Northgate Vehicle Hire has acquired Blakedale, a UK supplier of specialist traffic management and support vehicles.

Blakedale is a family-owned business based in Chorley, Lancashire which over the past 30 years has built itself into the UK’s largest privately-owned traffic management company.

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Its specialist fleet of 334 traffic management vehicles ranges from 3.5-18 tonnes and is supplied to highway contractors on both short and long-term rental and contract hire. The fleet currently works across a range of motorway and urban environments and is also available for self-drive hire.

The acquisition enables Northgate Vehicle Hire to grow its share of the traffic management sector at a time when the government has pledged strategic long-term investment in UK roads until 2050.

In 2020 Blakedale relocated to its current 20,000 square foot premises in Matrix Park, Chorley where its team design, build, repair and maintain vehicles for highway contractors. These include 18-tonne impact protection vehicles, welfare vans and bespoke traffic management vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

Blakedale shares Northgate’s customer-centric approach and enjoys long-term working relationships of over 15 years with its major customers. The strength of the brand in the market allows Northgate to operate with Blakedale as a separate division thus retaining its premises and people.

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Current joint-MD and family shareholder Carmen Bowley, who has worked in the business since 1999 and with the wider management team has led the company’s growth over the past 20 years, will remain on board to ensure a smooth transition process during the coming months.

Northgate has appointed Jon Taylor as joint MD to initially work alongside Carmen. Together they will leverage the specialist skills and resources of both businesses to deliver enhanced customer propositions. Jon has been with Northgate for over 20 years working in senior operational roles.

Martin Ward, CEO of Redde Northgate plc, said: “We are extremely excited that Blakedale will become part of our wider group. It’s a great business with both rental and specialist vehicle build capability that will provide a wider range of essential services to our blue-chip clients. It’s a perfect fit with our Northgate Vehicle Hire business which already operates in the traffic management sector.”

Joint MD Carmen Bowley said: “We are very proud of what Blakedale has achieved over the past 30 years. It is a modern business with excellent facilities that is at the forefront of a fast-moving industry. We are pleased to become part of the Redde Northgate family to support the long-term growth of the business.”

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