Drainage specialists acquire new business to expand reach across the region

Jet Aire Services has acquired a Tyneside based company to strengthen its cover across the north of the region.

The business, which has a headquarters in Leeds as well as a base on Riverside Park in Middlesbrough, employs 129 staff and is recognised as one of the leaders in a highly-competitive drainage and sewerage sector.

Having invested in excess of £1m to add to its fleet over the last 12 months, Jet Aire Services can now announce that it has taken over KwikFlow, a well-established company based on Tyneside with a healthy portfolio of customers.

Many of those customers operate within the rail sector, and after exhibiting at the recent Railtex Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham the company has noted an increase in the number of inbound enquiries from the sector.

The acquisition means Jet Aire Services can expand its footprint in the north of England from its three bases, with capacity to comfortably cover the area from Tyneside to the Borders, and across to Cumbria.

KwikFlow has a team of 37 people, made up of 29 engineers and eight administration staff, bringing the total company headcount to 166.

The acquisition has also involved a significant increase in an ever-expanding fleet and equipment register, which ensures that the company is very well placed to deliver in what is a very demanding sector.

That fleet includes off-road vehicles which are used by the PTS-trained engineers within the business on remote rail contracts.

KwikFlow was set up by Roy Bradley 25 years ago and has a fantastic reputation. It will retain its identity by trading on as KwikFlow with some dual branding on vehicles and general public facing materials highlighting the fact that it is now part of the Jet Aire Services group.

Mr Bradley will remain with the business, taking on the role of Area Manager (NE) with full control of the Tyneside operation from KwikFlow’s base on the Team Valley in Gateshead.

Darren Pavan, Managing Director at Jet Aire Services, said: “This is an acquisition that ticked all boxes. KwikFlow is a perfect fit for Jet Aire, and we are delighted that we are now in a position to make this formal announcement.

“Jet Aire Services has gone from strength to strength in recent years, both in terms of our workforce and fleet as well as our turnover, and while we are a national company with clients across the UK we have established ourselves as a market leader in the North of England.

“Our current fleet covers large parts of the north, and the acquisition of KwikFlow means we can really place a stronger footing in the north of the region.”

Both Mr Pavan and Mr Bradley have stressed that it is “business as usual” for both companies.

Mr Bradley said: “This merger makes sense for both companies. Both Jet Aire Services and KwikFlow have their own unique skillsets across the business encompassing the full drainage sector.

“By linking them together, we now have a business which is effectively a one-stop shop for all drainage requirements ranging from flooding, remediation and lining to general water mains installation and repairs.”

For more information about Jet Aire Services, visit www.jetaire.co.uk or email enquiries@jetaire.co.uk.

Photo credit: Jet Aire Services

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