Viking acquires Elite Portables
Viking Rentals has continued to defy the downturn and remain on its course of rapid growth by acquiring another company - Brisbane based Elite Portables.
The acquisition will enable Viking to merge its head office with Elite, increase its fleet to 2,500 units and diversify by offering major event hire.
The announcement quickly follows a successful expansion to Melbourne for the Brisbane headquartered company, which is now running a fleet of 200 in the Victorian Capital. Viking also has depots on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.
Viking Rentals’ founder and managing director Jim Noort said the acquisition was the third the company had completed since it was established in 2006 with only eight toilets but it didn’t signal the end of Viking’s rapid expansion. “We will continue to look for both organic growth and acquisition opportunities in the markets in which we already work and across the Eastern and Southern coasts of Australia,” Mr Noort said.
“Elite was a particularly good target for Viking because until now we have only serviced the construction sector, which requires drop-offs and pick-ups Monday to Friday, however Elite Portables specialises in major event work which is primarily weekend-focused.
“This means we can use our large fleet of trucks and drivers seven days a week and, because Elite stocks the same model of toilets as us, we can move product seamlessly between customers.”
Elite Portables managing director Scott Bielenberg will continue to run the event side of the business, while Jim Noort will look to add more customers to Viking’s already 1,000 strong client-base, which is primarily made up of small builders but includes major construction companies Dixonbuild Ltd and Orbit Homes.
Mr Noort said Elite Portables shared Viking’s belief in offering unrivalled service so all its toilets remained hygienic at all times – it’s point of difference in the market.
“It’s pretty simple, we make sure anyone having to visit a Viking toilet does so with dignity,” he said.
“I realised there was a huge, low risk opportunity when I was renovating my own house and listened to the builders complain about the state of the toilet. Within six months I had set up Viking Rentals. We boast that we offer dunnies with dignity,” Mr Noort said.’
Viking Rentals currently services all areas within Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Ipswich from its depots at Glen Waverley, Coopers Plains, Underwood, Labrador and Maroochydore. |