BrandSafway Lyndon Scaffolding Buyout

You have to speculate to accumulate, as the saying goes. And it’s a phrase that rings true on all sides of any business deal.

US construction giant BrandSafway’s December 2018’s purchase of Lyndon Scaffolding, along with its own subsidiary Taylor’s Hoists, is a case in point. It represents an American firm investing heavily in buying a UK company at a time when the future of the latter country’s economy hangs somewhat in the balance, with Brexit looming.

A calculated risk, at the same time the business that has itself been purchased is placing its future in the hands of new owners. It therefore expects the same standards and principles to be maintained going forward, and that the deal will improve an already wellrespected name in the construction sector by extending the list of associated products and services.

If the move is as successful as all those involved hope, it should consolidate the market positions of the respective parties. Whatever the final outcome, moving forward there’s a new #BiggerBetter name in the sector – Lyndon SGB by BrandSafway. Which is a logical decision, considering the wider BrandSafway family also includes SGB, a BrandSafway unit which will now provide the perfect partner to the newly acquired Lyndon business.

“This is an exciting combination,” Dave Witsken, president of Energy and Industrial at BrandSafway, said at the time news of the deal first broke. “It will allow us to bring together a full range of scaffolding solutions – plus deliver the excellence in a suite of other access technologies for our customers. By combining the assets, expertise and reputation of Lyndon Scaffolding with SGB, we will be able to expand our service solutions in key major cities in the UK.”

Lyndon already enjoys an enviable position in the British construction landscape. With locations in London, Birmingham, Manchester, the Scottish capital of Edinburgh and Barry, Wales, its reach covers the fastest paced and most rapidly-expanding regions of the country in terms of property development and the construction market. Meanwhile, its staff base – in excess of 600 people – have a stellar reputation for delivering both exceptional products and incredible service. Hence the £50million in annual sales

The company’s portfolio speaks volumes about its status. High profile projects such as Jubilee Bridge at Runcorn, BBC Broadcasting House, Tate Britain, Severn Bridge, Birmingham Gateway Station, Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and the Scottish Parliament Building impress. And it’s this level of work that we should expect going forward –some of the biggest and most prestigious public builds in the UK. All of which is before we come to start referencing private new builds, renovations and restorations.

“We look forward to being on the same team with SGB,” Robert Lynch, CEO of Lyndon Scaffolding, said. “SGB is one of our industry’s best-known and well-respected names. By working together and sharing our expertise and best practices, Lyndon SGB will be able to offer more products and services and improved solutions.”

If there’s strength in numbers (and this new partnership boasts some significant numbers, like 1,000+ staff & $4.2 billion in global assets) then it should go without saying that the future looks strong for all involved. And it needs to – given the massive competition currently out there.

The Altrad Group is one such name: A major player in both the manufacturing and distribution of construction equipment, facilities and services, its exponential growth over recent years can be largely attributed to a conscious decision to expand throughout Europe by way of acquisitions, taking ownership of various companies and groups already considered to be experts – and in some instances market leaders – within their own sectors. Effectively buying a reputation and established customer base along with the businesses themselves, and their assets.

BrandSafway’s history proves the power or a good partnership, as the company was only formed from the merger of Brand Energy and Infrastructure Services (BEIS) and Safway Group (Safway), which took place in 2017. The end product being a behemoth of a business, currently accounting for more than 35,000 employees across 8,000 job sites in 30 countries. Evidence that unifying interests is usually a far more effective means of bolstering and raising the status of all parties.

Not that they really need it. After all, Lyndon’s history dates back to 1968, while BrandSafway’s story dates back even further, to the mid-1930s. This means that both entities have individual pedigree, so to combine the two effectively creates a powerhouse that spans either side of the Atlantic.

So what does this mean for the future of the businesses themselves? For one thing, the merger will expand the overall reach of the brands, introducing them to other markets through association, if not active sales. The combined profitability of the group should therefore increase, along with its visibility in the market, a key factor that can determine the potential for any company to match its projections and expand, no matter what sector it does business in. Needless to say, then, we’re keen to see what the next few years bring.