Sandwell-headquartered bus and coach operator Rotala has acquired an operator of commercial and contracted bus services in Warwickshire and the southern West Midlands.

Rotala, which has its base in Tividale, operates commercial and subsidised bus routes for businesses, local authorities, the public and private individuals. It operates bus routes across the region.

The last time we reported on Rotala back in December 2020 the company had just bought a new fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles in a £3.2m deal. 

The green fleet had been purchased for Rotala’s Diamond Bus (North West) and Hallmark Connections businesses with the aim of reducing its carbon footprint while strengthening its brand and providing its customers with a reliable and comfortable service. 

In its latest deal Rotala has acquired Johnsons (Henley) Ltd’s entire bus business and 20-strong fleet, which currently trades under the ‘Excelbus’ brand. The business will also be incorporated into the Diamond Bus brand, with approximately 60 employees expected to transfer across.

Rotala estimates that the assets being purchased have annual revenues of approximately £3.5m. The acquisition is part of the group’s growth strategy to consolidate smaller businesses into its existing areas of operation. The aim is make better use of its current depot capacity and spread its overheads over a larger business to increase efficiency.

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