Iro

COMPANY PROFILE

2014

IRO ASSOCIATION

+31 79 3411981 | www.iro.nl

Networking on a global scale Editorial: Rosie DeWinter

First established in 1971 and recognising the potential of its own reserves, The Association of Dutch Suppliers in the Oil and Gas Industry has helped to promote, educate and distinguish Dutch industry supply companies. Now surpassing 430 members, its methods are clearly working. Organising exhibitions and trade missions from Australia to Texas and Aberdeen to Singapore, Managing Director, Sander Vergroesen, tells Total World Energy the reasons for the association’s exponential and continued success‌ With the oil and gas industry maintaining a prominent position within the energy sector due to an ongoing demand for more traditional energy sources, the Dutch oil and gas supply industry is flying high amongst the global industry leaders.

Dutch oil and gas contractors are now operating in locations including

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Western Europe, off the coast of Brazil and Western Australia with specialist vessels on hand for almost any offshore project in the oil and gas industry.

With so many of these Dutch companies both looking to and already operating on a worldwide scale, The Association of Dutch

Suppliers in the Oil and Gas Industry (IRO) was first established in 1971 to help promote and establish them successfully within the oil and gas industry. Headquartered in Rotterdam, IRO has an impressive repertoire of over 430 members involved in the field of engineering, maintenance and manufacturing,

IRO ASSOCIATION both onshore and offshore.

Total World Energy speaks to Managing Director, Sander Vergroesen, who explains the history behind IRO: “The association was founded originally as a council which included a mix of governmental bodies, companies and scientific institutions. After the discovery of Slochteren, the huge onshore gas field in 1959, IRO decided to establish the potential of its own reserves and during the 1970’s began to venture offshore into the North Sea. “From 1971 to 1991, it remained a mix of companies but in 1991 they decided to make it an association for suppliers in the oil and gas industry.

Since then, it has grown and received

industry recognition for successfully providing a platform for Dutch suppliers.”

INTERNATIONALLY ORIENTATED For over 20 years, IRO has had two main commitments, as Vergroesen explains: “Firstly, the main purpose of the association is to facilitate the network for the member companies.

This is a mix of huge market leading companies and small innovative companies. Together they cover the complete supply chain for oil and gas, from seismic exploration to delivery and transport for huge vessels and installations.

“The smaller companies frequently deliver to the bigger companies and

during our networking events they get the opportunity to meet each other. There are numerous reasons to bring them all together so facilitating network meetings is a very important part of IRO’s activities.

“Secondly, an equally important aspect is export promotion. IRO is responsible for the organisation of the Holland Pavilion at international trade shows and exhibitions in key upstream oil and gas development areas. These exhibitions are very important as they allow members to sign in and join us at the Holland Pavilion next to the larger companies who have their own booths,” explains Vergroesen.

“Additionally, we organise trade missions together with members of

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our parliament and our government and more recently, we are looking to go abroad with ministers, our Prime Minister or even royalty if possible.”

Held all over the world, the exhibitions include Australasian Oil and Gas held in Australia, the OTC in Houston Texas and Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Offshore Europe in Aberdeen, ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi, Offshore Northern Seas in Stavanger and exhibitions held in both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The Offshore Energy exhibition in The Netherlands, held at the end of October, saw the majority of IRO’s members in attendance.

STAYING CONNECTED With over 430 members, IRO ensures they are helped and promoted on a national and international scale.

Vergroesen explains the association has its own Netherlands Oil & Gas catalogue which is released annually and members are invited to advertise their company profiles.

As well as published online on www.iro-noc.nl, the catalogue is also taken to each exhibition where IRO is present and handed out to visitors. It

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“Those exhibitions are very important and next to these we try to organise trade missions. We try to do these more and more together with members of our parliament and our government”

provides a good view of the activities, services and products of the Dutch suppliers in the oil and gas industry.

“We also publish a monthly newsletter which is sent to all our members,” explains Vergroesen, “in this way we stay connected to our members but also to what’s happening in our industry in the world.”

HEALTHY COMPETITION Of course, with so many companies operating in such a similar and competitive field, is there much competition between them? “We try to protect our existing members,” explains Vergroesen. “If a company is willing to become a member of our association we make sure they have a track record in our industry and have an added value to the association and its members.”

Within the association, Vergroesen admits there is naturally competition.

So while the larger companies involved don’t necessarily need to be with an association, Vergroesen believes they are a part of it because they know suppliers to them are part

IRO ASSOCIATION of the IRO association. Vergroesen hopes this competition will challenge them and push them further, either to venture deeper into the oceans or travel to more remote areas like the Arctic.

“They will need new equipment or solutions to overcome these challenges,” says Vergroesen, “so they look to IRO members to see who could provide these services. This helps to stimulate healthy competition between them and encourages new and innovative products. Many of the members know each other from the networking events so they consult each other and although they are competitors, it inspires them to stay ahead and stay sharp.”

The association then is not one of unnecessary competitiveness but one of innovation and comradeship: “The companies are always willing to learn, not only what’s happening abroad but also from each other.

They feel encouraged to team up with the other members to help improve the industry and I think IRO plays a key role in this. We try to combine our committees and the network facility too which is very important,” explains Vergroesen.

provide to our members and the committees are vital characteristics of the association.

“Additionally, we provide a platform where a group of companies can discuss topics in the field of; export and public relations, gas, human resources and safety, innovation and regulatory affairs, offshore renewable installations and well services and drilling. We try to team up with other associations too, to see where we can combine to become more powerful,” Vergroesen adds.

Looking to the future, Vergroesen explains that it is essential for IRO to monitor what is going on around the world in order to establish new market areas such as South East

Asia: “We know that Indonesia is also very important,” he says. “We feel things are about to happen in these areas so we stay linked to our government and try to motivate them to support us in trade missions. We often organise these in cooperation with Dutch embassies abroad.”

Ultimately, IRO has continued to hold very close connections to its members: “We belong to them,” explains Vergroesen, “and we are independent so if they want to change things, they can stand up and inform us.” Almost 45 years on, IRO strives to ensure its members “keep track of what’s happening in the world and stay ahead,” Vergroesen concludes.

MOTIVATION & NETWORKING After four decades, IRO has seen exponential growth organising more exhibitions and trade missions across the globe and now with its 430 members, it looks set to encourage more young people to work in the oil and gas industry and continue to help its existing members in achieving international business through promotional export events.

Vergroesen attributes the association’s continuing success to numerous causes: “I think the networking facilities, the export promotion activities, the way we try to be a scout in areas which aren’t recognised and the information we

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