16.10.2014

New owner for Quinto

UK crane rental company Quinto Crane & Plant has been sold to agricultural contractor Oliver Arnold of the Spring Farm Partnership.

Arnold, a highly successful contractor and farmer covering East Anglia, has confirmed that 100 percent of the company’s equity has been acquired and that the company will retain its Quinto name.

The Norwich based crane business has been acquired from Ivor Kiddle and the Kiddle family. The company was officially formed in 1966 as part of the Pointer Group, which owned sand and gravel pits a transport fleet and concrete construction business. Kiddle, a director of the concrete construction operation, became general manager of the crane and equipment rental business in 1968 and remained in position when the group was acquired by RMC-Ready Mixed Concrete - in 1970.

Kiddle led a Management Buy Out of the crane business from RMC in 1977 and named it Quinto to reflect the company's five depots. Today the business operates from eight locations, operates 60 cranes, with 125 employees and had revenues last year approaching £8 million.

Arnold told Vertikal.net that he and his wife Hannah are excited about the move and have ambitious plans for the business, which is shortly due to take delivery of two new cranes, a 300 tonne Grove 6300L and a 130 tonne Tadano 130G-5. A five axle Spierings self-erecting mobile tower crane is also set to return after being refurbished in Holland.

The company has appointed Kevin Peake as general manager as well as Daniel Harris as manager responsible for heavy lifts, appointed persons and key customers, while Graham Stammers becomes machine moving manager. It has also added an additional 13 people, predominantly to operate, service and maintain the fleet of cranes.

Arnold, said: "Hannah and I are very proud to have taken over, and to keep Quinto as a family business."
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Picture courtesy of Colin Turner