Houlder is celebrating successful renewal of its Achilles FPAL Verify Audit programme which rigorously benchmarks performance on Quality, Health & Safety, Environment and Competence & Training for the benefit of over 2,000 individual buyers from around 80 Oil & Gas operators and contractors. Certification is a key part of Houlder’s commitment to continuous improvement and FPAL’s benchmark scores, alongside other similar QHSE initiatives, demonstrate this in action.

Malcolm Wilson, Director of Achilles FPAL, said, “By participating in the FPAL Verify Audit programme, Houlder has demonstrated a clear commitment to meet the high QHSE and Competence & Training standards that this industry correctly demands. The Achilles FPAL Verify programme includes an important and mandatory commitment to continuous improvement which meets the demanding requirements of this industry. This will help put the company in the best possible position to secure a pipeline of work opportunities from major oil and gas buyers”.

Rupert Hare, Houlder’s Chief Executive Officer (pictured), commented “We appreciate the need for our clients to manage their project risk by carefully selecting their suppliers based on proven competence. It is our role to use tools like the FPAL portal to demonstrate that we are a safe pair of hands that fully complies with industry best practice.”

To receive renewed certification, Houlder was audited onsite by an FPAL Verify Audit team member who assessed the team’s capabilities on behalf of FPAL users. This allows suppliers to streamline pre-qualification and potentially replace multiple and generic requests for information. The availability of the certified audit results saves time, resource and cost across the industry by making buyers aware of supplier levels of competence, or otherwise, immediately.

This, combined with FPAL’s focus on providing scored client feedback and project testimonials, makes it a valuable platform for the Oil & Gas industry who are typically short of time and resource when it comes to procurement.  Rupert continues “FPAL is one of the many tools we use to benchmark our project performance including the drilling unit jack up upgrades we undertake on a turnkey basis. Many of clients conduct their own audits alongside our own internal QHSE monitoring which we welcome. At the end of last year, we also commissioned a third party to undertake direct customer research which provided an incredibly useful insight on our project performance, but also provided more qualitative views on our people, systems and processes. We aim to be an easy company to work with; responding to tasks with a sense of genuine partnership, transparency and flexibility.”

Houlder’s verification through the FPAL Certificate of Assessment scheme is valid for two years. “This gives us plenty of time to improve our benchmark scores next time.” concludes Rupert referring to the team’s focus on, and commitment to, continuous improvement.