Barrier was formed in 1975 to carry out painting of structures to be installed as part of the growing North Sea oil industry. Since then the company has completed more than 200 major contracts, totalling millions of square metres of surface protection, and has worked for most of the world’s major oil companies. More recently the company has expanded its operations beyond the oil sector and the group now carries out passive fire protection, metal spraying, powder coating and sub-sea insulation.