Maintaining, piling, lifting, handling, shoring, measuring, training - everything starts with understanding.

1959 Opening of the first section of the M1, 1960 1975 1982 1984 1994 1996 which helped propel Company Name Airpac division Expansion into the Airpac expansion Represents the Vibroplant sells American Hi-Lift 2006 the company to over became Vibroplant created 1978 U.S market. and growth 40th anniversary 2002 2004 Vibroplant acquires Cannon Tool Hire Acquisition of ten years of unbroken and the V logo was Geoffrey Vibroplant bought continues Acquisition of Acquisition of Bukom Oilfield profits growth adopted dies aged 57 Florida Hi-Lift Corp Mechplant Eve Shorco Services 1954 1957 1973 1976 1977 1981 1992 1995 1997 2001 2003 2005 Contents It all started with a vibratory Heading for Australia Vibroplant was The Recession was Portable buildings Jeremy Pilkington aged 30 took over Groundforce becomes Launch of Torrent Trackside Vibroplant has Acquisition of Acquisition of roller - Vibratory Roller and with the Civil floated on the starting to have an division created as Chairman of Vibroplant Vibroplant’s biggest Service Master acquired a name change Trenchshore ESS Safety Plant Hire (Northern) Limited Engineering Business stock market effect acquisition in the UK and Vp took its Services Prospect Tool Hire started serving the was born to date. place, with a professional and DIY tool hire Welcome to Vp 02 new logo Acquisition of market Dudley Vale The Vp Group 04 Shorpak Trench Systems started Acquisition Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services 08 Aerial work platform division, of TPA Groundforce 12 Hi-Work set up Hire Station 16 Torrent Trackside 20 TPA 24 UK Forks 28 National Coverage 32 Contact Details 33 Welcome to Vp

Vp has changed a lot in recent years. This booklet aims to give you a brief overview of the wide range of products and services which we now offer. We hope that you may jeremy pilkington find something in its pages of interest to you. chairman If you are not yet a customer, then www.vpplc.com give us the opportunity to impress you with what we can do; if you are an existing customer, thank you for your support and I hope that we can do more for you in the future.

Jeremy Pilkington

02/03 welcome to Vp The Vp Group

The Vp Group comprises six main operating divisions - Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services, Groundforce, Hire Station, Torrent Trackside, TPA and UK Forks.

The businesses provide the rental and sale of specialist products and associated services to the , civil engineering, rail, oil and gas exploration, events and neil stothard industrial market sectors. Our expertise in asset management of rental equipment group managing director provides the glue which binds all of our business activities.

Our aim is to have a significant market presence in each of www.vpplc.com our chosen sectors that enables us to deliver first class products and service to our customer base. We have over the last few years invested strongly in growth and development of our businesses both in equipment and recruiting the best employees. This will ensure that we continue to exceed the expectations of our customers.

This brochure is designed to give a brief overview and insight to Vp and its constituent elements and I hope that whether you are a current (or potential) customer, employee, investor or supplier you will find it informative.

If you have any questions, comments or would like to have more detailed information on Vp plc or any of its businesses, then please contact me at [email protected].

04/05 the Vp group Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services

Equipment and service providers to the international oil and gas exploration and development markets. Groundforce

Excavation support systems and specialist products for the water, civil engineering and construction industries. Hire Station

Tools and specialist products for industry, construction and home owners. Torrent Trackside

Infrastructure equipment and services for the railway renewals and maintenance industry. TPA

Portable roadway systems, bridging, fencing and barriers primarily to the UK market, but also in the Republic of Ireland and mainland Europe. UK Forks

Rough terrain material handling equipment for industry, residential and general construction. 06/07 Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services

We have been helping the oil and gas exploration and production industries for more than thirty years, in more than thirty countries. We rent out specialist air compression, on-site steam and nitrogen generation equipment, heat exchangers, sand filters and coflexip hoses designed or adapted to our customers very specific needs.

08/09 Our extensive fleet of Zone II and Rigsafe specification air compressors is complemented by a range of gas and air booster compressors, steam generators, heat exchangers, sand filters, coflexip hoses, desiccant dryer packages, aftercoolers, filtration packages and associated ancillary equipment. Many of our customers operate in extreme offshore environments. We fit a range of safety features for their airpac bukom exacting needs. We also look to minimise other problems they might have. For example, one issue on an oil rig is space – we provide protective cage mounting so that the oilfield services equipment can be stacked, optimising deck space. A deep interest in the world of oil and gas www.airpac.co.uk We enjoy nothing more than coming up with a solution for a particularly difficult problem for one of our customers. So 01224 715 008 we invest in quality products, we adapt them to be the best they can be, and we keep looking to improve our knowledge and, through that, our offering. Our customers return to us time and again because they know we invest in new equipment, which will be well maintained and reliable. They also know we will do our best to meet their exact needs, and to come up with a way for them to achieve From bases in Aberdeen, Great Yarmouth their aim. and Singapore, we supply to the Well “Airpac have provided Schlumberger with air compressors, Testing, Pipeline, Air Drilling, Underbalanced steam generators and personnel to support our well test Drilling, Descaling, Cuttings Clearings and contracts in South East Asia. We have been impressed with Offshore Structural Fabric Maintenance their initial response, quality of product and flexibility of their engineers in supporting our contracts. Airpac are prepared to markets, all over the world. go the extra mile to achieve the results we require.” Schlumberger – Collin De Zilva – Field Service Manager RD-WCP, Testing Services

10/11 exploration tools Groundforce

Groundforce has been (literally) supporting the construction industry for over twenty years. We provide specialist equipment rental including shoring, piling solutions, pipe pressure testing equipment and surveying instrumentation.

12/13 We operate from a nationwide network of 13 depots and supply the largest range of excavation support systems and associated products in the UK. We back this up with a comprehensive technical support service, which is provided by a dedicated team of qualified civil engineers.

Tailoring our service to our customers The construction industry is constantly moving forward, and our business has evolved to supply the groundforce equipment that meets our customers’ changing needs. Over the past three years, we have acquired www.groundforce.uk.com industry leading businesses, which provide shoring, surveying instruments, pipe testing equipment, piling products and installation plant. Our customers can 01423 852 295 now look to us, with our trusted expertise, to meet all of their requirements.

“We are extremely pleased with the service from Groundforce. Their team offers great improvement on the temporary works systems we have used before. If you need to dig down, we can make that We would be happy to use them again.” possible. We provide the services that will Tim Chillingworth, Contracts Manager, help you and your workforce to stay safe, G&T Crampton Ltd, Dublin. keeping your project on time and on budget.

14/15 digging deep Hire Station

Hire Station is a key national provider of tools, small equipment and services to industry, construction and homeowners throughout the UK.

16/17 Hire Station customers have the opportunity to deal on a local basis with our managers and sales teams or through our national call centre in – either way they will have access to one of the most modern tool hire fleets in the industry with guaranteed availability on the most popular 300 items.

Hire Station also operates two other specialist services:

Lifting Point applies the same customer centred hire station approach to the hire of specialist material handling equipment, overhead runway beam testing, equipment www.hirestation.co.uk inspections and PAT testing.

ESS Safeforce is a specialist in safety hire, sales and service. 0870 99 00 999 It is the market leader in safety equipment hire, with the largest and most modern fleet, allowing our customers peace of mind and helping them to comply with Health & Safety regulations. We also provide confined space training from 5 established UK training centres.

With almost a hundred trading locations, we ”Since appointing Hire Station as a preferred supplier, we can service both national and local customers have experienced exceptional service and high quality equally effectively. equipment.” GF Tomlinson Group

18/19 the right tools Torrent Trackside

We specialise in the hire of rail portable plant and related support services to the UK’s major track maintenance, renewals and projects contractors.

20/21 Safety first

Safety is the most vital element of this industry. It is as important to us as it is to our customers. We therefore hold Link-up “Proof” qualification for the full range of services we offer. We are ISO 9002 quality accredited, and we hold ISO 14001 environmental certification. torrent trackside Our aims are the same as our customers. We want the rail network to operate well – safely and efficiently. We see our role in this as crucial, and www.torrent.co.uk will always do our best to deliver what the customer wants to the quality and standard they need. 0845 769 7168 “As one of Carillion’s preferred plant suppliers, Torrent provide a highly efficient and dependable service, supporting our rail renewals and projects business. This quality service is imperative in a safety critical environment, working to tight deadlines.” Andy Trewick, Managing Director, Our customers include National Rail services, Carillion Rail Projects Division. London Underground and private sector train operators.

We also supply and install trackside lighting. We offer plant training, plant maintenance services and a traffic management service that works closely with contractors and local authorities to provide a full turnkey service for level crossing maintenance and bridge inspections and repairs.

22/23 on the move TPA

We supply portable roadways, pedestrian walkways, bridging, barriers and fencing, providing safe and easy access for workers and public alike.

24/25 Our ethos is innovation. We have patented a number of different designs, all of which have stemmed from our desire to provide access materials that fulfil our customers’ requirements and surpass their expectations.

These new designs include: I Our unique ‘steerable’ aluminium Traxpanel system, which allows roadways to be laid neatly around almost any immovable obstacle. I Cable ducts and speed retarders. tpa I ‘Camber’ panels providing orthogonal traction, which sounds painful, but in fact means that vehicles can travel across almost any terrain without slipping www.tpa-ltd.co.uk either forwards or backwards, or from side to side.

Our attitude to innovation keeps us ahead of our 0870 240 2381 competitors and in 2005 won us a prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation.

A pathway to more new ideas We plan to keep on innovating and to that end we invest considerably in our staff, their potential and their New ideas to tackle tough problems ideas, holding both investors in People and National From construction sites to major outdoor Training Awards. events, access is always an issue. Done “TPA has provided the All England Club with first class well, it will help ensure the smooth service and support, both during the build-up period running of your project. Done badly, it and at The Championships themselves. Your trackway runs the risk of wrecking the whole thing. is now a leader in the field as you have incorporated several improvements that customers have been requesting from other suppliers for several years.” John Cox, Building and Services Manager, All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon

26/27 easier access UK Forks

Whether the need is for a or long term, casual or contract hire, we have the right solution.

At UK Forks, we rent out rough terrain telehandlers and straightmast forklifts to the residential construction, commercial construction and industrial sectors. If it needs lifting, we can find you a machine to lift it.

28/29 Adapting to trends in construction The construction industry is constantly changing, and at UK Forks we invest continually in our fleet to adapt to those changes. Our fleet ranges from 4 metre telehandlers to 25 metre rotational machines, covering every conceivable application. That’s at the moment. As the industry changes, so do we, and if there is a need for equipment we do not have, we will very quickly make sure we can supply it. uk forks “UK Forks is our first choice telehandler supplier. As we have a good deal of construction work forecast for www.ukforks.com the next five to ten years, we recognise that telelease is an efficient and cost-effective option which will make our job a lot easier. We seek mutually- 0800 123 101 beneficial, ‘best-practice’ relationships with our suppliers to bring them forward with us and telelease is an ideal opportunity to do this.” Mick Hurst, Managing Director of Chevron Site Services Anywhere, any time From our national call centre, we ensure customers get the machine they need, when they need it. We have a fleet of over 1200 telehandlers and a host of accompanying attachments which can lift a vast range of materials. We also have a team of highly trained service fitters who can be on site when they are needed. Wherever you are, we’re local.

30/31 lifting the load www.airpac.co.uk www.groundforce.uk.com www.piletec.co.uk www.surveytechnology.co.uk

Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services Groundforce Mugiemoss Road Central House, Beckwith Knowle Bucksburn Otley Road, Harrogate Aberdeen AB21 9NP North Yorkshire HG3 1UD Tel: 01224 715 008 Tel: 01423 852 295 Fax: 01224 714 290 Fax: 01423 563 731 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected]

www.hirestation.co.uk www.torrent.co.uk www.ess-safeforce.com Torrent Trackside Hire Station Network House Fields Farm Road Europa Way Long Eaton Britannia Enterprise Park globally recognised Nottingham NG10 3FZ Lichfield, Staffs WS14 9TZ Tel: 0870 99 00 999 Tel: 0845 769 7168 national coverage Fax: 0115 946 0890 Fax: 01543 421 930 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected]

www.tpa-ltd.co.uk www.ukforks.com

UK Forks TPA Central House Dukeries Mill Beckwith Knowle Claylands Avenue Otley Road Worksop Harrogate Nottinghamshire S81 7DJ North Yorkshire HG3 1UD Tel: 0870 240 2381 Tel: 0800 123 101 Fax: 0870 240 2382 Fax: 0800 854 066 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected]

32/33 vp profile re-engineered for the future vpprofile

Vp plc - Head Office: Central House, Beckwith Knowle, Otley Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 1UD Tel: 01423 533400 Fax: 01423 565657 [email protected] www.vpplc.com