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Online Electronics - international winners at the 2005 Northern Star Business Awards
For Brian Gribble, managing director of Aberdeen-based Online Electronics Ltd, the prospect of winning a category in the second Northern Star Business Awards was highly tantalising - "a bit like playing football for Scotland " he noted in his pre-award submission.
It's another case of "job done" for the modest company founder who duly lifted the prestigious award for Achievement in Internationalisation, sponsored by Aberdeen City Council and presented at the glittering awards dinner in Aberdeen (reputedly the largest-ever corporate dinner in Scotland , with around 750 covers) by Councillor John Porter.
The award couldn't have come at a better time for the company, which was established in 1996 and now attracts well over 50% of its revenues from overseas sales in 40 countries.
"Up until now, we have deliberately kept a low profile until we had built up a critical mass of technologies, expertise and track record," notes Brian Gribble.
"I don't think many of our UK customers had any idea how international we really are - and to be perfectly honest it crystallized with me while we were in the process of making our submission for the award!"
Industry-first technologies
Online Electronics designs and produces a comprehensive product range of pipeline pig tracking and signalling equipment and pipeline data communication systems. Many of its products are industry-first technologies used both offshore and on land by oil and gas multinationals and by pipeline installation and testing companies.
Brian Gribble is a regular user of export support services, and, in a nice personal touch, sent emails of thanks to trade support organisations like Scottish Development International (SDI), Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Enterprise and Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, all BGI members whose services he has used during the last eight years.
"As well as our in-house team, there are many people outside the company who contributed significantly to our receiving this award, and I wanted to make sure they knew their input was recorded and appreciated," he observes.
The day before the awards dinner, Brian had just returned from an SDI trade mission to Turkey which was, he believes, typically productive.
"We are already doing business in Georgia , but SDI managed to arrange a full briefing on the Turkish markets via the British Consulate commercial officers and to get meetings arranged with all our primary Turkish sales targets.
"These are people whom we would have found very difficult to get round the table like that, and we already know for sure that we are going to get business out of that single visit.
"On top of which, you have the cost savings - it would have cost considerably more to make such a trip under our own steam."
A STAR in the making
Online Electronics is also a long-time user of another SDI service and has occupied a STAR (Scottish Technology and Research) incubator unit in Houston for the last three years.
"The STAR presence, which is managed by Scottish Enterprise, has been very valuable and cost-effective for us," reveals Brian. "In the next six months we now plan to go a stage further and set up our own manned facility in the STAR centre."
"We have transferred personnel out to Singapore to further develop our business in South East Asia - we see this as an important market that we are currently only partially exploiting."
For now, though, Online Electronics is enjoying its well-earned spell under the spotlight. The team deservedly partied hard at the post-dinner celebrations and their first-ever business award has clearly been a wholly memorable occasion.
"Awards like these are extremely encouraging for our staff, and a ringing endorsement to existing and potential clients," notes Brian.
"It has always been my ambition to represent Scotland at something -it's not likely to be football now, but, in a way, I think this award pretty much fits the bill!"
You can visit the Online Electronics website at http://www.online-electronics.com/
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