If you live in Acadiana there’s a pretty good chance you’re connected in some way with the oil industry. Most of us know somebody who works offshore. These men and women are gone for days and weeks, ferried out to massive oil rigs in the Gulf. So massive that they often refer to them as “floating cities.”

They call them cities because there’s a lot more going on on an oil rig than just drilling for oil. There’s a whole community of people who, besides work, have to eat, sleep, get medical attention, go see a movie, workout at the gym, and more.

Providing the real estate for these non-work activities on a floating hunk of metal out in the ocean is the specialty of a company called HB Rentals. HB Rentals is the world’s largest supplier of temporary on and offshore accommodation modules. The company operates from three major global hubs. In Aberdeen, Scotland, Singapore, and from its headquarters here in Broussard, Louisiana.

The President of HB Rentals is Deirdre Toups. 

Whether your company is out in the Gulf on an oil rig, or up in space on a rocket, you need stuff. All kinds of stuff. From nuts and bolts, to chairs, beds, protective clothing, maybe even a pest control contract, and a million other things – some of which you may never have anticipated or budgeted for. Businesses can take the unpredictability out of their supply chain by turning to industrial procurement professionals. One of the nation’s most recognized procurement companies is Brewster Procurement Group. Their clients include NASA, and a who’s-who of major oil and gas companies.

The founder, CEO and Managing Principal of Brewster Procurement is Janet Brewster.

Peter, Janet and Deirdre take a business trip out to the Gulf and up in space on this edition of Out to Lunch from Cafe Vermilionville in Lafayette.

Photos by Gwen Aucoin.