With more than 30 years experience in the offshore industry Tony Sneesby is excited to be providing solutions to some of the world’s biggest names in the sector.

In his previous roles in the oil and gas industry he’s worked all over the world.

A former Barrow Grammar School student he has worked his way up from starting at BAE Systems through 25 years at Oil States and more recently at SN Group.

For the last 12 months, he’s been operations manager for engineering solutions company Forth, and in the last six months has set up and grown a new arm of the business in Barrow.

The Barrow operation has quickly grown from a shared space in Phoenix Business Centre to its own unit in Peter Green Way, and now occupies a site complete with a humidity- and temperature-controlled workshop area at Flass Lane, in the former Remploy building.

Tony has recruited a team of design engineers, technicians, and mechanical engineers.

Among them is Tony’s son Robert, a design engineer, lead technicians Graham Smith and John Biggins, engineer and business development manager John Leadbetter, design engineer James Howson, and technicians Mike Curtis, Steve Wilton and Steff Bartzsch.

When Oil States centralised its operations to Scotland, Tony could see the potential of retaining and developing their capabilities – and along with hiring lead technician Matty Friend, technician Rob Laurie, and apprentice Ollie Carr, all from SN Group.

The Barrow business concentrates on servicing the oil and gas, renewables, subsea and civil nuclear sectors.

Its first project is with One Subsea, preparing and testing subsea umbilicals and connectors.

Tony added its order book is also growing.