News Release
11/02/2008

Acquisition represents new strategic move by Chess Group

Commercial property services provider Chess Group plc has acquired a Livingston-based firm to establish a Scotland-wide presence in the storage and interiors market. ESE Scotland will join up with existing Chess Group concern, Aberdeen-based Modul8, to create a new group company, Chess Storage and Interiors (CSI). 

ESE will be retained with CSI as a separate limited company and both it and Modul8 will continue to trade under their respective identities. The combined turnover of the businesses is currently £10 million, a figure expected to grow to £15 million within 12 months with the opening of an office in Dundee and the expansion of the existing Glasgow office.  The value of the acquisition is undisclosed.

Chairman of Aberdeen-based Chess Group, James Barrack, said: "The companies are leading players in their respective areas of the sector, and make prefect partners to help us optimise our position in the commercial refurbishment market throughtout Scotland.

ESE, which has over 20 staff at its bases in Livingston and Glasgow, is the UK's largest distributor of Dexion storage equipment.   Modul8, which employs over 30 people in Aberdeen to service the north of Scotland market, is the biggest distributor of Apton partitioning systems.

ESE Managing Director Robert Kennedy said: "The two businesses are very complementary in their nature and geographical coverage, and the combination offers sigificant new potential for greater growth and development. "We have considered this move for some time and strongly feel that the timing and opportunity this arrangement brings, will give us the platform to take our growth to the next level in existing and new markets within the UK."

Robert Kennedy and John Scott will remain as joint managing directors of ESE as it looks to build on the back of its identity and excellent reputation it has built in over 30 years of trading.

Similarly, Modul8 will continue under its own identity, with Managing Director Andy Davie at the helm.   He siad: "This is a one-off opportunity to build on the success both companies have had to date and to draw on the expertise and strengths in both organisations to maximise future growth potential throughout."

Modul8 was established in August 2003 with a staff of three.  Personnel numbers have since grown more than ten-fold at its base at Craigshaw Commercial Park in Aberdeen.  With the support of leading manufactures such as Dexion, Apton, Komfort, Armstrong, and Ecophon, the companies provide top quality products and services, offering project managament delivery capabilities and expert consultancy services.