Specialist vehicle contract hire business Essential Fleet Services Limited has acquired industry peer Go Plant Limited for an undisclosed sum, to create one of the UK's largest providers of specialist and commercial vehicles.
Essential acquired Go Plant from the Davidsons Homes group, the Midlands-based construction firm owned by the David Wilson family of housebuilders.
The transaction creates a group with sales of £80million, over 500 employees and 35 depots and service centres across the UK.
Andrew Cope, Executive Chairman of Essential Go Plant, said: 'This is a really exciting time for our new company, our people and our customers.
'Our combined business is now the UK leader in the provision of specialist and commercial vehicle contract hire, maintenance, rental and driver operated vehicles, delivering a consistent UK-wide service powered by our network of dedicated workshops and knowledgeable teams.
'The combination of Essential with Go Plant is strategically and geographically complementary, and we're excited about the benefits we can bring to all of our customers through this transaction'
Essential Fleet Services is one of the UK's leading specialist vehicle contract hire, maintenance and rental providers, working with many of the UK's local authorities and a range of corporate organisations in the utilities, highways, rail, construction and waste industries. It has been operating for more than 40 years.
Leicestershire-based Go Plant is one of the UK's leading providers of operated and self-drive road sweepers, refuse vehicles and other specialist equipment. It has also been operating for more than four decades and has built a strong customer base mainly in the waste and construction industries.
Vaughan McLeod, Chairman of Go Plant, said: 'Having worked with the Wilson family for a number of years and with their strong support, we have been able to turn Go Plant into one of the largest and most successful providers of operated and self-drive specialist vehicles in the industry, and I am delighted that Essential has recognised this and this transaction creates a great opportunity for both companies to grow and deliver a wider range of vehicles and be a leader in this sector'
The growth strategy for the new group includes the development of a one-stop shop for customers with a single digital platform, a new spot hire and rental broking arm and a marketing plan to build a widely recognised and trusted national brand.
