ALontrol's Rotherham laboratory has been acquired by ALS Limited as part of a significant deal for ALcontrol's food, water and environmental businesses in the UK.
Environmental and food testing specialists, ALcontrol has UKAS accredited laboratories at Templeborough which provide testing for food micro, food chemistry, water micro, water chemistry and molecular biology. It is headquartered in Hawarden, North Wast Wales.
ALS Food and Pharmaceutical provide a comprehensive range of microbiological, physical and chemical testing services for food and drink, dairy, water, and pharmaceuticals.
The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, from ALcontrol Financial Ltd includes laboratories in Hawarden, Rotherham, Aberdeen, Bellshill, Dunstable, Shrewsbury and Newton Abbot as well as the online reporting systems.
ALcontrol UK employs 650 staff and with revenues of £39m. ALS said that the acquisition will be fully integrated into ALS' existing hub and spoke service model in the UK and once fully integrated is expected to deliver in excess of £7.93m in EBITDA (earnings before taxes) per annum and position ALS as the largest provider of both food and environmental/water services in the region.
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The acquisition will result in the creation of one of the largest analytical testing organisations in the UK and Ireland, operating from a total of 22 sites and employing over 1,500 staff in the food, water and environmental sectors.
Andreas Jonsson, general manager of ALS Europe, said: "The ALcontrol businesses represent a good strategic fit to the ALS UK businesses as we look to re-inforce our position as the number one laboratory service provider in the UK & Ireland. The addition of these laboratories into the ALS portfolio will allow us to enhance our service offering to clients in the region and open up wider opportunities to the ALS Group across Europe."
One of the world's largest and most diversified analytical testing service providers, ALS Global has its corporate headquarters in Queensland, Australia. In November 2015, ALS undertook a capital raising in part to provide funding for acquisitions in the non-cyclical sectors of its businesses. Other parts of the business have been affected by the downturn in oil & gas, and mining sectors.
ALcontrol was born out of Yorkshire Water owner Kelda and sold to Bridgepoint in December 2000. It was sold to private equity group Candover in 2004 before being sold to U.S. investment firm Blackstone in 2009. A restructure followed the recession and the Rotherham site in the asbestos, air emissions and occupational hygiene services division of the business was sold in 2012. In 2011, the Rotherham laboratory relocated from Templeborough House to nearby Aspen Court.
Barnsley distribution and warehousing company, Universal Components UK Ltd, were awarded the top prize at this year's Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards event.
Having won the the ASD Lighting/Rotherham United Excellence in International Trade award earlier in the night, Universal Components walked away with the Business of the Year award, after triumphing over the competition as the winner of winners.
The ceremony, hosted by radio personality Andy Giddings, was this year held at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham with nearly 500 guests in attendance to celebrate the achievements of the shortlisted individuals and organisations, sponsored by RNN Group.
Rotherham companies recognised on the night with a salute to business included Oxley & Coward Solicitors LLP who were celebrating 225 years in business, Eric Twigg Foods for their 50th year in business and Carlton park Hotel who are celebrating their 35th year.
The most promising new business went to Jump Inc. The leisure company opened its first site in Rotherham last year and has since opened trampoline parks in Sheffield and Leeds. Highly commended in the same category was Bliss Internet, the Rotherham-based ISP that establish superfast broadband for the community of Treeton.
Rotherham United's Community Sports Trust was the winner in the Community Impact award recognising the activities led by the community development programme that works across the borough of Rotherham in deprived areas. Youth project, Team Katalyst, which offers a variety of coaching, educational and recreational products from its Rotherham base, was highly commended.
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Rotherham-based Vertex Access won the Design & Innovation award. The Templeborough company provides industrial rope access operatives for a variety of operations as an alternative for expensive methods such as scaffolding - from abseiling to drones. Rotherham testing laboratory, ALcontrol was highly commended.
Molly Charlesworth of the host venue, Magna, was highly commended in the Apprentice of the Year award and Carlton Park hotel was highly commended in the new Leisure & Tourism category, as were Jump Inc. Innovative Rotherham firm Roy Hatfield was highly commended in Business Growth award.
The Skills Development award went to The Source Academy. Based at Meadowhall, the flagship centre provides state of the art training and development facilities with a focus on the retail and service sector. A Rotherham base opened on the High Street in 2011.
Andrew Denniff, chief executive at the Chamber of Commerce, said: "As always the evening was superb, reflecting all that is best in our City Region. My congratulations go out to all our winners and especially Universal Components, the Business of the Year.
"Our guests can certainly say that they were part of the "evening of the year" in the Sheffield City Regions business calendar, and all our shortlisted entrants can congratulate themselves in contributing to another successful event."
This year also saw the Chamber present their Charity of the Year award to Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, who received £3,000 in prize money, supported by Secure Power.
A full list of results is as follows:
The Enterprising Barnsley Most Promising New Business Award Winner – Jump Inc. Highly Commended – Bliss Internet Highly Commended – Hatfield Energy Ltd
The Rotherham Together Partnership Business Community Impact Award Winner – Rotherham United Community Sports Trust Highly Commended – Berneslai Homes Highly Commended – Team Katalyst
The Steelphalt Harsco Design and Innovation in Business Award Winner – Vertex Access Highly Commended – ALcontrol Laboratories Highly Commended – Spin Print Solutions
The Julie Kenny CBE, DL Apprentice of the Year Award Winner – Ricky Curtis of Palmer Construction Ltd Highly Commended – Kairon Flowers of Interserve Learning & Employment Highly Commended – Molly Charlesworth of Magna
The Visit Rotherham Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Award Winner – Calypso Cove Waterpark Highly Commended – Carlton Park Hotel Highly Commended – Jump Inc.
The ASD Lighting/Rotherham United Excellence in International Trade Award Winner – Universal Components UK Ltd Highly Commended – Numill Ltd Highly Commended – Tadano UK Ltd
The Airmaster/Mitsubishi Digital and Creative Award Winner – DEB Chartered Accountants Highly Commended – Hydra Creative Ltd Highly Commended – Spin Print Solutions
The Jeremy Neal Skills Development Award Winner – The Source Skills Academy Highly Commended – Jump Inc. Highly Commended – Merlinsoft Ltd
The Brook Corporate Developments Manufacturing Excellence Award Winner – Numill Ltd Highly Commended – Building Product Solutions Highly Commended – The RTN Group
The RNN Training Business Growth Award Winner – Capital B Media Highly Commended – Crystal Clean Service Ltd Highly Commended – Roy Hatfield
The Academy for Chief Executives Business Person of the Year Award Winner – Michelle Bailey of Active Response Security Highly Commended – Lisa Pogson of Airmaster Air Conditioning Ltd Highly Commended – Matt Travis of Enzygo Limited
Charity of the Year Award – In association with Secure Power Winner – Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children Highly Commended – Barnsley Hospice Highly Commended – Hallam FM’s Cash for Kids
Thomas Rotherham College (TRC) has been matched with ALcontrol Laboratories as part of a city region wide campaign to ensure students benefit from stronger links to the world of work.
The Enterprise Advisers programme aims to bridge the gap between education and work, and promote the skills needed by the workforce of the future. The national Enterprise Advisers programme, sees volunteers from the world of work and business team up with schools to increase the quality and quantity of careers and enterprise learning for young people.
SCR Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is part of the national programme, after being one of five pilot areas that helped to develop the scheme last year. The LEP wants to match a volunteer Enterprise Adviser from the business and public sector with every secondary and special school and college in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.
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At the Rotherham-based Sixth Form College, Principal Dr Richard Williams, Wendy Robson, Senior Student Support Manager and Cerise Walters, Manager for Careers and Employer Engagement, identified they wanted to make more links with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) businesses through the programme.
Environmental and food testing specialists, ALcontrol has UKAS accredited laboratories at Templeborough which provide testing for food micro, food chemistry, water micro, water chemistry and molecular biology.
Julia Bloomer, Group Customer Services Director from ALcontrol (pictured, second left), has now been paired with TRC.
Dr Williams (pictured, left) said: "We are looking forward to working with Julia to build on what we already have in place, and to inspire our students about the range of businesses and roles available across Rotherham and the Sheffield City Region."
Julia Bloomer was keen to become an Enterprise Adviser to get the message out about STEM opportunities. She said: "ALcontrol is an example of a great STEM business that young people probably don't know much about. All our staff get a grounding in the practical lab work, so they understand our core business, but then follow different routes, from technicians to microbiologists, to logistics and marketing or account managers. Within this one company, there are many roles and sectors represented.
"I'm keen that young people understand what lies behind a business, and what it takes to get started and excel. Many STEM businesses have vacancies they find hard to fill, so for people with the right aptitudes and attitudes, there are good opportunities."
Laboratory and testing company, ALcontrol is closing a Spalding laboratory and transferring activity to their Rotherham laboratory following a period of consultation.
Specialising in environment and food testing, ALcontrol is one of the largest testing organisations in Europe. In a statement, the company said that: "We have invested in our Rotherham laboratory to expand capacity in terms of analytical production lines and trained staff – both in the laboratory and in customer-facing positions so that we provide service reliability and good attentiveness.
"Staff have been offered the opportunity to relocate to Rotherham and other ALcontrol sites but there will be a number of redundancies as of course personal circumstances mean relocation is not a practical solution for all. All drivers have been retained and we have improved not reduced our logistics arrangements."
GSO Capital Partners LP became the majority shareholder in 2009 and put in place a new financial structure and concentrated on operational improvements and site restructuring.
The company moved from their Templeborough House laboratory last year to a laboratory at Aspen Court, Templeborough. In February, ALcontrol sold a Rotherham facility as part of the sale of its On-Site Services division. The facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park was not considered to be part of the core laboratories business.
Environmental and food testing specialists ALcontrol has sold a Rotherham facility as part of the sale of its On-Site Services division.
Lawyers from DLA Piper in Sheffield acted on the disposal of the business and assets of their On-Site Services division to Shield Group which is part of Netherlands-based ACTA.
The deal includes the asbestos, air emissions and occupational hygiene services of the business that operates from sites in Rotherham, East Kilbride and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
On-Site Services was not part of the ALcontrol's core laboratories business and therefore a buyer, with more synergies with the business, was sought to provide a suitable platform for future growth.
The deal provides ACTA with a stable, high quality platform to enter the UK market and to broaden their services portfolio.
Simon Gibbs, chief executive at ALcontrol, said: "This deal is of significant importance to ALcontrol as we position ourselves to move the business forward.
"Our On-Site Services function specialises in providing high quality and cost-effective health, safety and environmental monitoring and management solutions and will enhance ACTA's offering in the UK."
Richard May, head of the corporate team at DLA Piper in Sheffield, led the transaction on behalf of ALcontrol, supported by Anna Grunwell.
Richard May, partner at DLA Piper, said: "This was a significant deal for both businesses, allowing ALcontrol to concentrate on building its core laboratory network, whilst providing ACTA with the ideal opportunity to expand its presence in the UK and develop market share."
Shield Group was advised by the Nottingham office of Eversheds.
ALcontrol has Rotherham facilities at the AMP Technology Centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park and a laboratory at Aspen Court, Templeborough.
The company moved from their Templeborough House laboratory last year and the 2.8 acre site is currently up for sale.
Laboratory and testing company, ALcontrol has been taken over by GSO Capital Partners LP in a restructure that will provide the firm with a strong financial foundation from which it can further build its market leading position.
The deal will see GSO become the majority shareholder and extend certain new debt financing to provide the company with significant liquidity. The new funding will be put towards laboratory and customer service related investment as well as working capital.
Specialising in environment and food testing, ALcontrol Laboratories is one of the largest testing organisations in Europe. In the UK, ALcontrol has a turnover of £31 million and tests approximately 2 million samples per year. It has a facility in Templeborough, Rotherham.
ALcontrol's CEO Simon Gibbs said: "This is a significant milestone for ALcontrol and will allow us to put all our efforts into continued operational improvements and growing our business outside our traditional areas.
"When the new financial structure is put in place, ALcontrol will have one of the strongest balance sheets in our industry and will be backed by investors with significant resources. GSO, as our lead investor, shares the company's ambitions for growth and industry consolidation."
GSO Capital Partners LP were bought by American investment company, Blackstone in 2008.
Laboratorytalk report on the successful event hosted at the ALcontrol Laboratories in Rotherham which saw ALcontrol professionals and guest speakers present an allergy seminar to over 50 delegates from the food industry. David Waller, sales director, ALcontrol Laboratories, told Laboratorytalk: "We're all really pleased to see such great interest in the seminar from within the food industry, something which shows just how important and current the allergen topic is at the moment. "It has also provided a good opportunity for people to take a look at the labs at Rotherham and get a better understanding of the services ALcontrol offers." With allergic reactions and food intolerance on the increase and the introduction of recent legislation, this area of testing is growing rapidly and it is set to continue. Manufacturers are now required to declare the presence of any one of 14 allergens in their products and the market for food free from these is expanding. ALcontrol is now able to assist manufacturers in this area with Ukas accredited analysis and expert advice. ALcontrol Laboratories is one of the largest testing organisations in Europe. In the UK, ALcontrol has a turnover of £31 million and tests approximately 2 million samples per year. ALcontrol website Labrotarytalk article Rotherham
A full list of results is as follows:
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