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Offshore Electronics
Still going strong 10 years on

GUERNSEY’s biggest electronics manufacturer is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month having achieved a six fold growth from a £1m start up to an annual turnover that will comfortably exceed £6 million this year. More so, the seven founder members of Offshore Electronics who undertook the management buy-out (MBO) of Eurotherm (Guernsey) Limited in September 1990 are still working together and still talking 10 years on.
The seven partners were previously employed as managers for Eurotherm (Guernsey) Ltd when the opportunity arose in early 1990 to buy out the sub contract manufacturing operation and operating assets for an undisclosed sum.
A new company, Offshore Electronics was formed. The 13,000 sq ft building was sold to the Guernsey Gas Co under a lease-back arrangement and 70 of the 140 staff joined the new company. With a small customer base established by cherry picking the best third party business previously undertaken by Eurotherm (Guernsey) Ltd the new company ‘hit the ground’ running with a turnover of nearly £1 million in its first year.
The early business consisted largely of ‘board stuffing’ said Steve Marshall, managing director. This was primarily the assembling of printed circuit boards with electronic components for customers to build into electronic equipment.“The last ten years has seen dramatic changes in affordable technology with mobile communications, satellite broadcasting and personal computing linked to the world wide web now considered as domestic appliance technology.

Then and Now - The seven Directors of Offshore Electronics (left to right), Paul Vandertang, Dave Cleal, Annah Jones, Steve Marshall, Ralph Ford, Allan Besnard and Larry Granger.

It is a credit to our staff and their constantly evolving skills that our manufacturing facility and business model continues to meet the demanding expectations of our customers”. Today, the industry has evolved and expanded dramatically with electronic equipment designers outsourcing the entire procurement, manufacturing and testing of complex electronic products to companies such as Offshore Electronics.In September1994 Offshore purchased the Guelles lane site from the Guernsey Gas Co, and subsequently extended and refurbished to provide a new 20,000 sq ft facility that now boasts a multi million pound investment in automated surface mount, assembly and electronic testing equipment.
“Guernsey is a good location for our business”, said Marshall. We export a clean, high value added product, have good sea and air links to the UK a friendly tax environment and minimal red tape. “Staffing is a key issue and it is particularly pleasing that over 20 of our current staff that joined the company on day one remain dedicated to the company today”. What will happen over next 10 years? “We expect to achieve a £10 million turnover from the locally based site in the very near future, with further growth anticipated by expanding the operation into the UK”.