OVUN
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OVUN
I PROFILE
With more than 30 years’ experience in roto-moulding and buoyancy, Ovun is a master of the ocean space. Having recently transitioned from PartnerPlast to Ovun, Sales Director Charl Burger sat in on an exclusive interview to explain the reasoning behind this exciting new chapter. Report by Imogen Ward.
O
riginally established under the name
said Sales Director Charl Burger. “Although
PartnerPlast, the Norwegian-based
a very niche market, it helped solidify our
company was set up to serve
business model of combining competen-
a specific segment of the offshore oil and gas industry.
cies in electronics and plastic moulding.” Following the oil price crash in 2016,
“In our primary years, we were very
PartnerPlast, like many medium-sized
much focused on roto-moulding for oil
businesses, was heavily affected due
and gas, specifically the seismic market,”
to its status as a niche supplier. At the
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time, the company had also entered the
no longer reflected its capabilities. As a
buoyancy market and reacted quickly to
developer and manufacturer of high-tech
a reduction in revenue by switching focus.
solutions that cover the over and under
“The crash was really a watershed moment for us, and as a result, we have
ocean space, PartnerPlast decided it was time to leave its name behind.
spent the last six years diversifying signifi-
“When we entered the market as
cantly,” Mr Burger explained. “We now serve
PartnerPlast, we were only making our
a wide range of sectors, from renewables
partners’ products,” Mr Burger said.
to aquaculture.”
“Today, most of our revenue comes from
Considering this journey from specialist
our own designs, and we are so much
to mass market, the company felt its name
more than just a roto-moulding company. We do everything from design to project management, electronics and a whole array of other things. With this growth in the over and under sphere, the change just made sense. Of course, through the clever amalgamation of the two words ‘over’ and ‘under’, we landed on a new name: Ovun.”
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OVUN
I PROFILE
Innovating the ocean space
buoyancy elements on the cable. However;
Alongside this exciting announcement,
our design removes the need for internal
Ovun has also recently developed a new
clamps within each buoy and replaces them
product that works perfectly for cus-
with two or three larger, external clamps.
tomers in oil, gas and renewables. XCS
“This allows the buoys to move freely
is a patent-pending external clamping
around the cable and reduces installation
system which seeks to replace the need
time. The genesis of the idea was focused
for internal clamps on distributed
on floating wind because that market is
buoyancy equipment.
pushing for solutions that reduce installa-
“Distributed buoyancy is installed along
tion time and costs. XCS will be a total
a dynamic cable to create a ‘lazy wave’.
gamechanger for that industry, and we
This allows the cable to move with the
hope it will gain interest within the oil and
floating platform without getting damaged,”
gas market soon.”
Mr Burger explained. “Traditionally, these
XCS has been available for a year and has
systems would use individually clamped
gained a lot of interest from the renewables
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market, with one of the industry’s major
dedicate more time and money to repairing
players already signing an agreement.
and replacing individual elements instead
Ovun has also signed an MoU with a major
of entire assemblies. So we spent a lot of
renewables partner to ensure the con-
time discussing service and repair agree-
tinued development of the system.
ments which has resulted in partnerships
“Ovun is not as well known for its flexible protection products, because we are rela-
with several local companies to ensure the service is a success.”
tively new in that segment, but it has been a big growth area for us, and we have built up a solid track record of deliveries there,” Mr Burger said. “This includes products such as bend restrictors, cable ducting and bend stiffeners.” When it comes to its buoyancy equipment, the company is encouraging customers to recycle. By offering service and repair agreements with its products, Ovun is also answering a growing demand from the industry. “Buoyancy systems have a long life, during which they get fairly mistreated,” Mr Burger explained. “More recently, we have seen a shift in customers wanting to
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OVUN
I PROFILE
Reprocessing for the better
determined to ensure that the reprocessed
Recycling is not a new concept at Ovun,
plastic is just as good as the virgin alterna-
having previously set up Nordic Plastic
tive. We provide highly technical products,
Recycling with partners Cipaz, RiR, Astero,
especially when it comes to the oil and gas
and (later) Romsdal Innovation. Established
sector, so the quality must be extremely
in 2016 on Ovun’s site in Åndalsnes, NPR
high. That has been a real challenge, but
was created to breathe life back into
we have achieved it.”
plastic, by sorting and grinding used products ready for reprocessing. “Our focus at NPR is more than just recycling,” Mr Burger explained. “We were
Despite the successful development of a quality-matched recycled material, NPR has been challenged further by insufficient return quantities. According to Mr Burger, it has been difficult to source enough products for reprocessing. To overcome this hurdle, Ovun launched a returns service two years ago. “This has been quite popular so far, and it really motivates our customers to recycle,” said Mr Burger. “Typically, the options are limited when it comes to getting rid of worn-out plastic products, and it often results in the company having to pay for that provision. Our service is a win-win for
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customers because it is charge-free, so
back to Ovun. For those looking for extra
not only are they reaping environmental
security when it comes to lost equipment,
benefits, but they are rewarded
we also offer different types of GPS tracking.
commercially as well.”
“With over 25 years’ experience serving
The company is also in contact with
the offshore sector, our outstanding elec-
various government agencies, coastal
tronics department has developed several
administrations and environmental
products that can be used to accurately
groups. As they are often responsible
locate buoys. Our software is even capable
for collecting wandering buoyancy
of sending alerts when buoys get loose.
equipment, Ovun hopes to work with
Obviously, there is a cost implication with
these organisations to further improve
that, but I think the industry really needs
recycling rates.
to decide where its priorities lie, and if it’s better to have low cost or a premium
Tried and tested traceability
product that ensures equipment is
Every product manufactured by Ovun is
managed more effectively.”
branded to increase the chances of stray systems being returned. “We really try to decrease the chances
As the company continues under a new name, its mission is consistent: “We are determined to transform the
of our systems being found randomly where
ocean space into a safe, profitable and sus-
they aren’t supposed to be,” Mr Burger
tainable workplace,” Mr Burger concluded.
explained. “As a standard, all our products
“That remains our aim as we continue for-
feature a serial number that directly traces
ward in this current phase of growth.”
n
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