Osbit to receive Queen’s Award for Innovation

Osbit, the Northumberland-based offshore technology company, is delighted to announce it is to receive a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

Announced today, Osbit has been rewarded for its excellence in Innovation, a category which recognises outstanding achievement and commercial success as a result of innovation.

The coveted prize has been given for the company’s development of offshore technology to deliver a step-change in offshore operations. Osbit’s Intervention Tension Frame systems were designed and built for industry-leading services company Helix Energy Solutions, and use innovation to support energy transition activities, facilitating safer and more efficient closure of expired oil wells.

Employing nearly 150 people, Osbit was set up in 2010 by three engineers to develop technology for safer and more efficient offshore operations, with particular focus on the growing offshore wind industry.

Last year, Osbit was acquired by offshore wind services provider, Venterra Group and is now undertaking an ambitious expansion plan to meet increasing industry demand for its engineering expertise and products. As a result of new project wins, Osbit has grown its team significantly; nearly 50 extra staff have joined the company since it became part of the group.

A representative from Osbit will attend a reception hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace, in July, with the award being given out later in the year.

Director Steve Binney, who leads Osbit’s technology and innovation, comments:

“This win is fantastic recognition of what Osbit is capable of, in terms of developing large and complex systems, successfully delivering them, and making a real difference to our customers’ project outcomes.

Innovation has always been at the heart of everything we do – we’re constantly trying to use our engineering skills to improve on what’s gone before, to do things better, more safely, more effectively.

We are very proud of this win, which is testament to the genuine skill and ingenuity of our team.”

Osbit Joint Managing Director, Brendon Hayward, adds:

“We are absolutely thrilled and honoured that Osbit has been recognised in this way. It is our capacity for innovation which has enabled our business to grow and thrive over the years, both financially, and from a teaching and learning perspective.

This innovation, that we have been recognised for, has spawned so many more since and we are increasingly engaged with developing new and exciting technology to make offshore wind happen at scale.”