Lanes Group announces full integration of Scottish operations

Lanes Group Plc is pleased to announce that its Scottish drainage businesses, Castlebrae Drainage Services Ltd and Drain Devils Ltd, are to be fully integrated into its group operations.

The change means that, from 1 August 2013, the company will trade under its operational name, Lanes Group Plc, combined with its striking pink livery and branding, across all UK operations for the first time.

Lanes Group Board Director Francis Cole, has been appointed as lead director of the Scottish business unit to see through the change and realise the significant benefits for the group and its customers.

He said: “The change completes the transition of Scottish operations into Lanes Group plc. It is a very positive step, which has been welcomed by our customers. It will significantly enhance our service offer in Scotland, helping us to strengthen current business relationships and develop new ones.”

Lanes Group Plc, which has headquarter operations in Leeds and Manchester, acquired Castlebrae Drainage Services and its two depots, one in Edinburgh, the other in Glasgow, in 2006. It acquired Drain Devils, based in Aberdeen, in 2008.

Francis Cole added: “The name change is just the most visual aspect of the process. We are also fully integrating the Scottish operations, including data and financial systems, within the group.

“We believe this will be of significant value to our customers in Scotland. For the first time, they will fully benefit from the financial and operational robustness of the UK’s largest independent drainage specialist, a plc with a £100m+ turnover.

“They will be able to draw on the innovative, dynamic and totally customer-driven approach Lanes Group has become known for in the drainage industry. In return, our

Scottish operations will be able to more easily share their own unique skills, such as expertise in deep complex drainage.

“We are advising customers that we are confident that the reorganisation can be achieved seamlessly with no disruption of services.”

Lanes Group Plc has built up a strong reputation in recent years across a number of key business sectors. It has won a number of large reactive and planned maintenance contracts, including one for Thames Water in 2012, worth up to £216 million.

Lanes has also had significant success in the rail sector, for example winning major maintenance contracts with London Underground, plus the energy, retail and highways sectors. The company now operates 23 regional depots across the UK, employing 1,000 people.

Lanes Group Sales Director Richard Leigh, said: “Integrating our Scottish businesses fully into the Lanes Group will allow us to use the experience gained from this recent growth to develop our customer base in Scotland.

“We are confident we will be better able to support the development of our Scottish operations, helping us to increase the number of sectors we operate in and extend out geographical reach.”