OREANDA-NEWS. Seeking to more effectively support Australia and New Zealand’s goals to develop more efficient and safer energy pipeline systems, PII Pipeline Solutions, today announced it has appointed John Collis as the new sales manager for the region. The company announced the appointment at the 2013 Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference in Perth.

A leading provider of pipeline inspection and integrity management solutions for operators worldwide, PII Pipeline Solutions has provided integrity services to the global oil and gas industry for 35 years.

“I am excited to help lead PII’s local efforts to meet the integrity management requirements and priorities of Australia and New Zealand’s pipeline sector,” Collis said. “At PII, we are dedicated to identifying pipeline issues before they become real problems for operators. Together with our customers, our goal is zero pipeline failures.”

Collis first worked for PII in Calgary, Alberta, Canada as a field operations supervisor prior to GE’s acquisition of the pipeline integrity services business. After a period of pursuing other opportunities, John returned to PII under the new management of GE, working again in the field before becoming a project manager. Collis subsequently transferred to GE’s subsea and drilling business in Perth, Australia where he served as services operations manager before becoming the services sales manager for that business in the region.

Collis’ experience, both with PII and in the broader Australian oil and gas industry, will help PII grow its business in a key growth area and better serve its customers in the region.

“This is the first time PII has had a dedicated local sales manager for the Australia/New Zealand market. John’s appointment will allow us to enhance PII’s local presence, allowing us to more fully understand the needs of our customers in the region and tailor solutions that best meet those needs,” said Michael Bellamy, general manager for PII Pipeline Solutions. “We will use this greater knowledge to continue developing our long-term growth strategy in the region, allowing us to invest wisely in the infrastructure and resources needed to serve the segment.”

The combination of Collis’ technical background in pipeline integrity, local market knowledge and business relationships will only strengthen PII’s presence in this important region, Bellamy noted.