French anti-collision specialist SMIE and its UK agent Cranesafe Ltd have formed a joint venture called SMIE Systems UK.

The new company has been set up in response to demand from UK tower crane owners to rent anti-collision equipment rather than purchase it, SMIE said. It will also distribute SMIE’s wireless anonometer, which the company hopes to to sell to owners of mobile cranes and access equipment as well as tower cranes.

Cranesafe managing director Tim Rowley said that formation of the new venture had yet to be completed. It was too early to predict exactly how the deal would be structured, Rowley said, but he added that SMIE may buy a stake in his company as part of the agreement.