Advanced Industrial Solutions Training
Many of North Tyneside’s best-known success stories are established businesses that have chosen to open a base in the borough. But Advanced Industrial Solutions is the perfect example of a business that, in the last decade, has grown from a start-up occupying one unit, to multi-national operation, with its Tyneside base now a thriving hub of clients from around the world.
We realised fairly quickly that there was a commercial opportunity for us around training, and with the prevalence of the oil and gas market at the time, we went after that sector and it paid for us, in a big way.
Paul Attrill, Advanced Industrial Solutions
“We occupied a small unit and specialised in technical insulation materials,” explains Paul Attrill, training and development director at Advanced Industrial Solutions
“We realised fairly quickly that there was a commercial opportunity for us around training, and with the prevalence of the oil and gas market at the time, we went after that sector and it paid for us, in a big way.”
Manufacturing is Now just part of this multi-faceted business’ offer, AIS has branched out into a huge range of training programmes – from offshore survival to advanced firefighting, and apprenticeships to privately-funded courses. The business trains more than 30,000 people each and every year, welcoming cohorts from Nigeria, Norway and France to its £12m, 150,000 sq ft facility, which still includes the original property it based itself from a decade ago.
“I’m from North Tyneside and I am proud to do business here and welcome customers from around the world to the North East.
“We’ve grown significantly, and we are now one of the world’s largest training providers for the offshore sector in one location. And being here, in North Tyneside, has been a big part of that success.
“We’ve received tremendous support from the local authority, and North Tyneside has proven to be a perfect place from which to scale up AIS.
“It’s a really well-connected place, with great road, rail and air links particularly. Many of our clients access us through Newcastle Airport, which is just minutes away by car, and it’s a gateway to the world for us too, which is important now we have expanded AIS with offices in Dubai and Houston.”
He adds: “We benefit from a buoyant offshore oil & gas and renewables sector in this part of the world – it’s a place that I think rivals Aberdeen as a hub for businesses in this sector – and certainly we’re providing a world-class environment in which to train people to be part of these exciting industries, and many others, for years to come.”