Sunbelt reduces scaffold business

Charles L Miller, Sunbelt's executive vice president, told Scaffolding International that the company was retaining its scaffolding operations in the eastern USA where it has approximately 20 scaffold locations. He said there was no intention to sell this business.

Sunbelt, which is owned by UK-based Ashtead Group, said the proceeds of the scaffolding sale would allow it to develop its core general tool rental operations on the West Coast. The funds have already been used to finance the acquisition of Brookstone Equipment & Services Inc, a three-depot rental business in California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

For Safway, which is based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the acquisition strengthens its Western US operations where it was least well represented.