LOC turns 40!

40 years is a long time and we are very proud of achieving this milestone.  We are also immensely grateful to our clients and colleagues, who have continued to support LOC as the business has gone from strength to strength over the past four decades.  It is important to take a step back and look at what we have achieved in this time.

1979 was a momentous year in the UK.  Most people might remember it because of Margaret Thatcher’s first general election victory.  But, while Thatcher was starting her first term as Prime Minister, London Offshore Consultants (LOC) was in its infancy and the founding four members (AKA “the gang”) lay the foundations for what has become the leading independent marine and engineering consultants.  Our first contract win was as Marine Warranty Surveyors (MWS) on Mobil’s ‘Beryl B’ 1980 North sea project.  From there, our reputation has blossomed as the go-to marine and engineering specialists in the industry.

In the last four decades we have been involved in an array of exciting moments.  1985 saw LOC enter a new region, Houston, a major oil city serving the Gulf. This initiated our involvement in ‘Gail’ and ‘Hidalgo’ projects, offshore in California and gave us a presence in North America.  The 1980’s also saw us expand into the Scandinavian and Singapore markets.  Singapore has been a major source of revenue for our shipping and offshore businesses and provides us with an important link to the emerging Asian markets.  The growth of LOC and our reputation continued throughout the 1990’s, highlighted by the opening of our Dubai offices 25 years ago.

LOC’s global presence meant we were able to move quickly and deploy our expertise when new forms of alternative renewable energy arrived.  At the time, we saw ourselves as pioneers in this space and have taken great pride in being involved with these developments ever since.  Not every company can boast of being involved with 82% of the global windfarm projects to date.  To date, we have been at the forefront of wind energy projects in northern Europe, mainly as Marine Warranty Surveyors, but also as a consultant assisting in Parliamentary Enquiries and assessing environmental and safety aspects.  LOC has increased its global footprint considerably since inception and continues to adapt and offer new and innovative services to the shipping, oil and gas and renewables markets.  In the last decade we have grown from 180 employees to nearly 400 and from 17 offices to more than 30.  This is an accomplishment that we are all proud of.  But none of this is possible without the creativity and commitment of our staff and our clients, who challenge us to evolve and keep up with changing trends.  Ensuring that our offering stays relevant and ahead of the competition.

We look forward to seeing what the coming years will bring, as we look to strengthen the relationships we have with our worldwide client base and continuing to provide a first- rate service as a truly independent organisation.  Above all, we will continue to ensure that everything we do is of the highest standard of quality and professionalism, which we believe has been a hallmark of LOC’s over the past 40 years.  As a business, we see our staff as our most important asset and we will continue to invest in our workforce, by providing graduate schemes for naval architects, mariners and marine engineers as well as pairing ourselves with Memorial University.

Integrity, professionalism, sense of urgency and dedication to our clients and their projects are at the heart of what we do, and we look forward to sharing the benefits of these values with our clients and stakeholders for the next 40 years and beyond!