Pioneering cost-cutting technology for the pipeline industry is being hatched by a Norfolk company drawing on half a century of experience in the specialist sector.

Partners at ATAM Group at Great Yarmouth have created what they call innovative equipment to help inspect wind turbines, and to clean, inspect and dry new piping - along with custom-built ROV technology.

They could also be used on a variety of on and offshore applications from pipelines and processing plants to wind farms across the world.

The company is patenting a piping camera inspection system that inspects on its inward journey, then uses air jets to clean away internal debris on the way back – saving the need for a trio of tasks involving camera inspection, hydro washing then drying.

The innovative system will be able to work in pipes measuring 140mm to 500mm in diameter.

ATAM is also developing software which will be engaged on both the services and asset management divisions of the group.

It will eliminate the need for carrying paper maps on clients' sites – replacing it with intrinsically-safe electronic tablets mapping the location of equipment and flanges, showing current certification plus a real-time update of ongoing work through Cloud technology.

The company, on the Harfeys Industrial Estate, is also working with a ROV manufacturer to provide equipment and solutions for checking and cleaning a variety of structures from ship hulls to tanks and turbine masts.

Powerful magnetic ROVs can be attached to the steel structures then driven, using powerful crawler tracks, armed with tooling to meet clients' specific requirements.

The innovations sprang from the front-line experience of business partner Mark Loades.

He and business partner Adrian Durrant have worked on projects all over the globe – from Malaysia and Africa to the North Sea and United States.

Mr Loades said: 'This is a really exciting time for our company – and we have lots of other ideas we want to develop.'

ATAM will be on stand A2 at the East of England Energy Group's SNS2017 event at the Royal Norfolk Showground between March 1 and 2.