Ainscough takes over Baldwins' UK mobile fleet

Ainscough Crane Hire has taken ownership of the mobile and heavy crane divisions of Baldwins Industrial Services.

The deal, which also includes the maintenance and engineering division (Baldwins M&E), completed on 6 December. The sale was managed by the administrative receivers that were called in to rescue or sell the business.

Ainscough has taken over the business as a going concern. Some 600 employees and 200 cranes join Ainscough from Baldwins, creating a combined business of 1,300 employees and more than 600 cranes.

Ainscough chairman Martin Ainscough said: 'The purchase of Baldwins' mobile crane fleet together with the workforce is a great boost to our company, in particular with Baldwins strengths in the south of England and heavy crane division. We are very pleased and excited that we have concluded this acquisition and are looking forward to integrating the best features of both companies.'

Ainscough intends to keep Baldwins' depots in Hayes, Erith and Acton - all of which are in the greater London area - but will merge the operations of all others into existing Ainscough depots.

On completion of restructuring, Ainscough will have 24 depots across the UK.

Baldwins sales director Grant Mitchell has been appointed to the main board of Ainscough and has been given responsibility for the combined heavy crane division nationwide and for general crane hire in the southern region. The Scottish, North and Midland area depots (including Bristol and Cardiff) will be managed by Ainscough's operations director Richard Wharrie and sales director George Kesterton. All three report to managing director Ray Ledger.

This is the second major acquisition by Ainscough in recent years. Just two years ago it paid more than £25m ($37m) for the 350-crane fleet of GWS and since that time has been engaged in heavy fleet rationalisation. A similar programme is now likely to follow, although Baldwins' fleet is significantly more modern than GWS's was, and there is less of an overlap between Ainscough and Baldwins than there was with GWS. Ainscough's strength lies in the north, while Baldwins is stronger in the southeast as well as in heavy lifting.

Meanwhile the Delta Tower Crane rental business of Baldwins was still up for sale as Cranes Today went to press, and the US subsidiary, Phillips Crane & Rigging, remained in Chapter 11, with a management buyout bid seeking court approval.