How this Scottish merger creates £20m 100-staff industry giant spanning construction, manufacturing and energy sectors
“We will now be able to grow our market share throughout the UK, and this deal allows us to diversify the industries we serve.”
An Aberdeen-based equipment rental specialist has wrapped up a major acquisition that it says will see it become a £20 million business, enable it expand into cities including Glasgow, and extend its reach across multiple sectors.
First Integrated Solutions has inked the seven-figure deal to buy Tusk Lifting, which has depots in Middlesborough, Liverpool, and Hull as well as Glasgow – from parent firm Mammoet, part of the Dutch conglomerate SHV Holdings that also owns wholesaler chain Makro. It is also mulling further acquisitions after snapping up another Aberdonian business last year.
The combined business will have around 125 staff, serving a joint customer base spanning the construction, manufacturing, oil and gas and renewable energy sectors, and it is looking to invest an additional £3m over the next five years to strengthen its offering.
Martin Suttie is the MD of First Integrated Solutions, which was established in the Granite City’s Bridge of Don in 1997, and provides safety-critical services to the energy sector, including lifting equipment, inspection, and equipment sale and rental. He said: “First Integrated has been successful at growing its market share in Aberdeen through continual investment in new equipment, and the hard work of our dedicated team.
"By coming together with Tusk Lifting, we will now be able to grow our market share throughout the UK, and this deal allows us to diversify the industries which we serve. It also brings additional services to Tusk, allowing it build on its industry-leading lifting business. We already share a number of customers throughout the UK, and this deal gives us a fantastic platform to grow our market share across multiple sectors throughout the UK. We will continue to look for opportunities to acquire companies which share that ethos and add value, or scale, to the business we are building.”
Tusk Lifting specialises in providing high-quality lifting and material-handling equipment for various industries, including construction, manufacturing, and oil and gas. It offers such as equipment hire, sales, servicing, and inspections. It was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Stockton-On-Tees.
Its MD Kevin Chalmers welcomed the change in ownership, saying both companies have aligned missions and goals. He said: “There is a long-term vision in place which is hugely exciting, and with the backing of First Integrated Solutions we will have access to more resources, equipment, and a broader network. This partnership will enable us to innovate faster, serve our clients better, and expand our horizons.”
The acquisition of Tusk Lifting is the second merger by First Integrated Solutions in 18 months, after a deal to acquire Aberdeen-based North Sea Compactors last year. The latter firm, founded in 1983, manufactures its own design of heavy-duty, large-capacity, fully pneumatic offshore waste compactors to withstand the tough environments faced by offshore platforms, floating production storage and offloading vessels, drilling rigs and large purpose-built vessels such as ocean-going dredgers.
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