We know this is old Ladder news, but we were just tidying up our blog and realised we had not updated our readers since the takeover of Youngman Ladders was completed back in October, doh!

Leading UK ladder manufacturer Youngman is being bought out by the US based WernerCo, via their UK branch Werner Access Products UK Holding.  The takeover deal is completed at the end of October last year and will result in the Youngman Group joining forces with the world’s largest ladder manufacturer.

Paul Bentley, the Managing Director of the Youngman Group said, “this deal, if approved by the CMA, will see Youngman Group become part of WernerCo, a leading global access products company”.  This is good news for the future of the business, as their involvement with WernerCo will allow them access to bigger contracts and more research and development facilities.

William Allen, the chairman of WernerCo said, “The Youngman and BoSS brands are recognised tower and trade access product brands in the United Kingdom and fit well with Werner’s existing UK ladder business.  We’re confident that the deal will benefit the industry by allowing us to offer a single integrated portfolio that combines our complementary strengths – Youngman’s focus on towers and other trade products and Werner’s focus on ladders and other DIY products.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority is reviewing the deal at the moment, and if it goes ahead it will see a company almost 100 years old and with a turnover of £50 million a year taken over.  Charles Youngman founded the company in 1926 and two years after his death in 1967 it was acquired by SGB group, a scaffolding specialist.  Harsco Corporation bought out the business in 2000 from Mowlem, who had taken over SGB in 1986, but Paul Bentley then bought out the Youngman part of the business in 2005 and is leading the next merger with WernerCo.