D&G buys Verticon's hoist and crane business in Australia

D&G Hoist and Crane Hire in Australia has purchased Verticon's Australian hoist and crane rental division for AU$12 million (€6.5 million). The sale transfers Verticon's fleet of 140 passenger and materials hoists, all rental agreements, and 280 employees to D&G.

Also included in the purchase are depots in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. Business arrangements with local rental companies in Adelaide, Darwin and Singapore are also part of the deal.

Verticon will now focus entirely on its property development division.

"The D&G business from June 1^st becomes one of the largest hoist and tower crane rental companies in the Asia Pacific region and certainly by far Australia's largest tower crane and hoist hire company," said Gino DeCesare, D&G Hoist and Crane Hire managing director.

The business will be called D&G Verticon Hoist and Crane Hire in the East Coast territories.

D&G, based in Perth, was founded in 1998 and sells and rents Alimak passenger and materials hoists. It is 50/50 owned by Mr DeCesare and David Keating.

Verticon is distributors and importers for the Chinese-made Baoda passenger and materials hoists. D&G said in a press releaser that it had looked closely at the Baoda products and was satisfied that the machines were suitable for the D&G Verticon fleet; "!Having direct access to Baoda products is something we are looking forward to in expanding our hoist business nationally", said Mr DeCesare.