WHEN you think of international oil, gas and energy engineering companies with multi-million pound turnovers, the obvious places that spring to mind tend to be in the Middle East.

So it may be surprising to hear that in a small corner of Wickwar there is a company which is leading the field in providing engineering services to the international fuel industry.

Chairman and owner of the Alderley Group Tony Shepherd has lived in the area all his life.

The group prides itself on being a family business with no outside shareholders. He said Wickwar is the ideal place to have such a company.

"There couldn't be a better spot," he said. "We are very close to the main roads and motorway junction. The large loads generally do not encounter traffic problems as they travel against the flow of traffic to the motorways.

"Heathrow Airport is only an hour and a half away so international customers have easy access to an airport."

Mr Shepherd said the company provides employees with high quality interesting jobs, adding: "We employ over 100 people here on site and give qualified engineers the chance to use their expertise in an interesting field."

The Alderley Group was founded in 1985. At this time the company, known as Jordan Kent Metering Systems Ltd, consisted of two companies, based in Wickwar with 50 employees serving the UK market. It had an annual turnover of £1 million.

The company's head office and manufacturing facilities are still based at the Arnolds Field Trading Estate in Wickwar. But it has seen many changes besides the obvious name change.

The group turnover is now £25 million. Employee numbers have risen to around 150 and the markets now also include Norway, Former Soviet Union, Denmark, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar.

Additional offices and fabrication facilities have been set up in Berkeley and Jebel Ali Free Zone in the United Arab Emirates.

Alderley International Ltd was set up in Dubai in 1998 to serve the expanding Middle East and surrounding markets. The branch changed its name to Alderley FZE - Free Zone Enterprises - in 2001.

Residents may have seen one of the huge oil or gas metering systems beginning its journey from Wickwar. These systems are just part of the complex range of engineering services offered by the group. Other specialised systems produced in Wickwar include filtration systems, pressure reduction and control systems, water treatment and pollution control systems, flow computers, fire and gas detection systems, special thermal insulation passive fire protection materials and environmental process consultancy.

The products are produced by five different companies which fall under the umbrella of the Alderley Group.

Alderley Systems produces metering and proving, water treatment and air pollution control systems. Alderley FZE controls Middle East engineering and fabrication.

Alderley Controls designs and manufactures the hugely complex integrated control and safety panels needed to operate the metering and other large systems.

Berkeley-based Alderley Materials began trading in 1994. The site produces specialist thermal insulation, passive fire protection and composite materials.

Alderley Environmental provides environmental process consultancy.

The business has had to expand to reach international markets since it began trading due to the changing nature of the North Sea fuel industry. The development of the group is now also dependent on the changing environmental methods of oil production.

Mr Shepherd added: "With over 35 years experience, the flexibility and expertise of the group offers the best value systems to meet the requirements and standards of the customer."

Pictured: Tony Shepherd, Alderley Group chairman and owner, with one of the company's metering systems GSR665H02