Teesside University is the lead partner in the Enterprise Europe Network North East and was able to use its extensive network of contacts to find a Norwegian translator and publisher for Peter Brunton’s series of children’s stories about Sally the Oil Rig Seal.
Peter a former oil rig worker, originally wrote the stories in the early Nineties about a seal which regularly visited the rig he was stationed on based in the North Sea off Aberdeen.
When he retired from working on the oil rigs in 2009 he decided to publish the two books, ‘Sally the Oil Rig Seal’ and ‘Sally to the Rescue’, which quickly became extremely popular in Middlesbrough and the surrounding area, selling out quickly.
Peter thought that the books would also be popular in Norway, particularly in Stavanger, and so turned to EEN for help.
He said: 'When I was working out in the North Sea, on another rig based off the shores of the Shetland Islands, I could see the flares from the Norwegian rigs - I realised there was lots of Norwegian rig workers doing the same job I was doing.
'I know a lot of the oil rig workers on Teesside gave copies of the books to their children while they were working away and the children found it quite comforting to know what their parents were up to.
'It struck me that there was probably a market for the stories in Norway as so many of the experiences would be the same.'
Michael Gilkes, Project Manager for EEN North East, contacted his EEN colleague Kristiane Lindland, a business advisor based at the International Research Institute of Stavanger, who, in turn, was able to recommend Elizabeth Bogstad, a translator.
The books have now been translated into Norwegian with Sally being recast as ‘Plattformselen Selma’.
In addition, Peter is also in talks with a Norwegian publisher about getting the books distributed in Norway.
He has just finished writing a third book, ‘Sally and her Pups’, which he also plans to get translated into Norwegian.
Michael said: 'It’s been very nice to work with someone in the creative sector to help access overseas market places.
'Through our contacts we’ve been able to cooperate to establish an excellent international link in Stavanger.
'We are sure Peter’s books will be every bit as popular in Norway as they are over here.'
Enterprise Europe Network is co-financed through the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP, 2007-13), which is an EU funding initiative.
For more information on the Enterprise Europe Network North East, contact een@tees.ac.uk