JBT Corporation has acquired Bridgend, Wales-headquartered Aircraft Maintenance Support Services Limited (AMSS), adding to its already large portfolio of GSE offerings
JBT, the US-headquartered GSE manufacturing giant that supplies fixed and mobile aviation support equipment as well as maintenance services, will benefit from the specialised offering of AMSS, which employs 125 staff at its Wales facility and supplies ground support equipment to both the military and civilian markets. AMSS manufactures military cargo loaders, ambulift devices, cargo pallet movers, portable docks and manufacturing stands, service trolleys, and mobile stairs to customers in the UK, continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
With the addition of AMSS, JBT noted that it had “added complementary products and services that strengthen and broaden its wide range of solutions and support capabilities to its commercial and military customers across the globe”.
“Our goal is to provide our customers with the best products and service in the industry,” observed Dave Burdakin, president of the JBT AeroTech arm of JBT (JBT also has a large FoodTech business arm). “AMSS brings a long history of product innovation, outstanding customer service and a deep commitment to its customers, making it an excellent fit with JBT.
“The AMSS acquisition allows us to bring new solutions to our customers in both military and commercial markets, while our global sales and service network will provide additional growth opportunities,” Burdakin noted.
“AMSS provides our AeroTech segment a focused strategic investment that will enhance our military offerings and provide us with expanded access to foreign militaries with our existing products,” informed Tom Giacomini, JBT’s chairman, president and CEO.
Scott Barber, AMSS’s managing director, enthused: “We are very excited to join the JBT family. The two companies bring a fit of products and market strengths that will benefit our customers and extend our market reach. Customers will benefit from a broader product offering and enhanced global support.”
Duncan Barber, the founder of AMSS, added: “This is an extremely exciting chapter in the history of the company as the sale enables us to utilise the scale and resource of JBT Corporation, while opening new markets to AMSS’s products.”
He described JBT as “an organisation which I have respected for many years”, and added “I have no doubt that this will strengthen the future opportunities for AMSS in Wales.”
The purchase price was £10 million (US$12.95 million), before customary post-closing adjustments. AMSS is expected to add annual revenue of approximately US$20 million to JBT’s turnover.
A letter addressed to JBT customers said that, after closure of the deal, “You can expect that the AMSS business will be combined with JBT’s existing global sales and service network as we integrate and align our businesses to best support our customers. AMSS will be part of JBT AeroTech. Together, we will provide our valued customers more products, enhanced support, and greater sales coverage.”
The deal will, JBT says, make the two concerns “stronger together”.
Integration
Integration is already under way, a JBT spokesperson confirmed to Airside in July. “We plan no significant changes in the near term. We anticipate integration to go across 2017 and the first half of 2018.
“We have multiple integration teams in place working sales, marketing, engineering, IT, accounting, etc, with specific plans for each,” he continued. “There will be efforts to capitalise on military, commercial and product synergies. The AMSS products and contacts and customers dovetail nicely with those of JBT. We hope to expand sales and presence in both military and commercial sectors.”
JBT also confirmed that the AMSS brand and key product names would continue to operate. Scott Barber has remained the company’s managing director and reports to VP general manager Brian DeRoche at JBT AeroTech.
