Member Article

Tyneside hosts Brazilian subsea engineering mission

A Brazilian subsea engineer has come to Tyneside to learn the techniques which have made the region’s industries renowned.

Glaucio Cordeiro will return to Petrotec in Sao Paulo with the knowledge that will help his Latin American colleagues emulate their Tyneside team mates and become world leaders in subsea engineering.

His mission has the full backing of Team Valley based Express Engineering, which recruited Glaucio specifically to deliver this technology transfer to strengthen the business at home and abroad.

Chief Executive Nigel Davison explains: “This initiative makes us much more competitive in Latin America but also back at home in the UK where our development drive is based.

“There is a very active market in Brazil but the government there is putting pressure on subsea operations to source products locally. We have responded to that by opening a manufacturing facility of our own in Sao Paulo.

“The operation uses exactly the same machines and software that we have in the UK. It wasn’t the cheapest solution by far, but it allowed us to have full transferability and capability between our UK technology and our Brazilian facility. Of course the vast majority of overall production remains in the UK but this addresses one specific market and keeps us competitive within it.”

“We are now working to build up the capability and the capacity of this business and the key to achieving that is technology transfer. The reduced risk and ability to test new projects and processes before going into production in Brazil offers huge benefits for us and adds value for our customers.”

Recruited because of his experience in the oil and gas industry – working for major companies including some of Express’ clients – Glaucio’s challenge is to ensure that the production methods and quality of products manufactured by Petrotec exactly replicates those made on the Team Valley.

Established in 2009 as a joint venture with a Brazilian partner, Petrotec is now a wholly owned Express Engineering operation and has customer approvals for most of the major sub-sea equipment providers located in the region. Operating from a 5,500 sq. metre, purpose built factory and employing 100 people it has become established asa well recognised and respected supplier of subsea products.

By duplicating the technology and equipment used in the UK, Express has created the capability to provide in-country manufacture of critical sub-sea products for customers who are seeking to increase their ‘local content’ - an initiative being driven by the Brazilian government.

Glaucio’s job is to make sure that the team at Petrotec thinks and works in the same way as the one in the UK: “The main thing which strikes me here is the trust people have in their supervisors and managers,” he says: “When they are given instructions about how to do something, they just do it.

“In Brazil everyone seems to think they know a better way of doing things and that’s not generally the case! Of course it’s important to find ways to improve but we have a special team dedicated to that and so day to day processes need to deliver products which are right first time, every time.

“It has been a tremendous experience working alongside the people here in Gateshead and although I will miss them when I go back in a few weeks time, I am also very much looking forward to helping my colleagues in Sao Paulo match the quality standards set here.”

But the world class manufacturing methods which Glaucio is learning at Team Valley will not be the only knowledge he takes back with him to Petrotec.

Having visited Austria, Germany, Holland and Italy and worked in the USA, he reckons the UK – and particularly the North East – is the best place he has ever been based and together with his wife, Denise, he has been soaking up the culture and customs of the region.

“This is a special place,” he said as the couple walked along the Newcastle/Gateshead Quayside: “We were told that English people were very reserved but that’s not true here. We have made so many friends so quickly.

“I went to watch ‘the Toon’ and on the way I got talking to a supporter. In five minutes I knew his life storey and he was inviting us to go and meet his family. I have never experienced anything like that before.”

The couple have immersed themselves in the history of the region too. Visits to Hadrian’s Wall, Durham Cathedral and the castles along the Northumberland Coast have been captivating.

These travels have enabled them to see snow for the first time: “It was amazing,” added Glaucio: “I have seen photographs but to be able to feel it and touch it was incredible.”

A change of career direction back home has allowed psychologist Denise to travel with her husband and she added: “In Brazil we really only have good historical records for the past couple of hundred years. Here you can go back more than a thousand and I just love finding out about the Romans, Celts, Saxons and the Normans.

“It’s also been interesting to watch the way the English keep their personal space. You can be walking down Northumberland Street and it’s full of people but everyone keeps a little bit of space around them and queuing for buses and the Metro is a completely new experience for us.”

Although the couple don’t eat meat they have sampled much of the local cuisine and adore fish, chips and mushy peas: “We love them,” added Denise: “It’s very different from Brazilian rice and beans but very tasty.”

And the couple say they will be sad to leave their Gateshead Quayside apartment when, in a few weeks time, Glaucio has completed the UK element of his assignment. However they promise to return for holidays.