TSS MOVES AHEAD
The world’s leading manufacturer of cable trackers is geared-up for a new surge of activity following a successful change of ownership. On 1st June this year a small group of managers at UK-based VT TSS Ltd. succeeded in buying the company from the VT Group and, renaming it VT International Ltd, is planning to generate significant growth with important new products in many of its markets. John Frost has remained as managing director and is eager to seize the opportunities that he knows exist for the company. These have been spelled-out in a new business strategy that highlights the planned introduction of several new products. TSS International is already well established as a supplier of motion sensors, gyro-compasses and inertial navigation systems for the marine and survey markets where it intends to build upon the technological lead that it enjoys in many sectors. TSS also intends to maintain its lead in submarine cable and pipe detection technology and is already working on the next generation of products that are aimed at bringing significant benefits to customers in this sector of its market. With increasing sales in the previous trading year, TSS International Ltd has begun its new life on a very sound footing. This is has given exceptional confidence to the new company’s board of directors which is chaired by Terry
Madden who, as a former main board member of the VT Group, played a pivotal role in the acquisition. Other members of the team include Angela Suggate who is now finance director, Steve Cowls, technology director and Guthrie Robertson who is business development director. As managing director John Frost has been prominent in presenting the company’s plans for the future. Of these, growth is the main objective and the 9.5 per cent improvement achieved last year makes John Frost optimistic that it will be possible to meet a 7 to 8 per cent year-on-year growth target over the next five years. “This will be good for the company and for our customers. Our product segments are much better balanced and this will enable us to withstand the peaks and troughs that occur in different markets from time to time,” he said. TSS International already dominates the pipe and cable tracking market and will be aiming to strengthen its technological lead. It is currently working to extend the capability of the successful TSS 440 to include an add-on capability for measuring pipeline straightness. In response to a demand expected within the next five years, the company has recently signed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Oxford University to develop the next generation of cable and pipe tracking technology that will permit the detection of cables buried at even greater depths.