Dietsmann

Beginnings

Peter Kutemann founded Dietsmann in the Netherlands in 1977. His enterprise started as a technical assistance company, serving those oil and gas companies in the Netherlands about to produce their first gas discoveries off the Dutch coast. At that time, these companies employed full-time technical personnel for operation and maintenance, and only in exceptional cases, was highly specialized work subcontracted.

An increasing number of functions, not considered business critical, were outsourced. Peter Kutemann was the first to create an adequate and competent proposition to outsource maintenance without losing control of one’s assets.

1980s – rapid international growth

Dietsmann grew rapidly and opened its first international office in Aberdeen early in 1982. Later that year, Dietsmann France S.A. was established to focus on the Francophone markets. In 1987, Sudmarine in Marseilles was acquired. This company had a substantial mechanical maintenance business and a well-established French spare parts procurement capability.

In 1989, Dietsmann acquired Setram in the southwest of France, which had strong capabilities in the electrical and instrumentation fields and a well-established contract base with the French oil industry. Their branches in Gabon and Congo further strengthened Dietsmann's African presence. The mechanical, electrical and instrumentation capabilities in these countries were merged to create the world's first multidisciplinary maintenance service company in this sector. This new concept proved advantageous in securing Dietsmann's first integrated operation and maintenance contract, awarded by Elf Aquitaine.

1990s – Integrated O&M concept introduced

Following this success, Dietsmann formalized the concept, and the company's Integrated Operation & Maintenance (IOM) became yet another innovation in maintenance contracting. Its ‘shared objectives’ contracting format allowed Dietsmann's clients to virtually exit day-to-day maintenance operations, yet remain in control of the performance of its assets.

In 1996, Comerint was acquired from Italy's ENI Group. It had a new but complementary range of products, markets and clients. As Snamprogetti's main operations service company, Comerint was firmly established on the Italian industrial scene. With a focus on services to the refining and petrochemical industry, and specialized services in the fields of training and technology transfer, technical assistance and operation and management systems, Comerint strengthened the group with new regional establishments in Nigeria, Libya and Saudi Arabia.

Dietsmann today

Over the years, Dietsmann has become the largest independent specialist in Operation & Maintenance services for continuous-production plant in the oil & gas, power and mining industries. Dietsmann now employs more than 5,700 people and has a local presence in more countries in West Africa, East Africa and North Africa, the Caspian Sea Region, Russia and Latin America than any of its competitors.

In 2013 Dietsmann’s revenue rose to €414.1 million, 27.9% higher than the €323.6 million achieved in 2012.