Access company moves on up in Wales

A YORKSHIRE firm which helps people to work safely at height has bought a Welsh business as part of its expansion strategy, it was revealed yesterday.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Aug 2011, 07:00 BST

The powered access machine rental specialist AFI-Uplift has strengthened its presence in Wales by acquiring the powered access rental division of AJ Access Platforms.

The division will operate as A J Rentals.

AFI, whose head office is in Wakefield, hires machines to companies situated throughout the UK.

The company has 240 staff and a turnover of £23m.

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AJ Rentals has a fleet of around 400 machines operating from depots in Swansea and Caldicot, near Newport.

The AFI acquisition will take AJ Rental’s fleet in the area to more than 500 machines.

Tony Mort, who founded AJ Access Platforms in 1990, will continue to own and operate the powered access machine sales, maintenance of platforms and training sides of the business. AJ Access Platforms will focus on its core activities of selling used access platforms.

Nick Selley, AFI director, said: “Against the backdrop of a challenging economic climate, this acquisition is a further demonstration of our confidence in the future of both AFI as a successful business and the UK powered access rental sector as a whole.”

AFI has a 20-strong depot network, with bases in Wakefield and Hull.

In 2006 AFI received a £15m injection from Barclays Private Equity.

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Related topics:YorkshireWakefield