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Thompsons tip top after buying Charlton
Page 9
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BODY BUILDER Thompsons has consolidated its position as market leader in the rigid steel tipper body sector with the acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, of its nearest rival Charlton Bodies.
The deal was completed at the end of October and, according to Thompsons' sales director Scott Burton, it gives the company some welcome extra capacity: -We have said we want to expand and we can either do that through organic growth or acquisition," he told CM. "As well as expanding the product range. the addition of Charlton will also reduce our lead times to customers. This year our factories [in New Addington and Blackburn] have been absolutely flat out." Charlton's former owner Mike Beer, boss of Dover-based Mike Beer Transport (MBT),says: -Thompsons wanted to buy it off me, but I said Charlton wasn't for sale. They suggested we talk, and it went from there. I think it was a win-win situation for the longterm.They've got the best body in the business for steel tippers, and I got my investment back to put into the transport business."
The close link between MBT and Charlton will remain — albeit geographically — as Thompsons has signed a 15-year lease to continue to use the current production facility at MBT's five-acre site.