A DESIGN group is celebrating its first anniversary with expansion plans.

The Project Design Group will expand its four-strong team and broaden its customer base to meet the growing demand for its services.

The Hartlepool-based company works in the engineering, nuclear, marine and shipbuilding, oil and gas, utilities, renewable, petrochemical and offshore sectors. It has worked on projects with Shell, BP, Subsea, Trimble and at the Seadragon offshore drilling platform.

Led by Andy Rhodes, the highly-experienced team provides project management and engineering services in the UK and overseas. It is particularly experienced in the use of 3D Intelligent Digital Data Modelling.

Mr Rhodes returned to his home town after 18 years working around the world and chose UK Steel Enterprise’s Innovation Centre on the Queens Meadow Business Park as a base.

He said: "We are pleased with the progress we’ve made in our first year, although it has been a lot of hard work. There hasn’t been much spare time to devote to marketing but with the first year under our belt we are now looking to take on additional engineers as we continue expanding, especially into the petro-chemical sector.

"Currently, a lot of our work comes from the North-East but we work across the UK and on global projects. We know that the potential to expand is there and our aim is to become an industry leader.

"Our use of the latest software means that we can laser-scan a company’s existing assets in 3D then engineer, design, execute and deliver a highly cost-effective project. The software and the fact that we also deliver the entire project from design to completion are giving us the edge in a competitive market."

The team of three directors and a lead designer already draws on the services of a bank of additional designers when needed.

Paula Addison, of UK Steel Enterprise, said: "We were very happy to welcome Project Design Group here in 2016 and are pleased that they are doing so well.

"We know that the first year for any business is very hard work with a lot of things to think about. Our aim here is to take the worries about premises and services off the shoulders of our tenants so they can concentrate all their time on establishing and growing their business."