Aberdeen office design and fit-out specialist ASM is always prepared to go that extra mile to win a contract - and its managing director Frank Maughan has just clocked up a 22,000 round-mile trip to do just that.

Maughan flew at 24 hours notice to Australia to discuss the design of new offices for a major gas producer on the top seven floors of a new 31-storey office block.

With the office block still under construction, but due to be handed-over later this month, a fast-track project was needed for occupation in April.

Within hours of flying into Australia, Maughan, who had been contacted by a former Aberdeen-based oil executive, had clinched the contract and immediately got down to work.

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He explained: "My brief was to develop conceptual layouts to give an open, flowing feel to the building and to create a top-class environment for around 520 staff - with the potential for future growth."

Maughan drew up an outline furniture schedule, prepared tenders, interviewed fit-out companies and developed a more detailed brief.

Meantime, the AMS design team back in Aberdeen, led by head of design Shelley McCaul, a New Zealander, produced preliminary drawings which were e-mailed across the globe for outline approval.

After 48 exhausting hours in Australia, Maughan jetted back to Aberdeen and began an intensive session of round-the-clock sessions with his design team.

Maughan said: "Time pressures meant us working long hours, and with a ten-hour time difference, communication between Aberdeen and Australia was generally late at night or early in the morning.

"However, within 10 days, our client had a full set of drawings for final development by a local design and build contractor. My ASM team responded magnificently to what was one of our most challenging-ever projects."

And the final product went down extremely well with the client which e-mailed Maughan to say: "Please pass on our regards to the whole of your team... they have been sensational and the work they have produced in an impossibly short time is world class."

(GK/JM)