ALTRAD acquires the UK TRAD Group of Scaffolding companies.

A deal was concluded on 30th September 2013 for an undisclosed sum.

Dr Altrad commented that this exciting acquisition provides a company that is strategically located for the convenience of the customers with a UK wide pool of expertise, while benefiting from the local knowledge and support.

TRAD Group has approximately 450 employees and a turnover of about £45m per annum, the contracting business mainly focuses on the London and South East markets and the Hire & Sales business operates through a UK branch network supplying all forms of Access Equipment, Scaffolding, System Scaffolding, Fencing, and Fall Prevention Products on a sale or hire basis.

The TRAD Group will continue to operate from the current locations around the UK with Hayden Smith as Group Chairman, Des Moore as Group Managing Director and Alan Skeats as Group Financial Director continuing to head up and grow the business with their dedicated team of employees.

Hayden Smith the Chairman of the TRAD Group commented “Opportunities have been numerous over the years to sell the Trad Group but were never seriously considered as it would have led to changes in our successful management team followed by the loss of our long established & well respected identity. (We did not want to suffer the same fate as the SGB brand.)
The Altrad Group offer made it very clear that they wanted the Trad Group but were very insistent that the team stayed intact long term to continue with our successful strategy of providing quality service & materials which is instrumental in both Client satisfaction & retention.
I am very impressed on this focus by the Altrad Group & my team & I are all very motivated going forward to continue our profitable growth with the knowledge that we have the full support of not only a major manufacturer of access products but a successful group with the same ethos which creates success”.

“This acquisition forms part of the bigger plan to provide the large UK market with products and services from Altrad who specialise in the manufacturing and sales of Scaffolding, Cement Mixers and Wheelbarrows, together with providing additional contracting services in the scaffolding sector” stated Ray Neilson MD of Altrad Belle UK who has been assisting on the acquisitions.
Altrad now has over 80 companies with the majority being located in Europe and several outside of Europe across the world.

“After 28 years of growth, the strategy of the Altrad Group remains to grow the business in a controlled and sustainable manner for the benefit of the customers, employees, shareholders and partners” stated Dr Altrad. The Altrad Group is 78% privately owned by Dr Altrad, with the balance of shares being owned between Synergie Finance (Arkéa Group), CM CIC Capital Finance, the French sovereign Fund FSI (Fonds Stratégique d'Investissement) and BNP Paribas Développement.

Dr Altrad and Ray Neilson are very keen to hear from companies that are interested in joining the Altrad group if they are involved in any element of scaffolding, cement mixers or wheelbarrows, preferably with a turnover in excess of £10m.

2013 will again be a record year for the Altrad Group, with its head quarters located in Montpellier in the south of France. The strategy of the Altrad group has proved to be resilient even through a deep recession and the business is now well positioned for another substantial phase of growth both organic and through acquisitions.

Previously Dr Altrad has made successful acquisitions of BarOmix, Belle Group, Beaver 84, NSG, Generation and MTD in the UK and this acquisition adds to the services Altrad can offer to the UK customer base. The businesses will all continue to work from their current locations with the skilled employees and any acquisition synergies will be limited to the product and services sourcing and the financing potential for the foreseeable future, thus ensuring the best possible customer service is delivered.

To Download This Announcement Click HERE.

www.Altrad.com www.Trad.co.uk Ray.Neilson@Altrad-Belle.com