Business

Cookstown engineering firm Decom eyes private equity backed growth drive

Decom's Sean Conway, Matthew Drumm and Nick McNally.
Decom's Sean Conway, Matthew Drumm and Nick McNally. Decom's Sean Conway, Matthew Drumm and Nick McNally.

A CO Tyrone engineering firm has said it will create 10 jobs over the next 12 to 18 months as part of a continuing growth drive.

Cookstown-based Decom Engineering was set up in 2012 by Sean Conway alongside his father and brother.

It has developed patented subsea and offshore cold cutting saws that aid in the decommissioning of old or unused oil and gas pipes into a useable product.

It saves thousands of tonnes of scrap steel from being produced each year, helping reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.

The firm which currently employs 14 people is steadily expanding, has been backed to the tune of £2m over the past two years by private equity investors Cordovan Capital Management and Invest NI’s Co-Fund programme.

“Decom Engineering started out ten years ago at trade shows and demos, building momentum slowly throughout our complex industry, and we took time to refine our products,” said Mr Conway.

“Now, our pipe coating removal system is the fastest and greenest process on the market globally.

“We began by taking part in one of Catalyst’s start-up programmes which took us through the initial business A to Zs and eventually led to our introduction to Clarendon Fund Management and a range of other investment opportunities.

“We have expanded our business geographically and established a new site in Holland with a partner with our pipe coating removal system, which has been operational for 18 months and has already processed more than 20,000 tonnes of steel tubulars. We also recover & recycle all coatings from the process, completing the green life cycle.

“There have of course been hurdles in growing a business, but with such strong staff and a dynamic management team, we’ve faced up to those challenges and we’re succeeding. We are planning to grow our team by a potential further 10 staff in the next 12 to 18 months, effectively doubling the size of our business.”