NEPIC spoke with px Group to discover more about the organisation supporting women in industry and apprenticeships on Teesside

This year we are celebrating 20 years of NEPIC, throughout 2025 we will be showcasing the fantastic members that make up our organisation and their initiatives that continue to drive forward our industry’s success.

To kick off the celebration we recently spoke with long-standing NEPIC member, px Group, who have supported NEPIC since its inception in 2005 as one of our founding members.

Px Group have a detailed history in the region, initially growing from a small enterprise with under 50 employees, to now a team of over 800 people and offices globally spread across the UK, Norway, Germany and USA and Canada.

The company offers services across key areas including operations and maintenance, engineering, projects and consultancy and energy solutions. They currently operate six COMAH installations including Saltend Chemical Park near Hull where they are both the owners and the operator.

They have an extensive presence in Tees Valley, and between one plant on Teesside and one north of Aberdeen, process up to 30% of the UK’s gas supply, with operational reliability at the Teesside Gas Processing Plant of around 99.5%.

Valuing the importance of collaboration, px Group work closely with other NEPIC members across the area, understanding the value in working together to tackle common business challenges.

But it’s not just collaboration they value; it’s playing their part in growing talent across the community through apprenticeships. Speaking with px Group’s chief people officer, Katie Woods-Ruddick she said:

“px Group are huge supporters of apprenticeships and we have a vast history in doing so. In September 2024, we took on a cohort of 15 apprentices across different departments and sites across the UK.

“We recognised that starting something new, like an apprenticeship, can feel daunting , so we wanted to create a more welcoming introduction to the workplace for our apprentices. Last year, we brought together apprentices from all locations and specialties, allowing them to begin their journey side by side. This approach helped foster a supportive environment where they could connect with others starting their apprenticeships at the same time and share the experience together.

“Having been well-received by our cohort, this year we will be replicating the process, as we look to take on another 15 apprentices.”

px Group have also supported young people and apprentices throughout the years by sponsoring NEPIC’s Annual Industry Awards, discussing why this is important to the business, Katie added:

“We were once a really small business and in those days we relied on big companies sponsoring awards for us to be able to enter and win accolades, now that we are larger we can give that same support back to SMEs and talent across the region, it’s a full circle moment for us.”

One of the company’s more recent projects is their Women’s Network launched in 2022, an internal initiative that aims to provide a voice to women throughout the company. Discussing the network, Katie said:

“We often attended Power of Women events in our individual roles across the business, feeling inspired and recognising we operate in a typically male dominated industry, we knew we needed a space for women across our organisation to connect outside of formal events, this is when the idea for the Women’s Network was established.”

“The goal is to create a safe space for women to connect, share advice and feel represented. Since 2022 we have hosted several events attended by women from all levels and locations across the business, we have seen a huge shift in group confidence, making the initiative an enormous success.”

Going on to discuss why px Group have remained members of NEPIC for many years, Katie explained:

“NEPIC is our collective voice. They bring together a multitude of businesses and are the common thread keeping us united, to not only help our industry thrive, but to power our local community, it’s something we are proud to be a part of.”