13.04.2011

Riwal acquires BMS Access

Riwal Denmark and crane and access rental company BMS have agreed to transfer the 700 aerial work platforms in the BMS fleet, along with relevant personnel and associated delivery trucks to Riwal.

They have also started a close partnership to provide combined access and lifting solutions in the Danish market. The agreement has been under negotiation since the New Year but only recently formalised.

According to Riwal this acquisition takes its market share in Denmark to between 20 and 25 percent and its Scandinavian fleet to some 2,200 units. BMS will now focus its operational efforts on mobile and large loader cranes with operators, particularly within the wind turbine and telecom sectors.

The partnership will be aimed at those customers who require both cranes and aerial work platforms on a job site. With each company providing a deeper level of expertise in their particular fields.

BMS chief executive Jens Enggaard said: “It has long been evident that consolidation was needed in the very price-sensitive AWP market. The financial crisis has created an over-capacity in Denmark. In Riwal we believe we have found exactly the right buyer and partner. We are very much looking forward to cooperating and being able to focus more closely on our core services.”

Søren Rosenkrands, general manager of Riwal Denmark added: “We plan to move part of our rental fleet to Sweden and Germany to restore the equilibrium of supply and demand in the Danish market. The agreement will contribute to the necessary consolidation within the sector, where large-scale operations are uncommon. It is becoming increasingly necessary to exploit economies of scale. Servicing the lifts, logistics and customer service are our number one priority. The market demands more and more quality and greater efforts in occupational safety and health. We will take these challenges in our stride.”