Day: 13 October 2020

Briggs Equipment has announced it has completed the acquisition of Gwynedd Forklifts, an independent materials handling equipment distributor across North Wales and Shropshire.

From their sites in Conwy and Oswestry, Gwynedd Forklifts serve a broad range of industrial and commercial customers with a message and product offering that compliments the overall Briggs Equipment proposition. This shared commitment to asset management and engineering service support demonstrates that this is a strong strategic move for both businesses.

As part of the deal, and in line with Briggs Equipment’s acquisition strategy, Gwynedd Forklifts will supply the Hyster materials handling range as well as having access to recognised high-quality brands such as Hako, JLG, Combilift and many more.

Peter Jones, Briggs Equipment’s Group Managing Director, commented: “We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of Gwynedd Forklifts. Their wide geographical coverage, strong customer portfolio and skilled employee base will be extremely valuable additions to the Briggs Equipment Group.

“Despite the challenges that the Coronavirus pandemic has presented over the past few months, this latest acquisition demonstrates the robustness of our business and ongoing commitment to strengthening our market position. We’re looking forward to working closely with the team at Gwynedd Forklifts and delivering considerable benefits to their customers through our unique combination of industry knowledge, engineering expertise and diverse product offering.”

Mark Singleton, Gwynedd Forklift’s Managing Director, commented: “This acquisition will enable us to continue supporting our loyal customer base, whilst also providing the capability to further expand our business and establish new partnerships. The culture of our two businesses is very much aligned, especially with regards to the clear ambition that Briggs has shown over several years for continuous improvement and development.

“Particularly during these challenging times, the support of a national business such as Briggs will provide our customers with a wider product offering and greater flexibility in terms of hire and purchasing agreements.

“This is an exciting new chapter in our journey and we’re looking forward to working as part of the Briggs Equipment Group.”

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Briggs, Gwynedd Forklifts will continue trading under its own name and with all current operational contacts remaining in place.

It may have been a season to forget for passenger traffic, but Brittany Ferries says that freight has kept on rolling this year. The company which serves France, Spain, Ireland and the UK has had a steady 2020 and is looking forward to 2021, with positive signs from the marketplace. Several major customers have indicated their intention to increase business next year. This could amount to an additional 15% of freight traffic on routes connecting the UK with Spain and 15% on its Ireland to Spain link. In total the company carries around 210,000 units across its 12-route network each year.

“The Brittany Ferries freight team has worked tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 crisis to guarantee the supply of essential products like food and medicine,” said Simon Wagstaff, group freight director for the company. “It’s an important part of our portfolio because freight comprises around a quarter of the company’s annual turnover and our customers rely on us to maintain essential cross-border links. Based on the reaction of the marketplace – and the support of our loyal freight customers – we are looking forward to a positive 2021.”

Brittany Ferries opened a sea route connecting Ireland with Spain for the first time in 2018. Originally operating from Cork to Santander, the operation moved to Rosslare-Bilbao earlier this year in response to demand from freight customers. That decision has borne fruit and demand is expected to continue to grow as more companies in Ireland and the Iberian peninsula look for a Brexit by-pass to escape the UK land-bridge. Cork meanwhile continues to serve passenger traffic, with the company’s flagship cruise ferry Pont-Aven returning in 2021 for the holiday season. The service has now connected with company headquarters in Roscoff, Brittany for more than 40 years.

More positive news for freight concerns routes connecting the UK with Spain. The company’s newest vessel, Galicia will enter service in December with a vast garage hosting more than 3km of lanes, accommodating up to 155 trailers. In addition to serving UK to Spain, Galicia will make one weekly rotation between Portsmouth and Cherbourg. Of course, this cross-channel service will be just one of many to serve the freight market next year, the most popular being its Caen-Portsmouth workhorse – a route which carries nearly 50% of all freight traffic for the company.