TVH to buy Pon's access and cranes business

Belgian parts specialist TVH Services is planning to acquire the crane and access sales and rental operations from Netherlands company Pon for an as yet undisclosed sum.

Access International understands that as yet the deal has not been finalised but is expected to include Gunco, Milcon and HDW.

The deal follows TVH's failed recent attempts to acquire the Lavendon Group rental business.

Gunco and Milcon are Netherlands based rental and sales companies specialising in aerial work platforms, forklifts, telehandlers and scaffolding. HDW distributes Genie in Benelux and Eastern Europe; Tuepen and Unic cranes in the Netherlands; and most recently took on the Netherlands dealership for Italy's Isoli.

As yet AI has not been able to establish how TVH will incorporate the new business into its current business structure.

TVH Services, the main business of Group Thermote & Vanhalst, is a specialist in parts and service for industrial forklift trucks. It also sells used forklifts, operating worldwide.

More recently it has moved into parts for aerial platforms and operates a mid-sized access rental operation in Belgium. Based in Waregem, Belgium, it employs 2100 people and operates in more than 160 countries.

Late last year TVH made several bids to acquire Lavendon Group, including a joint bid with Ashtead group. These bids were rejected by Lavendon's board.