Rapid Climate Control, an Oldbury-based business providing climate related products and services, has been sold to one of the UK’s largest plant, tool and equipment hire companies, A-Plant.

 Rapid Climate Control specialises in climate control solutions, including hiring and selling portable cooling, drying and heating equipment. Established in 1979, the Black Country firm is now one of the country’s leading temporary climate control specialists and is a strategic acquisition for A-plant, following its recent purchase of another climate control rental firm, Fral UK.

A-Plant forms part of Ashtead Group plc, the second largest equipment rental company in the world. It has over 135 service centres across the country, including several in Birmingham and the Black Country.

A-Plant is a multi-product specialist company offering a huge range of equipment available to hire for a range of sectors including construction, infrastructure, industrial, local authorities and events. It has traditionally been known as a supplier of large plant equipment but its diverse product range includes accommodation units, traffic control management systems, staging, seating, security, and more recently temporary climate control.

The amount Rapid Climate Control was purchased for is undisclosed but the acquisition is A-Plant’s second in the last month. In January it completed a £6m deal for GB Access, a specialist provider of hoist hire equipment.

Rapid Climate Control will now operate as a stand-alone division within A-Plant, keeping its premises and jobs within in the region.

Mark Pudney, regional managing director at A-Plant said: “Rapid is a well-established company and a leader in its field. With its eight locations across the UK, highly experienced team and specialist products the acquisition will allow us to better serve our customers.

“A-Plant already has a core climate control customer base working in traditional construction trades, but the addition of Fral UK and Rapid helps us to serve customers in events, facilities management, retail, media and data centres, where expert knowledge and experience are vital, as well as an expanded product range including dehumidifiers for emergency response situations, such as the recent floods.”

Has your Sandwell-based business got good news to share? Email think_sandwell@sandwell.gov.uk with your updates or press releases today.

[Compressor Air-condition picture: www.freedigitalphotos.net]