Good vibrations as Xi Engineering brings heavyweight team on board

A SPECIALIST engineering company, launching this week as an independent consultancy, has hired a heavyweight board of directors after securing private and public funding.

Xi Engineering Consultants, which has been spun out of Edinburgh-based Reactec, has recruited former defence minister Adam Ingram, ex-Lloyds TSB Scotland director Manus Fullarton and former 1576 advertising agency chief executive David Reid. Gordon Stewart, a former chief executive of American consulting giant PRTM, has been appointed chairman.

Xi has been created with 400,000 of investment from sources including the government-backed Enterprise Investment Scheme, Archangel Informal Investments and Scottish Enterprise Co-Investment Fund.

It has secured a number of blue chip clients as it attempts to broaden the range of industries interested in its technology.

Mark-Paul Buckingham, managing director, said: "We hope this serves as a flying start as well as a statement of intent. Not only do we have a pipeline of exciting projects, we've secured both private and public funding.

"This has been recognised by the calibre of those who have agreed to join our board. I'm both excited and grateful for that, as their wisdom and experience will be crucial to us as we achieve the growth we expect."

Based in Edinburgh, Xi Engineering has brought together a team of world-renowned science and engineering experts working in vibration technology. They provide solutions to combat the effects of vibration in various situations, usually involving buildings, bridges, rail lines and subways. By improving the lifespan of structures and cutting risks to employees they can save developers significant expenditure.

Senior staff were recently asked to speak in Rome at a wind turbine conference where their scientific paper on reducing vibration with wind turbines was seen to be of international importance.

Xi is also working in marine energy and on a range of projects in the renewable energy sector in partnership with organisations such as Hammerfest Strom and AES.

Buckingham said: "The company might be new, but we are certainly no overnight success. This is an object lesson in pulling together years of expertise and experience at the time when it is most needed.

"We are delighted that we may have an increasing role to play in helping Scotland develop engineering and scientific expertise in the global renewable energy industry sector.It is one of the most exciting sectors to be working in at the moment."

Buckingham and the founding team at Xi Engineering created Reactech which developed the HAVmeter, which measures hand and arm vibration.

HAVmeter is now widely used across Britain to help workers who regularly use power tools in occupations such as construction, factory work, car maintenance, and gardening to ensure safe exposure to vibration.

The device has proved popular with employers, who can ensure staff do not develop debilitating conditions such as vibration white figure. It protects companies from future negligence claims or other related legal action.