Air Energi Group has acquired Inspirec, the leading recruitment consultancy for New Zealand’s energy industry. The move will see Air Energi enter the New Zealand market as part of its ongoing global growth strategy.

Founded in 2010 by Aidan Stoate and Amy Richardson – a brother and sister team originally from the UK – Inspirec is headquartered in New Plymouth, New Zealand’s energy hub. The company specialises in the provision of petroleum, engineering and construction professionals throughout the country.

Aidan Stoate, Director at Inspirec, said “We have built a successful business over the last four years, during which we have achieved year-on-year growth. Inspirec has established an excellent reputation locally in New Zealand, and developed a positive position as the leading specialist recruiter for the region’s energy industry. We are passionate about developing strong and lasting business relationships with our customers, and with Air Energi on board the team will be looking to further increase its client base across New Zealand.”

Inspirec’s success has been recognised locally with several awards and commendations, including the Taranaki Daily News Small Business Excellence Award in 2013, and the Stratford District Council’s New Business Award in 2011.

The company has primarily focused on permanent and staff roles. However, the acquisition by Air Energi will give the New Zealand team the platform to significantly expand its service offering and support larger scale projects.

“Inspirec’s and Air Energi’s values are completely aligned. They share our passion for safety, knowledge and innovation. This commonality across our organisations formed a major part of the rationale behind the acquisition, which will significantly strengthen our offering and market share in Australasia. Aidan and Amy have been instrumental in Inspirec’s success to date, and will continue to play key roles in the business going forward,” added Matt Smith, Vice President – Australasia at Air Energi.

“New Zealand’s energy sector is rapidly expanding and evolving. This means there is a significant opportunity for our workforce solutions in what is still a relatively uncontested market place. Expanding into the region was a logical step, and it makes sense from a global and regional account perspective. Many of our clients are now operating in the region and we expect several others to follow,” continued Matt.

New Zealand is believed to hold significant untapped oil and gas resources, with exploration activity forecast to increase rapidly over the next three to five years. In the latest licensing round in November 2013, the Government awarded 10 new exploration permits, with major operators including Statoil and Woodside Petroleum granted licenses.

David Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Petroleum Exploration & Production Association New Zealand, welcomed Air Energi to New Zealand’s growing energy sector. “Air Energi has been providing energy companies with technical expertise and support for over 30 years. Our industry here in New Zealand operates to the highest standards and Air Energi’s global experience is a welcome addition to our world class operations.”

Following the acquisition, Air Energi now aims to become the leading New Zealand-based enterprise dedicated to providing technical expertise to the global energy industry. It provides a comprehensive range of workforce solutions across the full project lifecycle, reducing the costs and improving the efficiency of recruitment activity, and allowing clients to concentrate on their core business.

Tags: Air Energy Group