29.07.2011

AFI-Uplift acquires AJ Rentals

AFI has acquired the powered access rental division of AJ Access Platforms Ltd - strengthening its presence in South Wales – which will operate as A J Rentals.
AJ Rentals has a strong local customer base and a fleet of approximately 400 machines operating from depots in Swansea and Caldicot (near Newport). The AFI acquisition will take its total fleet numbers in the area to more than 500 machines.

Tony Mort, who founded AJ Access Platforms Ltd in 1990, will continue to own and operate the powered access machine sales, maintenance of platforms and training sides of the business. AJ Access Platforms will concentrate on its core activities of selling used access platforms to customers in Europe and the rest on the world.

AFI director Nick Selley said: “Against the backdrop of a challenging economic climate, this acquisition is a further tangible demonstration of our confidence in the future of both AFI as a successful business and the UK powered access rental sector as a whole.”

“AJ Rentals is highly regarded and provides strong levels of customer service. Its fleet has been well maintained and, like AFI, the business has a broad industrial and commercial customer base rather than being over reliant on the construction sector,” he added.

“Existing AFI customers will gain from now having a stronger presence in Wales and AJ Rentals customers will benefit from having access to one of the most modern powered access rental fleets in the UK.”

Key personnel such as industry veteran John Swift and the former rental director of AJ Access Platforms Ltd, will be retained by AFI and will head AJ Rentals going forward. The AJ Rentals machines combined with AFI’s rental fleet will bring the total fleet to more than 4,500 units.

The AFI acquisition follows a current year investment of more than £5 million in over 500 new access platforms, the latest order being 60 Power Tower machines.
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