• Marine

Powering-up the Malaysian market

James Fisher Offshore is appointed sole Ingersoll Rand distributor in the Far East.

When huge multinational winch and crane manufacturer, Ingersoll Rand (IR) was looking for a distributor in the Far East, it chose to build on its existing relationship with James Fisher Offshore and take advantage of the group’s existing reputation and infrastructure in the region. 

"Ingersoll Rand approached us last year to ask if we would consider taking up the distribution channels for Malaysia as we have expertise and a service centre there. This is a similar relationship to the one we have with IR in the UK,"

says Derek Leith, JFO’s technical engineer for Asia.

Ingersoll Rand is a highly successful $12billion business which sells engineering products into the oil and gas marketworldwide. The sales and distribution of its winches and compressors are handled in the UK by James Fisher Offshore, and in Norway by Scan Tech AS. 

JFO has a regional office in Singapore which services clients in Malaysia, plus a workshop and warehouse on a Malaysian Island off the coast of Sarawak. The new agreement has huge potential for both companies because IR holds 80-90% of the market share in the region, supplying drill rigs and refineries with pneumatic winches. 

JFO will work to generate enquiries for the products and see the process through to order and re-order stage, then potentially add value in the form of ancillary products and accessories from JF group companies such as Fendercare’s marine equipment, Strainstall’s marine monitoring systems or Scotload’s load measuring equipment.

"This is the first time IR has appointed a distributor to more than one territory," explains Derek, "and we are hoping to replicate this success in other global locations."