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Tropical Cables ventures into oil and gas with AEL

  • SOURCE: | qwesa2big
  • AEL_logo (1)Local cables manufacturer Tropical Cables and Conductors Limited (TCCL) is dreaming big. The company, which began manufacturing electrical cables and conductors in 1997, is venturing into the oil and gas industry, both onshore and offshore.

    With a partnership with AEL, a privately owned Scottish company based in Aberdeen that has been distributing electrical equipment for 33 years, Tropical Cables is poised to become not just the top manufacturer but distributor of electrical cables and accessories to major players in the oil and gas industry.

    The collaboration, which seeks to provide a turnkey service, will also provide comprehensive support to customers and facilitate the manufacturing of onshore and offshore cables, panels and low-voltage switchboards.

    In an interview with the B&FT, Operations Director for AEL Alan Mackie believes that Tropical Cables’ expertise coupled with AEL’s experience will make this partnership a success not just in Ghana but also the West African sub-region.

    “We distribute electrical products for oil and gas industry, hazardous and non-hazardous electrical material, and we also manufacture electrical control panels, switchboards for the onshore and offshore industry. We are here to support Tropical Cable’s venture into the oil and gas industry.

    “With this partnership, it allows us to get into the Ghanaian and West African market to help support the end-users with a turn-key electrical service. Tropical Cables offers the local content of onshore and offshore cables while we offer the expertise from Aberdeen with the supplying of electrical equipment, manufacturing of electrical appliances,” he said.

    Touching on why AEL decided to partner with Tropical Cables, Mr. Mackie explained that Tropical Cables CEO Tony Oteng Gyasi is a respectable and notable figure in the cables manufacturing industry.

    He added that AEL believes very much in local content, and after an extensive research AEL found that
    Tropical Cables is a wholly-owned Ghanaian company doing a wonderful job, hence the choice of Tropical Cables.

    “Tropical Cables concentrates on the same kind of business as ours, so both businesses complement each other quite well; and the other aspect is the quality side with their qualifications, which shows they have quality on their side.”

    With both companies having ISO9001quality certification, Mr. Mackie said that Tropical Cables is the ideal partner to work with.

    Currently, Tropical Cables is manufacturing onshore cables but is looking to upgrade its machinery to manufacture offshore cables; and with AEL’s experience with major European manufacturers, the dream could be realised sooner than later.

    But, for now, Tropical Cables will be the local distributors of AEL’s products in Ghana. Alan added that the long-term target is to hold stock in the country through Tropical Cables to help provide a more efficient and effective service.

    “On one hand you have got Tropical Cables manufacturing onshore cables but looking to manufacture offshore cables. Then on the other hand you have AEL who are distributors of electrical products. So you are bringing these two companies to provide efficient and effective products to the end-users.

    “We want to be a one-stop shop for the oil and gas and mining industry to provide cable services. Tropical Cables has got a very good name in Ghana at the moment, and we are looking to work on the back of that to develop relationships in the Ghanaian oil and gas industry.

    “We have relationships with the manufacturers in Europe, so as distributors we are linking Tropical Cables to offshore cable manufacturers in Europe; but for the meantime we are distributing our products through Tropical Cables in Ghana.”

    Starting from Aberdeen, Scotland, the oil and gas capital of Europe, AEL has recently established a base in Houston, Texas. AEL is bringing in its wealth of experience to bear on Tropical Cables and the Ghanaian economy.

    As part of the partnership, several of AEL’s experts have been holding product awareness or technical training for Tropical Cables’ staff.

    A statement from Tropical Cables said the partnership will also broaden AEL’s supply of hazardous and industrial electrical equipment to the West African oil and gas industry, energy sector, mining, marine, real-estate and construction and renewable energy industries.

    It added that while AEL’s expert knowledge and experience will support and guide TCCL in the developing oil and gas market in West Africa, TCCL has the strength and breadth of local knowledge to facilitate AEL’s entry into the West African market.

    “Tapping into TCCL’s extensive manufacturing capacity, the alliance will enable AEL to transfer knowledge and expertise from the specialised oil and gas industry. Indeed, AEL is actively working with TCCL to produce oil and gas cables marketed by AEL worldwide.”

    Source: B & FT Online

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