With the cold winter months upon us, external maintenance
and commercial landscaping provider Ground Control has cemented its position as the country’s biggest private
gritting company and winter maintenance provider, with the acquisition of JW
Crowther & Son, known as The Gritting Company.
Over the
past 160 years, the company gained a reputation for outstanding customer
service by develop its capabilities and people whilst focussing on its core
businesses of gritting, street cleansing and excavation. Last year the company
generated turnover of £7.3m, whilst the previous year “The Beast from the East”
saw exceptional revenues of £12.9m as demand drove the need for The Gritting
Company services.
The deal
further consolidates Ground Control’s position as the UK’s largest gritting and
winter maintenance supplier. The scale and expertise of its operations –
together with its industry-leading commitment to environmentally sustainable
practices – continues to provide certainty for the company’s expanding customer
list.
The
investment will immediately boost the company’s gritting operation by 25
percent and means it will now service over 8,000 different locations –
including three of the biggest supermarket groups – all of whom rely on Ground
Control’s expertise to make their sites accessible and safe in the event of
inclement winter weather.
“The
union of these two family-owned businesses offers the opportunity to combine
our extensive knowledge and expertise with innovation and technology to further
develop our service offering and ensures we can achieve consistently
exceptional customer service in a rapidly changing industry,” said Simon
Morrish, CEO of Ground Control.
“JW
Crowther is a well-respected competitor in the winter maintenance industry and
bringing them into the Ground Control family significantly increases our winter
maintenance capabilities across the UK. The combined infrastructure, people and
innovative systems of our companies and the joining of two very experienced
teams expands our ability to offer customers a worry-free solution for their
business continuity needs. Combine this with a comprehensive suite of products
and services and what we have is a market leading winter and exterior
maintenance capability that is available to all 24/7.”
Nigel
Crowther and Paul Crowther, both owners and directors of JW Crowther & Son
since 1997, will remain with the business for a transition period to ensure a
smooth handover. “We wanted to find a buyer who understood and respected
our business and could continue to drive it forwards following our departure,
as well as ensuring our colleagues and customers were left in safe hands,” said
Paul Crowther.
“Ground
Control’s focus on the customer, health and safety and the wellbeing of their
employees, combined with their passion for the environment, made them the
obvious choice”.
“I am
looking forward to working for Ground Control and the opportunity to expand our
existing service,” said Michael Crowther, Sales Director of the Gritting
Company. “By joining our experience and technology, and through Ground
Control’s range of services, I believe we can create real extra benefits for
our existing and new clients.”
Ground
Control heads into 2020 with the business continuing to flourish across its
variety of award-winning services including grounds maintenance, design and
landscape construction, arboriculture services and of course winter
maintenance.
“The
acquisition of JW Crowther & Son comes in the middle of the critical winter
season and importantly for all of Ground Control, the Gritting Company, and JW
Crowther customers it continues to be business as usual,” concluded Simon
Morrish.
“Over
the coming months we will assess the combined strengths of both organisations.
Our aim is to exceed our stated value of ‘We Deliver Outstanding Customer
Service’ by leveraging both team’s skills and experience to create improvements
as we integrate the operations. In addition, we will continue to explore
opportunities for growth that benefit our customers and our people. These are
exciting times for Ground Control.”
