The NIS Group
Complete solutions from NIS
Formed in 1983, the NIS Group is a leading specialist in the provision of integrated engineering systems and plants for hightech industries.
It offers complete turnkey solutions for unique production processes, from design to manufacturing, and works closely with clients to create bespoke systems. The UK-based company has accumulated an exceptional wealth of experience and offers services covering the entire project lifecycle from feasibility studies, scheme design, detail design, manufacture, assembly and final testing, installation and commissioning.
NIS designs, develops and supplies unique equipment, facilitating profitable growth. Its engineering services are of a world-class standard and the diverse range of areas in which it is involved further strengthens its competency as a systems integrator. “We’re involved in many different high technology market sectors and this provides us with an excellent platform for the cross-fertilisation of ideas,” says sales manager Nick Chown. “Our primary market sector is nuclear, with other key sectors including security, food processing and the general industrial sector, which includes aerospace and medical. NIS is a group of companies – NIS Holdings Ltd, which, together provide a complete service to our clients. These include: NIS Limited, the manufacturing organisation, NIS Invotec, which provides the design activity, NSG Environmental which deals with nuclear waste management & decommissioning and Petrie Technologies which focuses on specialised heating technologies such as microwave, radio frequency, and induct on heating.
The company’s superior technology can be applied in various ways across different industries and NIS deals with major clients in a number of markets: “For example, in the security sector, we provide both mobile and static X-ray systems for scanning trucks, containers and other packages at airports and seaports. The heightened terrorism threat means that there are moves to ensure that anything being exported to the US, for example, has to be scanned at the port of exit and entry,” says Nick. “Our primary clients within the Nuclear sector include British Nuclear Group, UKAEA. We also get involved in MoD projects.”
NIS offers a unique service to its clients allowing solutions to be individually designed to suit specific demands: “We are not a mass production organisation and focus on bespoke engineering solutions. We see ourselves very much as a ‘Systems integrator’, pulling together various elements of in-house designed and manufactured equipment with bought-out proprietary items through our extensive supply chain to make them work as a complete system.”
NIS serves businesses across the globe, adapting to changes in the worldwide market in order to maintain a high degree of expertise. Nick states: “Importantly we supply worldwide, with no boundaries, to places from Poland to China and India. This has forced us to be extremely competitive and has given us access to a global supply chain. We seek opportunities for offshore sub-contracting, where appropriate, to increase value for money for our clients still further.
“Whilst providing specialised solutions to our worldwide client base, we focus on markets in the UK where competition from the Far East and Eastern Europe is not as great. Nuclear is a prime example as there are barriers to entry for those outside the UK, without a proven track record, and our local knowledge to break into the market.
“We constantly adapt to suit market conditions and move the direction of the company accordingly. We’re continually exploring new market opportunities in which we can deploy our engineering skills in the design and manufacture of solutions,” Nick believes that this versatility has helped NIS to succeed and exploit new opportunities: “Our adaptability is one of our key strengths as we’re always anticipating threats and opportunities. Another success factor relates to the diversity of our markets. If one market is experiencing a brief lull then we have other options. Diversity also encourages the crossfertilisation of ideas with regards to design.”
Continuing, he adds: “One of the main challenges facing us relates to activity surrounding the nuclear sector. Over the next 10-15 years there is a huge demand for nuclear clean-up. Whilst this presents tremendous opportunities for NIS it also presents a threat in the form of a skills shortage within the industry, which is driving salaries ever higher. We might bid for a major job at current hourly rates and then, as the job continues for several years, see rates rapidly escalate. It is important that we protect ourselves against this when we take on new contracts.”
Recent awards reflect NIS’ superior engineering abilities and strong performance. “Winning the RoSPA Gold award for safety is important to both the company and the business. For us to be taken seriously, particularly in the nuclear industry, we need to be able to demonstrate an impeccable safety record. It’s paramount that clients feel confident that we have a clear safety policy backed up by a real commitment to improve on a year-byyear basis. We have also been awarded the environmental award IS0 14001, which confirms that our site meets a quality system and operates within stringent standards. This is becoming more and more important to clients.”
NIS will continue to concentrate on its key markets in order to maintain its position as Europe’s leading specialist provider of integrated engineering solutions and nominated supplier to British Nuclear Group. He concludes: “Over the last two years we have focused more on our core markets – nuclear, security, food, aerospace and medical – and our aim is to maintain that whilst looking at other opportunities that offer potential for maximising profit.”
The NIS Group
Products: Integrated engineering solutions
Sites: UK
Employees: 240
www.nisltd.com