SCAFFOLDING INTERNATIONAL
42
access
INTERNATIONAL
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013
E
xpansive French
multinational Altrad has
deepened its footprint in the
UK with the acquisition of Trad
Group, a scaffolding contractor
and rental company, for an
undisclosed sum.
With an annual turnover of £
45 million (US$ 73 million), Trad
Group operates a London-based
scaffolding contracting business
and a UK-wide access equipment,
building equipment and safety
products rental and sales business.
The company, which employees
around 450 people, will continue
to operate from its current
locations around the UK. Hayden
Smith will remain as chairman,
together with Des Moore as
managing director and Alan
Skeats as financial director.
Ray Neilson, managing director
of Altrad’s UK arm Altrad Belle
UK, said the acquisition was part
of the company’s wider strategy
for the UK market.
“This acquisition forms part
of the bigger plan to provide the
large UK market with products
and services from Altrad, which
specialises in the manufacturing
and sales of scaffolding, cement
mixers and wheelbarrows,
together with providing additional
contracting services in the
scaffolding sector,”Mr Neilson
said.
Altrad acquired UK-based
scaffolding provider NSG in 2011,
and later rebranded the company
Altrad NSG. And in 2012, it also
bought UK-based Generation
Hire & Sales.
Indeed, Altrad said the latest
deal brought the number of
companies it owned to over 80,
with the majority being located in
Europe.
Altrad CEO Dr Mohed
Altrad said, “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.”
He added that Altrad was very
keen to hear from companies
involved in any element of the
scaffolding, cement mixers or
wheelbarrow sectors that are
interested in joining the group,
preferably with a turnover of
more than £ 10 million (US$ 16
million).
AI
TURNER LAUNCH
HIGHLIGHTS
UK scaffold service provider Turner Access has launched a new scaffold
system, the Turner OCTO.
Manufactured by sister company Turner Fabrication Ltd, Turner OCTO can
fit eight components at any one time, on the same level, allowing for greater
flexibility. A 360-degree rotation within the joint provides an almost limitless
possibility in structure size and shape, added the company.
Safe assembly, alteration and dismantling are achieved with the OCTO
GuardAid, while decks can be made tamper-resistant with the OCTO Lock
function. This removes the risk of unauthorised modification and reduces
inspection time.
Turner Access has already been contracted to provide a design for a 59 m
freestanding Turner OCTO structure for an oil platform flare stack.
■
Ramirent is outsourcing all of
its scaffolding erection workers in
Finland to Barona, an employment
agency, and will now source all its
scaffolding labour requirements
from Barona. The agreement sees
35 Ramirent scaffolders in Finland
moving to Barona. Ramirent said it
will require around 300 scaffolders
a year from the agency. Ramirent
said it wanted the capability to
provide customers with competitive,
high-quality and flexible scaffolding
and access solutions througout
Finland.
■
The US Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA)
and the Scaffold & Access Industry
Association (SAIA) have come
together to create five new tip
sheets on safety at work using
aerial work platform (AWP)
equipment. The five tip sheets,
namely AWP Jobsite Checklist, AWP
Prestart Safety Checklist, Preparing
AWPs for Transport, Rescue
Plans for AWPs and Selecting and
Implementing a Fall Protection
System for an AWAP, are available
to download from the SAIA website,
.
■
Safway, working with safety
equipment manufacturer Honeywell,
has introduced a new, lightweight
version of the Miller TurboLite
Personal Fall Limiter (PFL). “This
is part of our 100% fall protection
policy requiring all of our employees
who are working at heights to
wear protective gear,” said Safway
Group president and CEO Bill Hayes.
Specifically designed for use in
the scaffold and access service
industries, the new Miller TurboLite
PFL is available in a six-foot (1.8 m)
and a new nine-foot (2.7 m) model.
A self-retracting lifeline halts any
fast and unexpected movements.
Altrad buys Trad
Group in the UK
Peri has installed its Peri Up Rosett Flex system for the construction
of the Eemshaven power plant in the Netherlands.
The platforms were erected on two electric filters for flue gas
desulphurisation, measuring 64 m long and 35 m high, to provide a
safe position for workers carrying out welding and insulation work.
The 1600 MW Eemshaven power plant in the Dutch province of
Groningen is scheduled to open in 2014, following a four-year build
programme.
