Sonomatic unveils new NDT facility

This expands Sonomatic’s services with the introduction of a strong fabrication NDT and testing capability. The new facility brings together a team of highly skilled technicians, inspectors, engineers and Rope Access NDT Inspectors in order to offer clients the highest quality inspections and provide the best client support available. The facility enhances the company’s local integrity capability and presence, enabling Sonomatic to better deliver their unique inspection planning and analysis methods that address the critical need for efficiencies in integrity management practices. The new facility will also support Sonomatic’s provision of core contract inspection services, covering everything required for both offshore and onshore facilities.

Sonomatic’s direct investment has been in the excess of £4 million, including the land, building and fit-out costs. In terms of employment, provided by the overall investment, Sonomatic maintained more than 50 jobs within the construction industry to build our new base over the past year. Since opening, Sonomatic have created nearly 15 new full time positions, with a long-term view of creating anything from 20 - 70 full time jobs, depending on the success of our initiatives and successful bids via our Rope Access Division.

Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “I am delighted that Sonomatic has expanded its presence in Aberdeen, with this new facility already creating 15 new full time jobs and may create up to 70 jobs in the future.”

“In the current climate, it is vital that the oil and gas sector continues to innovate; this state-of-the art facility underlines the strength of Aberdeen as a hub for the industry and will help further cement the region’s reputation as a centre of excellence.”

Sonomatic NDT are members of UKAS and the Industrial Rope Access Training Association (IRATA) and as such can offer both conventional and advanced NDT techniques. In addition to the conventional NDT methods of radiography, hydrotesting and heat treatment, the company also offers alternative inspection methods that include long range or remote inspection methods.

Sonomatic has the resources to cover the entire range of NDT inspections as to the below:

• Radiography.
• Heat treatment.
• Hydrotesting.
• Visual inspection.
• Magnetic particle testing.
• Dye pen inspection.
• Eddy current.
• Liquid penetrant.
• Ultrasonic inspection.
• Advanced services.
• Corrosion mapping.
• Phased array.
• TOFD.
• PMI.
• Acoustic emission testing.
• Heat exchanger tube bundle inspection.
• Rope access inspectors.

Sonomatic Division Manager, Tracy Anderson said: “Despite the changing market in Aberdeen, we have ambitious plans for the business beyond NDT services. The new facility will enable us to better deliver Sonomatic's unique inspection planning and analysis methods.”

With the addition of the conventional inspection side and the new state of the art facility open for business, Sonomatic believe we are in a very strong position to offer our clients a new, fresh approach to Inspections. Our expansion in Shetland, the addition of a new painting and blast shop to our current site and our ability to tender for term contracts will allow us to offer our clients the true meaning of a one stop shop. This will only strengthen our resolve to continue to provide additional employment opportunities.

The Core is located approximately 4 miles from Aberdeen Harbour, just one mile from the AECC. The location has been very carefully selected with consideration given to client’s logistical needs as they endeavour to meet critical turnaround times. In addition to serving clients in Aberdeen, Sonomatic are hoping to meet client’s requirements from all over Scotland by taking full advantage of the A90 and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR.) Sonomatic’s fleet of vehicles for assistance in collecting and returning of works in and around the Aberdeen area consists of two small vans, one large Transit and one flatbed truck with lifting capacity of 3.5 t.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/08032017/sonomatic-unveils-new-ndt-facility/