A-Plant - General - UK, A-Plant Acquires Lux Traffic Controls
Date: 18 Oct 2006
Multi award-winning company A-Plant has become the UK's largest provider of Traffic Systems on a rental basis by acquiring Lux Traffic Controls Limited for £15.5 million. Over 40 Lux locations have been immediately amalgamated into the A-Plant network and when added to A-Plant's existing dedicated Traffic depots, form a combined operation comprising over 50 dedicated Traffic locations.
The acquisition forms part of A-Plant's ambitious growth plans to expand its depot network, enhance its customer base, increase turnover even further and double the company's market share over the next three years. A-Plant's depot network now comprises over 250 locations across the UK, with a workforce in excess of 2,500 employees. The company's expanded Traffic business will be rebranded as A-Plant Lux Traffic Control & Management.
Lux Traffic Controls Limited was founded in 1966 by Laurence Lux and was fundamental to the development of the portable traffic signal systems seen on our roads today. The company developed into a highly successful business and in the year ended 31 July 2006, Lux reported revenues of £19.1 million and pre-tax profits of £0.9 million.
A-Plant's Chief Executive Officer Sat Dhaiwal said: "We are delighted that we have made this acquisition which confirms our position as a clear market leader in this area and we look forward to providing our extended customer base with the excellent customer service they have come to expect of Lux. We welcome the staff of Lux to A-Plant, where Traffic Systems rental will become the single largest business within our Specialist Products Division."
A-Plant Lux Traffic Control & Management forms part of A-Plant's Specialist Products Division which also comprises five other dedicated businesses, namely Accommodation, Acrow Falsework and Formwork, Powered Access, Rail and Power Generation and Welding. A-Plant's Plant and Tools business comprises over 120 locations offering a vast range of plant and tools to hire - from large plant such as dumpers, excavators and forklifts to powered air tools, lifting equipment and heaters. A-Plant was recently announced Plant Hirer of the Year at the Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards 2006, the largest and most prestigious in the industry.
A-Plant's Traffic business has been awarded the hire industry's first Sector Scheme 12 certification. Sector Scheme 12 is the National Highway Sector Scheme developed in partnership with the highways industry to set out a quality management standard for organisations involved in the installation, maintenance and removal of temporary traffic management on rural and urban roads. Sector Scheme 12 is mandatory for all Highways Agency contracts and applies to all work on single carriageways, three lane roads and dual carriageways, as well as temporary traffic control systems. As part of the work involved in gaining Sector Scheme 12 certification, A-Plant's Traffic business has also been awarded approval to the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2000.
As well as Sector Scheme 12 certification, A-Plant's Traffic business offers traffic management solutions and a vast range of products to hire, including the very latest cableless traffic lights in 2, 3 and 4-way configurations, tandem cableless, as well as standard trailer sets, traffic separators, temporary kerbing, traffic cones, crowd control barriers, remote control Stop/Go boards, crash impact cushions and Chapter 8 Signing, Lighting and Guarding with Class 1 or Class 2 signs. The Lux acquisition vastly expands A-Plant's Traffic offering, such as Variable Message Systems (VMS) which are available as a vehicle mounted option for use on motorways and for the events market, and at the same time offers additional synergies with A-Plant's core business.
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