ABERDEEN-based Entier, which provides catering services on offshore oil and gas installations, has unveiled a further hike in turnover and a rise in profits.

Entier, led by co-founder and former chef Peter Bruce, has also highlighted major new business wins and a drive into the North American marketplace.

The company's latest accounts, which have just become available from Companies House, show it made turnover of £32.2 million in the year to September 30, 2013, up by 26% from £25.5 million in the prior 12 months. Entier had posted turnover of £16.1 million for the year to September 2011.

Entier's pre-tax profits rose to £966,817 in the 12 months to September 30, 2013, from £811,757 in the prior financial year.

And the company's workforce rose sharply in the year to September 30, 2013, with the average number of employees rising to 136 from 98 in the prior 12 months.

In their report on the accounts, the directors of Entier highlight their focus on creating job opportunities for school-leavers in north-east Scotland.

They state: "Our commitment is centred upon the potential management and catering talent of the north-east of Scotland's school-leavers."

The directors note that the company provides offshore catering and hotel services, 365 days per year, on 23 offshore locations in six different countries.

They state that the group incorporated a company in Austin, Texas, Entier USA Inc, in May 2013, and subsequently gained business.

Entier, founded in 2008, also provides catering, hospitality, and facilities management services at various onshore locations, at clients' premises and outside events.

Highlighting Entier's success in securing new contracts, the directors state: "New business obtained will provide annualised additional turnover of circa £6m, of which £4m has been realised in the financial year. The group is now working in several international areas, including USA, West Africa, Philippines, Egypt, Norway, Asia and Canada.

The directors note that Entier has secured a three-year contract with Technip UK to provide catering and hotel services on six offshore vessels globally.

This contract is worth a total of £15m, and there is an option to extend it for a further two years.

Entier's directors also cited its success in winning contracts with Ace Winches and Swire Offshore Services - to provide catering and hospitality services. Both of these are two-year contracts, the directors note, with each worth about £500,000.

While highlighting the competitive nature of the market for catering services in the UK, ­Entier's directors are upbeat about the company's growth prospects.

The directors state: "Whilst there is competitive pressure in the outsource catering sector of the UK market, the group (believes) that Entier and its unique service it offers will allow it to increase its market share and maintain strong relationships with clients."

The remuneration of the highest-paid director rose to £257,761 in the 12 months to September 30, from £211,660 in the prior financial year. Entier's latest annual return, drawn up in May last year and filed the following month, shows Mr Bruce, who is chief executive, as the single largest shareholder.

Martin Gilbert, the chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management who resigned from his non-executive director role at Entier in December 2012, is shown as a shareholder in this annual return.

Mr Bruce held a senior role at Compass Group, where he worked for more than a decade, before leaving to establish Entier. He is a director of Fraserburgh Football Club.