Vp in €7 million Balfour Beatty Rail acquisition

UK-based rental equipment company Vp plc has acquired the trackside plant and equipment rental activity of Balfour Beatty Rail for £5.5 million (€7 million).

Rail engineering, design and construction business Balfour Beatty Rail Limited was part of contractor Balfour Beatty Group.

Vp said its rail equipment rental activity operated from a number of locations in the South East of England. Vp said these operations would be integrated into Torrent Trackside, Vp's specialist rail business.

It said the acquisition also included a five year framework agreement for the hire of trackside plant and equipment to Balfour Beatty Rail across the UK.

Jeremy Pilkington, chairman of Vp plc, said, “This transaction further strengths our business relationship with the Balfour Beatty Group and at the same time positions Torrent Trackside as the leading supplier of specialist portable rail equipment and associated services to the UK rail sector."