Bolting specialists Gee-Force Hydraulics is consolidating its operations in Gorleston by bringing new jobs to its base after celebrating its busiest quarter.

Summer offshore maintenance work by oil and gas customers brought record business with tools and equipment hire from its Gorleston workshop hitting an all-time high.

The company's first five years in the town has been so successful, it is now moving more than £100,000 worth of equipment from its Lancashire headquarters to centralise the business on the east coast.

Its location at Beacon Business Park has strengthened its reputation for getting tools in clients' hands quicker than any competitor, often just hours after an order.

Managing director Graeme Cook said programmes of overdue offshore maintenance, future opportunities in the planned rejuvenation of the Southern North Sea and the massive decades-long programme of dismantling and bringing ashore ageing platforms signalled even busier times ahead for the company.

He said: 'We have been in Great Yarmouth for five years now and in our new larger base in the Enterprise Zone for more than a year.

We have seen what being in Great Yarmouth has done for us, proving that this is where we should concentrate our business.'

'With what is going on in Great Yarmouth and what is predicted for the Southern North Sea in coming years, in terms of rejuvenation and decommissioning, it makes perfect sense to bring everything under the one roof now.

'Much of our work this summer has been North Sea related.

'A lot of maintenance jobs had been put off for as long as they could, and everything started a lot earlier this year – the early signs this year were good.

'Decommissioning is starting to become a feature for our business and much decommissioning work is expected to be out of Great Yarmouth, so we will be here and ready for it.

At least 80pc of Gee-Force's hire business this year would be from Great Yarmouth, Mr Cook said.

An office administrator would soon be appointed and another employee for the workshop was likely, he said.

Gee-Force's first apprentice, Kyle Jerome, has just completed his apprenticeship and is now a full time workshop engineer with the firm.