AFTER celebrating one of the most successful years in its history, a stalwart North-East engineering company is changing its name as it eyes global markets.

Mech-Tool Engineering Limited, a fire, blast and noise protection products manufacturer, achieved a turnover of more than £16m and profits of £600,000 in the year ending in March.

Employing 175 workers, the 43- year-old firm supplies a range of sectors including the oil and gas, renewable energy and subsea markets.

The company has a new identity, which acknowledges its increasingly diverse operations, under a new name, MTE Limited.

Following the launch of its new design service, MTE now has four business units which operate under four distinct brands, including those producing lightweight prefabricated topside cladding and hydrocarbon fire and blast rated modular products.

Working within the oil, gas and renewable energy markets, the units operate from MTE’s head office in Darlington, with a new sales support operation in Aberdeen.

The company now comprises: MTE Fire and Blast Wall Solutions, which will continue the company’s experience in the design, manufacture, supply and certification of fire and blast protection; MTE Heat Shield Solutions, which protects workers and equipment against the effects of radiant heat and extreme weather; MTE Modular Solutions. Over three decades, MTE has pioneered the design of modules providing fire and blast protection, using the latest technology and modelling techniques.

They include living quarters, temporary refuge rooms, office buildings, control rooms and local equipment rooms; The new MTE Design Consultancy helps clients to achieve highlyaccurate designs and cost projections by using its own design tools and systems.

In addition to its growing presence in Scotland, MTE has also appointed a Houston-based agent to make inroads into the US market.

Matthew Camp, business manager for MTE, said: “Following a very successful year, we now need to continue to build and the image of a toolmaker is no longer relevant.

“Over the past four decades, the company has grown and the old name, while part of our heritage, does not reflect the growing range of services we now offer.

“Our new image better fits the company’s position as a solid supply chain organisation, ready to do global business.

“MTE is all about delivering these services to high levels of quality and the newly-branded business units reflect that ethos, highlighting what we offer, either as individual, standalone offerings or as parts of a wider, combined package.

“We are looking to expand our presence across the world, in Aberdeen and Houston, alongside existing agents in Korea and Malaysia, and we believe that, as MTE, we are strongly positioned to meet this challenge.”