, Forth Ports’ senior port manager for Dundee and Leith added, “This is a major milestone in Forth Ports’ strategy to develop a full service oil and gas decommissioning hub here at the Port of Dundee. We are excited to be working with John Lawrie Group to develop this new decommissioning facility. We have worked closely together on a number of projects and the company’s commitment to reuse and recycling and its strong track record is evident. The opening of the facility in early 2020 will be a very visible sign of the Port of Dundee’s ambition to support the North Sea oil and gas decommissioning sector.”
