Australia's Onsite Group grows with Statewide acquisition

Australian rental company Onsite Rental Group acquired Western Australia-based Statewide Equipment Hire in December for A$70 million (€51 million).

Onsite, which is majority owned by private equity firm Next Capital, said the acquisition will double its fleet in Western Australia and give it greater access to Australia's buoyant natural resources sector, where Statewide has a strong presence.

Statewide's customers include BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Leighton Holdings and Thyssen Krupp, and it is one of two preferred suppliers to BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto in Western Australia.

Statewide Equipment Hire Founder Lou Quistini becomes executive director of Onsite's Western Australian operations, working with Onsite's chief executive officer, Trevor James. All of Statewide's staff are being taken on by Onsite.

Onsite said; "The combination of Onsite and Statewide creates a significant number two player in one of the country's strongest performing states, with planned investment in Western Australia mining and energy projects reaching A$93 billion in October 2011, representing 70% of total future investment across Australia."

Both companies have holdings of aerial platforms and power generation equipment, but the acquisition gives Statewide customers access to Onsite's portable buildings and Onsite now has Statewide's wider range of equipment for civil and general rentals.

Statewide also brings industrial shut-down services to the industrial and mining markets, which is a new business for Onsite. Onsite said it had plans to expand this service nationally.

The acquisition adds eight Statewide branches in key mining areas to Onsite's existing branches at Kalgoorlie, Perth, Karratha and Port Headland.

The Onsite group was created in July 2007 when On Site Access and Scaffolds and On Site Rentals joined forces with Next Capital to form the On Site Rentals & Access Group.