End-of-year interview with James Scullion

How would you look back on this past year?

I would describe this past year as both fast-paced and challenging in equal measure. Towards the end of 2021 we began to turn the corner with COVID. Our teams were back in the office and the pace started to really pick up with our construction business line, which hadn’t launched at the time. Like most companies, we set ourselves several targets for the year, focusing on fleet and service offering expansion, sector growth and market penetration into geothermal, construction and industrial. So, for me, 2022 was very much about preparing the business and our people for this upcoming growth.

What have been your biggest challenge in 2022?

The single biggest challenge we’ve faced this year has undoubtedly been supply chain. Not just within our core energy market but across construction and PHE too. We’ve seen lead-times on parts continue to grow, costs continue to rise and sourcing of specialist parts becoming harder. This has meant having to adjust our thinking and in-year plans to overcome these challenges. We are fortunate to have great longstanding relationships with our suppliers which has enabled us to plan ahead and adapt accordingly.

What have been your greatest experiences over the past 12 months?

There are three moments that stand out for me this year. Number one is the mobilisation of kit for our very first construction project. Prior to launching, we dedicated approximately 18 months to putting in the work required to understand our customers’ needs and develop a fleet that goes above and beyond what’s currently out there. I could not be prouder of what we’ve achieved and seeing the WTS20 being deployed for the first time was a great achievement for the business as a whole.

Second is securing our first geothermal contract. Redeploying our capabilities into adjacent sectors is a key aim for the business and our knowledge in mud coolers and experience in HPHT drilling perfectly supports this move. We set out at the beginning of the year to push into geothermal and that perseverance has paid off with further exciting opportunities approaching in 2023.

Finally, the expansion of our mud cooler offering. The introduction of chiller packages has provided us with greater capacity to effectively support clients in the Middle East and beyond, significantly enhancing our capabilities.

Reflecting on the past year is there anything you’d have done differently?

On reflection, looking at the market and supply chain pressures I would have fast tracked new fleet orders. This is a learning we will be deploying across the business next year and we’re always looking at how we can best adapt to shifting market pressures.

What does 2023 look like for OSSO?

In one word, exciting! We’ve spent the last 12 months preparing the business for growth: moving into larger premises, investing in a new PHE service centre, increasing headcount by 15%, launching our construction arm of the business, expanding our core capabilities and building on our existing fleet. Next year is now all about capitalising on the great work we’ve done this year in laying the groundwork for expansion.