Finning sells UK materials handling arm

Finning has sold its UK materials handling division to US-based Sammons Enterprises for £85m. The materials handling business supplies fork lifts, counterbalance and warehouse trucks to industrial and retail users.

Sammons is one of the world's largest privately-owned companies with more than £15bn in assets including Briggs Equipment - the largest materials handling equipment supplier in the USA.

The UK operation will trade as Briggs Equipment UK with 1,000 Cannock-based staff, including 600 engineers, transferring from Finning UK.

[Contract Journal, 20 September 2006, p12]