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Nexen Petroleum U.K. Construction and Installation of Buzzard Platform (UK):
Nexen is a major Canadian energy and chemicals company, headquartered in Calgary. It has operations in Canada, the US, Yemen, W. Africa, Colombia and Brazil. Its market capitalisation is approximately £2.8 bn.

In December 2004 Nexen acquired the assets of EnCana UK Limited including the Buzzard and Scott-Telford fields in the North Sea, becoming operator of both. Discovered in May 2001, Buzzard is the largest find in the area in over a decade. The field came on stream on schedule and on budget in January 2007 and is now regularly producing 200,000 barrels per day. This massive three-year engineering project - which involved co-ordinating suppliers from many parts of Europe -took 17 million man-hours and involved lifting 25,000 tonnes of steel.

CommDirect worked closely with the Buzzard project development team. Scope of work included producing a regular newsletter (in English, Spanish and Norwegian) for all members of the team including suppliers and fabricators, project management of a multi-purpose Buzzard DVD and organisation of events, roadshows and presentations.

In December 2007 Nexen's Buzzard project won two major awards from the British-based Energy Institute. Not only did it win the Institute's Platinum Award for "Project of the Year" but it also carried off the Institute's prestigious annual Communications Award. The Communications Award was made for outstanding contribution to communication within the energy industry and covered internal and external communications with the various stakeholders groups including regulators, employees and shareholders. Key factors included excellence in leadership and innovation. CommDirect's input to the project was a key factor in the achievement of this Award.

Hydratight has some 500 employees and offices and facilities worldwide. The company provides tools, software, training and technical expertise in bolted joint integrity and has clients worldwide in all major industrial and engineering sectors including oil and gas and power generation.

AMEC (UK):
Event management
AMEC is one of the world's largest international engineering and construction groups. CommDirect has been appointed on several occasions to handle high profile corporate and media events at which the guests of honour have included the British prime minister Tony Blair or government ministers.

These events have included:
• A press conference organised at very short notice in December 2001 in Stornoway on
   the Isle of Lewis in Scotland to announce the start of the feasibility study for the
   possible creation of a 250-turbine wind farm (VIP: Minister for Energy);
• An event, also organised at short notice, to announce that AMEC had won a fabrication
   contract which would result in the creation of 4,000 jobs in the UK (VIP: the Prime
   Minister);
• Official opening of the UK's first offshore wind farm (VIP: Minister for Energy).
   CommDirect's work included selection and supervision of all suppliers, co-ordination
   of guest lists, responsibility for the media, full project management on the day of the
   event. "

Other work carried out for AMEC
• UK and international media relations ref. AMEC's participation in the international
Offshore Success 2000 symposium held at its Tyneside yard in February 2000;
• Advice on media analysis and evaluation techniques;
• Advice on advertising layout and content.

Results: Coverage in major national and regional media and international trade press.

Shell Renewables, Powergen Renewables, Amec, Nuon UK (UK):
Blyth Offshore Wind Ltd, a consortium of the above companies, developed, installed and operates the UK's first offshore wind farm, located 1km into the North Sea off England's NE coastline. The turbines were the largest in the world at the time they were erected. CommDirect was appointed to handle the official opening (Dec 2000) at which the Minister of State for Energy was the guest of honour. Work included:

• Preparing and issuing invitations; co-ordination of guest list, transport, all site work
   sourcing all suppliers;
• Distributing letter from chairman with news release to MPs and members of
   House of Lords;
• North East media management (BBC, Tyne Tees TV, Sky TV, newspapers,
   photographers);
• Site supervision and management on the day;
• Budget Control

Results: A highly successful day. The client was delighted with co-ordination and management of the event, with its smooth running and the favourable comments they received from their guests. Major media coverage was also obtained in the regional and national media (print and broadcast) and national and international trade press.

Corus (UK)
Corus is a major international steel manufacturer. The company was formed from the merger between British Steel and Dutch firm Koninklijke Hoogovens. Corus Northern Engineering Services appointed CommDirect to handle all the arrangements for a high profile product launch.

Due to circumstances beyond the client's control the event itself had to be postponed. The client stated that they were "Very impressed" by the speed and efficiency with which CommDirect had taken the project on board, initially at short notice, and arranged things up to the point where work had to be stopped.

VINCI Park Services UK (UK and France):
Vinci Park Services UK is the British subsidiary of Vinci, a major French construction and parking management group. The group manages vehicle parking contracts in many of the world's major cities as well as for local authorities, hospitals and railway operating companies

• Media planning and relations surrounding (1) the opening of the West India Quay car
park in London's Docklands area and (2) the acquisition of TFM;
• Creation of full corporate communications strategy (internal and external relations)
following the acquisition of UK company TFM Ltd.
• Writing and editing of corporate literature, tender documentation and web site text.

Results: Major coverage obtained in all major trade and local newspapers.

Entec UK (UK):
The no. 2 environmental and engineering consultancy in the UK. Entec is a subsidiary of Northumbrian Water Group, itself a subsidiary of one of the world's largest industrial multinationals, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, headquartered in Paris.

• Series of 10 x 8 page technical brochures describing Entec's services;
• Proof-reading quarterly newsletter.

Results: Work completed on schedule.

SCAME (UK):
Italian producer of electrical components and accessories for domestic and industrial applications. Scame's products are sold in 60 countries. Planned media relations in the UK was a new activity for the company.

• Media relations.

Results: Excellent coverage in all major trade publications and on appropriate Internet sites. Client received good response and enquiries. Good relationships established with editors.

Souter Trading International (UK):
Trading house supplying spare parts and equipment for the civil, electrical and mechanical engineering sectors, shipping and offshore industry and nuclear power generation industry worldwide. All Souter Trading's clients are outside the United Kingdom.

• Creation of web site text and advice on layout and design;
• New corporate literature including presentation materials and introductory letters for
each target sector;
• News release (UK media, international trade press and Chinese daily newspapers)
re. signature of two year supply contract with Chinese nuclear power station.

Results: Web site generates considerable number of enquiries for the client.

3M / Wyatt Public Relations (UK):
3M designed and developed a fibre optic data transmission system specially designed for transmitting large quantities of data at high speed; it is intended for use in public administration systems, universities, hospitals, etc.

• Assistance with and advice on media relations in France and Spain;
• Follow-up conversations with editors following distribution of information.

Results: Provision of reports regarding contact with editors provided to the client.

FMCEC (Federation of Manufacturers of Construction Equipment and Cranes, UK):
CommDirect was asked for assistance in sourcing an appropriate retirement gift for the Federation's president.

• Researching feasibility of, sourcing and ordering a unique hand-made glass sculpture
of a piece of construction equipment (hydraulic excavator);
• Follow-up conversations with editors following distribution of information.

Results: Client and recipient were delighted with the originality and design of the
sculpture; the sculptor also obtained additional work from a member company as a result.

Basford Action Group (UK):
CommDirect is providing its services pro bono to assist communities in South Cheshire which will be seriously affected by plans put forward by Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council to erect 15 enormous warehouses and logistics centres up to 100 feet high and operating 24 hours a day just metres from their homes. The plans also forecast an additional 5,000 heavy goods vehicles per day using an already overloaded two-mile stretch of single carriageway road between the site and the M6 motorway.

CommDirect has put in place and co-ordinated a highly visible media and general information/protest campaign. The objective is not to be confrontational but to work alongside the council to have the plans amended to a more appropriate development for the site. The project is on-going.

Design Consultancy (UK):
The Design Consultancy is part of Liverpool City Council. It is responsible for managing a wide variety of projects for both the council and many external clients. Its activities range from the restoration of historic buildings to the creation and management of traffic systems.

The Design Consultancy was responsible for introducing a new parking enforcement scheme in Liverpool in 2002. CommDirect worked closely with the Design Consultancy team on this project and, as a result of its success, was asked to create and implement a new corporate identity scheme for the consultancy including writing its new literature.

Liverpool City Council and Vinci Park Services (UK):
LCC and Vinci Park Services UK introduced a new system of parking enforcement throughout Liverpool in July 2002. This involved the transfer of power of enforcement from Merseyside Police to the local authority and the company set up by LCC and Vinci Park Services UK to manage the new system (Citilink), the introduction of higher fines and a large increase in the number of parking attendants patrolling the streets of Liverpool.

CommDirect was appointed to create, implement and fully project manage a public awareness campaign for this project (technically known as "decriminalisation of parking enforcement") which would stress the benefits which everyone living in, working in and visiting the city would see as a result of the new system. The timescale was very tight, starting in early April with the project going live on 1st July.

The intensive campaign involved information appearing in the broadcast and print media, various forms of advertising, the compilation and production of information leaflets for the public, briefing the police, football grounds, local business associations and the city’s call centre which deals with enquiries from the public.

CommDirect handles all media enquiries related to the project on an on-going basis.

Results: Successful implementation of the project.

Formula 3 Motor Racing (UK/Belgium/Netherlands):
Promotion of Formula 3 driver Rob Doornbos who is racing for a highly successful British team in the 2001 British Formula 3 championship. F3 racing is the training ground for Formula 1 and uses similar cars. There is dedicated television coverage on one of the UK's major TV stations and programmes have high viewing figures. Races take place at the UK's major venues (e.g. Silverstone and Brands Hatch) with a few being held in mainland Europe.

• General promotional strategy;
• Creation of presentation package for potential sponsors;
• Advice and assistance with locating sponsors;
• Media relations.

Results: Better response than anticipated from potential sponsors.

eMEDIT (UK):
eMEDIT is in the medical sector. The project is confidential but CommDirect's work included:

• PR strategy for international launch of new internet-based service for doctors;
• Arranging translations of highly technical site content into six languages;
• Advice on content of presentations to investors and assistance with presentation skills;
• Research and advice on handling mass mailings worldwide to target audience;
• Sourcing appropriate PR assistance in certain target countries.

LTP 2000 (UK):
Language training company.

• News release re. 3-month trip to USA sponsored by the UK's Department of Trade and
Industry of one of LTP's partners to learn about translation software packages.

Results: Coverage obtained in targeted north-east media.

• Translation and editing from German into English of a prospectus and associated texts
for the launch of a new financial organisation in Liechtenstein.

Result: Work delivered on schedule to a tight deadline. Client very happy with standard of translation

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