Bridge specialist sold to US buyer

Published by

Nicky Godding

Mabey Bridge Ltd, based at Lydney in the Forest of Dean, has been sold to Acrow Bridge, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company based in Chicago, USA.

The sale includes all employees in the modular bridge team and the manufacturing site in Lydney, Gloucestershire. Both companies will continue to operate under their own brands. Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

The move comes after a decision by the Mabey shareholders to sell their interest in the bridge manufacturing business. Mabey Bridge and Acrow Bridge have shared a similar mission in the industry, to accelerate construction through pre-engineered modular bridging solutions that help develop, improve and repair essential infrastructure in urban and rural areas and make a compelling strategic combination.

Juliette Stacey, Group Chief Executive of Mabey Holdings said: "We believe this combination will deliver the best long term outcome for our people and customers, as it results in a wider ranging business with vast knowledge and experience and an increased ability to support customers’ needs and requirements worldwide."

Bill Killeen, Acrow CEO, added: "We have great respect for Mabey and the strong business its team has built, and we are excited to bring together the immensely talented Acrow and Mabey teams from around the globe to drive our business to new strata of success."

Mabey has been in business for nearly 100 years, employs more than 600 people and delivers projects from 28 locations around the world.

Last month, Mabey Hire launched a STEM Education Programme to inspire next generation of engineers in UK. This first of its kind programme enables children aged 10-13 to experience fundamental civil engineering principles in a fun and engaging way in after school clubs using LEGO Education materials

The tasks cover mathematical challenges and nine different engineering activities including beam balance, freewheeler, power car, gear racer, tower crane, robot arm, scissor lift, watch tower and bridge. To consolidate the learning, Mabey Hire has created a bespoke ‘mission mat’ - a visual learning tool which encourages students to apply learning and problem solving to achieve an end goal.

The programme was created by Mabey Hire’s Engineering Director Dave Holland and Digital Engineer Andrew Gascoine. A successful pilot programme, which was run to coincide with the Year of Engineering in 2018, had fantastic results, with 95% of children saying they would consider a career in engineering after they had taken part in the programme.

Andy Snape, Curriculum Projects Manager, LEGO® Education Innovation Studio, said: "This programme is testament to the determination of Mabey Hire’s engineers to promote the creative, practical and innovative career opportunities STEM subjects bring. By using applied learning techniques and digital tools like VR which show where the exciting future of civil engineering is heading, programmes like this are just what the industry needs to encourage young people to see a future in engineering.

Gordon MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Mabey Hire added: "One of Mabey Hire’s key strengths is its engineering expertise and we know how varied, fascinating and rewarding a career in engineering can be. With 1.8 million engineers needed in the UK by 2025, we take our responsibility for encouraging the next generation of engineers seriously, which is why we have built this programme to inspire and engage children to consider a career in engineering, no matter what their current understanding of the subject is."

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.