Engineering specialist L&N Scotland are in negotiations to expand operations by opening a base in West Africa.

The valve, subsea assembly and specialist welding company has a long track record of working in Angola and is set to capitalise on expertise built up over the years to tap in to the potentially lucrative African oil and gas sector.

A long established supply chain business in Angola has offered to introduce Aberdeen-based L&N's services to its portfolio as a way of introducing the company to potential clients. Once established, L&N would open a permanent base with repair, refurbishment and manufacturing capabilities.

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In another internationalisation initiative, managing director Alastair Chalmers is heading to Malaysia and Australia on a three week fact finding mission after receiving encouraging approaches from Asia-Pacific based companies interested in forming partnerships with L&N.

The international sales push is part of a wider growth strategy which follows on from securing an important UK distributor agreement with global pipe connection and flow control company SMX International.

The agreement represents a £250,000-plus investment by L&N in SMX stock and is part of an ongoing expansion of tools and services.

Originally formed as a supplier of valves and actuators to the oil and gas industry in recent years L&N has added weld cladding, fabrication and subsea control systems to its portfolio.

The SMX deal will include sales, distribution and fitting of the Canadian company’s full product range of clamp connectors, seal rings, valves, hubs and clamps which compliment LN's fabrication capability.

L&N operations director, Mike McArtney, said: "The significant capital investment we have made underlines our view that SMX's international reputation and product versatility will add value to our business and expand our client base."

(GK/BMcC)