Metal surface coatings company Hardide Coatings has appointed Bruce Robinson as a non-executive director.

Mr Robinson brings extensive experience of the international oil and gas industry and growing technology-based businesses.

He spent five years as a director and consultant to Scottish Enterprise Energy Group where he led oil and gas technology development and internationalisation programmes. Since then, he has started, run and assisted a wide range of innovative companies developing and exploiting technologies in various industry sectors.

Graham Hine, chief executive officer of Bicester-based Hardide Coatings, said: “Bruce’s experience of growing small technology based businesses will assist our strategy to develop new and diversified applications for the Hardide coating technology. His engineering background and commercial understanding of the oil and gas industry is particularly relevant as we capitalise on opportunities for growth in this sector.”