Scottish family-owned business buys Lanarkshire skip-hire assets

The Herald Scotland

8 hours ago

NWH Group said the acquisition of the trading assets of Coatbridge-based Henry Waste Management, which it described as 'a well-established and respected skip-hire and waste-collection company', strengthens its position in central Scotland and aligns its 'long-term strategy of growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisition'.
It noted the deal also includes the transfer of 'key personnel', with the longstanding owner of Henry Waste Management, John Crawford, joining Dalkeith-based NWH in a consultancy capacity. A driver from the Henry business is also joining NWH, which employs about 370 people.
NWH noted the remainder of the Henry Waste Management business - 'employees, yard etc' - was acquired by a third party.
It said that Mr Crawford will work directly with Craig Williams, NWH Group executive director, to 'support the seamless integration of customers and services and ensure continuity across operations'.
Mr Williams said: 'We're delighted to welcome John and the Henry Waste Management assets into our business. We've known John and his team for many years and have built a strong working relationship based on trust and shared values. This acquisition not only expands our operational footprint in the region but also enhances our capacity to serve customers efficiently and reliably.'
NWH noted that, while the Henry Waste site in Coatbridge had been sold to a third party, it would retain access to a dedicated tipping bay at the location, 'ensuring a smooth continuation of service and improved operational efficiency'.
Mr Crawford said: 'After many successful years running Henry Waste, I'm proud to see the business become part of a forward-thinking company like NWH. Its commitment to customer service and innovation reflects the values that helped build our reputation, and I'm looking forward to working with Craig and the wider team to ensure a smooth transition for our customers.'
The acquisition took effect officially on August 1, with NWH noting an internal integration team had been appointed to 'oversee the smooth alignment of routing, scheduling, and systems across the newly acquired fleet and equipment'.
The company added: 'This latest move underscores NWH Group's commitment to sustainable growth, enhancing service capacity while supporting the circular economy across Scotland.'
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NWH in April declared it had delivered 'another outstanding year of growth', as it reported a record trading performance for the financial year ending September 30, 2024.
It observed that, since 'the Covid-impacted 2020', it had delivered increasing sales and profits.
NWH achieved turnover of more than £55 million in the 12 months to September 2024, a 6% increase on the previous year.
Operating profit rose by 24% to £4.2m, which NWH said demonstrated the strength of its 'diverse business model and commitment to long-term value creation'.
NWH said this 'robust' financial performance had been driven by sustained expansion across its trade waste and construction and demolition divisions, as well as strong contributions from its 'newly enhanced' processing facilities in Newcastle and longstanding sites in Midlothian, Glasgow, Dundee, Angus and Edinburgh.
It added: 'Despite some sector-wide headwinds, the group continued to invest in infrastructure, sustainability and operational excellence. Growth in the trade waste division was underpinned by improved customer retention and new multi-year contract wins across key commercial sectors such as retail, leisure and manufacturing.'