DANISH OFFSHORE COMPANIES GOING GLOBAL

Danish companies getting well established in the international offshore market

Within the latest 10 years Danish companies involved in the offshore oil & gas and wind power industry to an increasing degree have shown their faces in the global market place. As the companies have gained experience as suppliers for projects in the North Sea their cooperation with other, international companies has been strengthened. Now the “longing to go global” has grown, and Danish suppliers are aware of the opportunities for cooperation and for acting as systems providers instead of maintaining their status as merely providers of products.

 
HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway visiting the Danish
stand at ONS 2006 in Stavanger

A joint drive for export
As the cooperation between the Danish suppliers to the oil and gas industry has developed the need for a joint marketing approach has grown more acute. General Manager of OFFSHORE DENMARK, Mogens Koch, for many years being a player in the trade, explains that 10 years ago no coordinated drive for export existed in the offshore industry.

First collective approach within offshore oil & gas
For many years the marine industry has been acting in unison showing the Danish flag in the international market, but not until 1999 was a coordinated export drive launched in support of the exhibition called Offshore Europe 99. Under the working title of OFFSHORE DENMARK Tofko Business Development A/S organised a joint approach in local as well as far away markets. “Until 2004 we primarily arranged our joint drives in Europe and the US, but since 2005 we have been active in Asia and the Middle East as well,” explains Mogens Koch. “We are targeting growth areas, where Danish know-how is readily transferable and Danish technology is proving useful. If we can see a potential the geographical location plays a minor part.”  

In 2006 OFFSHORE DENMARK was turned into an independent company, and since then initiatives have been taken for joint export drives at OTC 2006 in Houston, ONS 2006 in Stavanger and ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi.

International activities in 2007
For 2007 promotions are planned focusing on MEOS in Bahrain, OTC 2007 in Houston, OGA 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Offshore Europe in Aberdeen, and World Energy and Chemical Exhibition in Kuwait.

Generally, the high level of activity and investment in the oil & gas industry has increased the necessity for a coordinated marketing approach. Today all companies need to develop new relations and create business opportunities across the borders. “At OFFSHORE DENMAK we are planning a drive in a number of markets interesting to our customers. At the end of 2006 we – in cooperation with Danish Marine and Offshore Group, comprising 85 member companies – succeeded in developing new opportunities for Danish companies. We are able to provide the setting and contacts. The foundation for future business? That is up to the companies themselves to establish – and they have turned out to be quite competent in that respect,” concludes Mogens Koch.