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ACE WINCHES APPOINTS NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

ACE Winches has appointed Graeme Wood as chief operating officer (COO) to guide the growth of the company as the leading deck machinery specialist eyes further expansion into international markets.

Mr Wood will be responsible for driving the business, adding additional vigour to the operational and performance management of ACE Winches’ activities worldwide. Focusing on the core assets of the manufacturing, hire equipment, hire personnel and winch academy divisions, Mr Wood’s key roles will centre on developing and maintaining the company’s upward growth curve, ensuring that ACE Winches continues to deliver exceptional service and performance to the highest standards.

With a background in marine engineering and over 20 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, Mr Wood joins ACE Winches from Aker Qserv where he was operations director of process and pipeline services.

As his appointment was announced at the company’s headquarters at Towie Barclay Works, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Mr Wood said: “I am delighted to be joining ACE Winches at a time when the company continues to experience tremendous growth. With approximately 70% of our turnover attributed to overseas markets, we will be looking to grow the number of international bases. As the current Norwegian market is particularly buoyant, our first aim is to strengthen and support our Norwegian base in Stavanger to maximise the potential this market and client base has to offer.”

Company founder and chief executive officer Alfie Cheyne said Mr Wood’s appointment was a significant boost to the management team at ACE Winches. He added: “Graeme’s experience and strategic oversight will be a great benefit to the company as we move forward. I am delighted that we have been able to attract someone of Graeme’s calibre and he will further add to our commitment of putting our staff at the forefront of our plans to grow the business.”

ACE Winches has experienced exponential growth in recent years and has a projected turnover at the financial year-end (October 2011), of £23m. The ACE Winches global campus at Towie Barclay Works is now well developed as a manufacturing and service base. The engineering, planning and construction of the new South Yard facility for the ACE Hire Fleet and the new office complex is underway and planned for completion summer 2012. With staff numbers continually rising, the size of office complex was increased to accommodate the company expansion.

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