21.12.2017

Boels acquires Abird in the Netherlands

Boels Rental has acquired Netherlands based rental company Abird from private equity investor NPM Capital.

Abird was established 1962 by William Oorschot as Technische Handelsmij Abird NV. It was one of the first companies in the Netherlands to offer welding machines and accessories for rent, later adding generators and compressors, the company also expanded across the Benelux region and into Germany, while a UK business with the same name – now part of HSS had different ownership.

The family sold the business to Atlas Copco in 1999, which added a number of new locations in the Netherlands, along with new products to suit its customers in the petrochemical industry and shipyards, as a result it was renamed Abird Tools & Welding in 2005. In 2007 the founder’s grandson Wichard Oorschot, in partnership with NPM, acquired the company from Atlas Copco. They went on to add lifting and hoisting specialist Hef & Hijs Nederland, followed by Burki Lastechniek, De Wit Las-en Snijtechniek and Kamphuis Lastechniek in 2012 and 2013, this left NPM with 91 percent of the equity.

Revenues this year are around €27 million and the company employs 127 across seven locations. Boels is looking to the company to strength is position in this market.
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Chief executive Pierre Boels said: ‘We are very pleased with this acquisition. Abird is a large independent industrial equipment provider in the Netherlands, with a strong regional presence in Western-Germany and Belgium. Although Boels is already active in the same market segment, the acquisition of Abird represents an important milestone in our growth strategy. Together with the talented and experienced management and staff of Abird, we will continue to work towards our goal of becoming the most important equipment provider for the petrochemical and other industrial sectors.”

Abird managing director Michel Hogervorst added: “Boels has given us the opportunity to develop further at a fast pace in the industrial market at home and abroad. Because of the acquisition, we shall be able to continue to invest in our rental fleet and our staff will be able to carry on expanding their product specialisms. Knowledge, safety and quality are vitally important to our customers and Boels will help us deliver all three.”