China: COSCO Orders Ellis’ Cleats for New Drillship ‘Dalian Developer’

Yorkshire-based cable cleat manufacturer, Ellis has turned the tables on the international trend for cheaply manufactured products from the Far East being sold into the UK by securing a significant order from China.

The company’s Emperor cleats have been specified by COSCO Engineering for installation on the Vantage Drilling Company’s new drill ship, the Dalian Developer. The order was secured as a result of the company’s persuasive technical argument, which highlights the vital importance of correctly tested and specified cable cleats.

Tony Conroy, the export sales manager for Ellis, explains: “The growth in cheaply manufactured cleats has certainly muddied the picture in recent times, but we have always remained confident that our approach would eventually see our technically superior products come to the fore in China.”

Ellis’ technical approach has brought the company widespread global success and its cleats are now used in a number of major projects in the oil, gas and power generation industries including Lusail City in Qatar and the Kashagan project in Kazakhstan.

“It certainly seems like our technical and safety based message is really striking home,” continued Conroy. “People now know that underspecified cleats can pose serious safety issues. And when you consider the amount of money some of the projects we’re working on are worth you certainly wouldn’t want to be the specifier who cut costs by ordering cleats that were simply not suitable for the job.”

Ellis is supported by a worldwide network of specialist distributors covering Europe, Middle East, Asia, South America, Australia, Kazakhstan and the United States. For this latest order the company’s export team worked closely with Hong Kong distributor, Wang Yip Hong (J&P) Limited and its Chinese partner, Senkori Trading (Dalian) Co.

The $500million Dalian Developer is being built at COSCO’s Dalianshipyard in China and is due for completion in July 2012. It is a MPF 1000 6th Generation Ultra Deepwater Drillship for use in harsh environments, has a hull size of 291m x 50m, and is designed to drill wells at ultradeep water depths up to 10,000ft and drilling depths exceeding 30,000ft.

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World Maritime News Staff, February 15, 2012; Image: Vantage Drilling