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Partner spotlight - Arnlea and Sword

By
Claire Murray
Date Published:
June 17, 2026
|
Date Updated:
June 17, 2026
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Client Success

“Collaboration” is the watchword across the offshore energy industry. But how often does true collaboration make a difference to a service or product? We believe that Arnlea’s partnership with business technology specialists, Sword Group, has been fundamental in both respects.

For the past year, we have worked in close collaboration with Sword as strategic partners, bringing together the complementary skills and technical expertise which provide consistent back-up support and effective succession planning - improving operational continuity for our clients and preventing any impact to project delivery.

Having an embedded, dedicated team in Sword allows us to collaborate on new developments and deliver ongoing enhancements to the software, supported by Sword’s boarder development capability.

With a cross-trained and highly skilled talent pipeline of developers, this agile approach means we can take on customer queries or requests jointly, allowing us to respond to feedback as quickly as possible.

Arnlea’s CEO Allan Merritt said: “Our strong relationship with Sword has been built on deep trust and a mutual customer focus. Establishing the in-house team has brought significant benefits, allowing us to enhance our functionality more quickly than ever, making Nexar more effective and impactful for its users.”

Adam Gall, Business Unit Director at Sword Group said: “One of the real strengths of this partnership is the calibre of people we have been able to bring around Arnlea and Nexar.

"By combining the strengths of both organisations, we are able to deliver more robust, scalable solutions and create greater long-term value for our customers, both in the UK and globally.”

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
What equipment needs ATEX inspection?
Everything in a classified hazardous area. That covers electrical items (motors, lighting, junction boxes, panels, instrumentation) and non-electrical equipment where it has been assessed as a potential ignition source, such as rotating machinery or equipment that could generate static.‍
What standard governs ATEX inspections?
IEC 60079-17 (BS EN 60079-17 in the UK). It defines the three inspection grades, the four inspection types (initial, periodic, sample, special), and the requirements for inspection intervals and documentation.
How often should ATEX inspections be carried out?
IEC 60079-17 states that the interval between periodic inspections should not exceed three years, though this can be adjusted based on a documented risk assessment. Initial inspections must happen before commissioning. Portable apparatus typically needs inspecting every 12 months.
What are the three grades of Ex inspection?
Grade V (Visual) covers defects visible without tools, with equipment energised. Grade C (Close) covers defects found using hand tools and access equipment. Grade D (Detailed) covers defects found by opening enclosures and using test equipment, with the equipment de-energised.
What is ATEX/IECEx inspection?
It is the systematic examination of equipment installed in hazardous areas to verify it remains safe, correctly installed, and compliant with explosion protection standards. The process is governed by IEC 60079-17 and is a legal requirement under ATEX (in Europe) and DSEAR (in the UK).
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Arnlea provide more than just Ex software—we offer a complete solution to digitalise and optimise your Ex inspection process.

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