Unique Group is making its first move into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the opening of two new facilities in Riyadh and Dammam.

Ten skilled engineering roles will be created throughout 2016, some of which will be filled by local people, in line with the Kingdom’s aspirations to increase opportunities for its indigenous workforce, the company explained.

The teams will be led by sales manager Egon Oltmans, who brings a wealth of experience gained in similar roles with companies such as Nortek SeaDarQ and Nortek Oceanografische Instrumentation in the Netherlands, and Trio DataCom in Melbourne, Unique Group said.

The Riyadh office is already open, Dammam will follow in early 2016, and services provided will include those offered by Unique Group’s five divisions: Survey Equipment; Marine & Subsea; Buoyancy & Ballast; Diving Equipment; and On-site Engineering.

Sharad Kumar, group business development manager for Unique Group, said: “This expansion has been motivated by the need to deliver a streamlined service, available locally, to our customers. We already have a strong presence in UAE and a growing customer base in Saudi Arabia: now we can offer a faster response to deliver sales and rentals of hydrographic equipment, as well as on-site support.”

Sahil Gandhi, director of Unique Group, added: “Unique Group is in an exciting period of growth that has dramatically extended our global footprint, increased our access to emerging markets and given our customers access to a wider range of services.

“Establishing two facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a clear indication of our intentions: to strengthen our presence in the Middle East, to acquire new partners for our portfolio and to recruit the best talent.

“We have long, successful relationships with our customers because we offer a quality, streamlined service that operates globally.

“Opening new facilities enhances our service and it was with customers in mind that we selected our recent acquisitions, GSE Rentals and Oceanwide SAS. Our customers’ requirements are at the forefront of our business strategy.”

Unique Group is headquartered in Sharjah, UAE and also has presence in Oman and Qatar.