E-Tech Group Eyes International Award (UK)

E-Tech Group, headquartered in Great Yarmouth with 20 engineering and supply bases throughout the UK, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, were this weekend recognised for their international endeavours by being chosen as a finalist in the 2011 EDP Business Awards.

E-Tech Group was founded in 1993 by four local entrepreneurs Gary Williams, Paul Brown, Adrian Dawes and Derek Rose when the four rented a small office in Great Yarmouth above a nightclub and started to plan their business. They were joined not long after this by a fifth member, Alan Gordon, and together as shareholding Directors they began the long and at times difficult process of building, what is today, a successful national and international business that employs over 200 staff.

The core business was always centred around the marine and petrochemical industries although recent years have seen the business move into new sectors such as luxury superyachts, the water utility sector, waste treatment and recycling plants as well as seizing the new opportunities in offshore wind.

 Gary Williams, one of the founding Directors said: “We have always prided ourselves on our ability to successfully deliver completed projects to clients large or small anywhere in the world.

 “We have some of the most experienced Technicians, Engineers and Managers at E-Tech Group and we have always sought business in new sectors that require this level of expertise.”

Much of E-Tech Group’s initial 10 years was spent growing the business through mergers and acquisitions along with creating new businesses all aimed at either adding more scope to the services offered or the establishment of regional bases to better serve their clients. This has seen their footprint grow to 15 facilities around the UK and international bases in Dubai, Marseille, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Ghana. In addition to this, projects have been managed and executed in just about every part of the world and in every extreme.

Gary Williams commented: “From the outset we saw international development as a fundamental part of the company’s growth plan. Having identified potential areas for investment E-Tech has, to date, moved towards establishing a trading company registered in the respective country which we feel demonstrates a strong commitment.

 “This commitment is further reinforced through the recruitment of local staff trained in E-Tech’s methods and values of customer service,” he added.

Following on from the company’s recent performance in the Sunday Times International Track 100 where it was placed at No 18 out of all of the UK businesses involved in exporting, it was suggested that it may be an opportune time to enter the region’s most prestigious business award run by the EDP, Archant’s flagship newspaper.

Being recognised by the Sunday Times resulted in Gary Williams being invited to meet the Prime Minister, David Cameron​, at No 10 which gave him the chance to raise some of the issues facing the UK’s SME’s at present.

Gary works extensively with trade support organisations such as EEEGr, the East of England Energy Group and Marine East. He also sits on the board of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and will be taking over the presidency of the Great Yarmouth Chamber in March 2012.

”Networking is possibly the most important tool in the business development tool bag,” said Gary, who explained how E-Tech participates in leading exhibitions, conferences and events and plays an active role in ensuring the voice of industry is heard.

E-Tech Group were shortlisted as a potential finalist through a process of form filling and interviews with the judging panel, which subsequently resulted in their being notified that they had made the final three.

The awards night, hosted by Stuart White of BBC fame and held at the Holiday Inn, Norwich Airport, was a glamorous, grand affair culminating in the award ceremonies. E-Tech Group were surprised and delighted when it was announced that they had won their category and took centre stage to receive the award from Stuart and to answer a few searching questions.

When asked what the award meant to E-Tech Group, Gary responded: “ When we started the business back in 1993 sitting in our first tiny office having given up jobs and security to realise our vision of creating the best electrical engineering company with the most comprehensive single source solution, little did we know what lay ahead.

 “There have been as many difficult times as there have been good times and there have also been times when we have all probably asked ourselves whether it was it all worth it.

 “Something like this gives everyone such a boost as it is not one individual that has won this; it could not have been achieved without a dedicated team working together and supporting each other.

 “This award is for everyone past and present that has played a part in getting E-Tech Group to where it is, which is possibly the UK’s largest privately owned marine electrical contractor, respected throughout many sectors by our valued clients with a unique selling point of providing the most comprehensive single source solution for electrical and instrumentation projects,” he concluded.

Founded in 1993, E-Tech Group is a worldwide company that provides the complete electrical turnkey service providing electrical and mechanical engineering and the supply of cables and electrical equipment. E-Tech Group is one of the largest marine electrical contractors in the UK and has 15 bases throughout the UK and 5 international bases in Barcelona, Marseille, Palma de Mallorca, Dubai and Ghana.

[mappress]

Source: nofenergy, October 11, 2011