Ground Control Strengthens Winter Maintenance Capabilities Through Strategic Acquisition of Litter Boss

Acquisition of premier winter maintenance business increases nationwide economies of scale and operational efficiencies

Acquisition of premier winter maintenance business increases nationwide economies of scale and operational efficiencies

Multi award-winning external maintenance and commercial landscaping company, Ground Control, has acquired winter and exterior maintenance specialist Litter Boss in a move that will not only add hundreds of customers to its portfolio, but also bring the combined skills and experience of over 500 staff into the business. The joining of these two organisations cements Ground Control as the largest specialist gritting and winter maintenance provider in the UK.

Litter Boss, which has its HQ in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, was established over 30 years ago, and has a long history of growth thanks to its renowned excellent service delivery. Primarily focused on winter and exterior maintenance alongside a standalone internal cleaning business, the company has great synergies with Ground Control’s existing client base, not only adding approximately 3,500 sites but also significantly enhancing density across the UK.

Bringing Litter Boss into the Ground Control family is a strategic move to increase our winter maintenance capabilities across the UK, explains Simon Morrish, CEO for Ground Control.

The combined infrastructure, people and innovative systems of our two companies expands our ability to offer customers a worry-free solution for their business continuity needs. Combine this with a comprehensive suite of products and services, and what we have is a market leading winter and exterior maintenance capability that is available to all 24/7.

Richard Johnson, Winter Maintenance Director of Litter Boss, who will now be Director of Winter Maintenance for the combined business, adds:

I am looking forward to working for Ground Control at a time when services like winter and grounds maintenance are increasingly on the radar of a wider variety of businesses. The combination of our respective portfolios bolsters our position as the leading winter maintenance service provider in the UK, providing unrivalled geographical reach and increased concentration of teams. The challenge of leading this new business excites me enormously.

As Ground Control heads into the second half of 2017, the company is expecting further growth to all core areas of the business, including maintenance, landscaping, design, arboriculture, pest control as well as winter maintenance.

Simon Morrish concludes:

Over the next 12 months, we will be reviewing the combined strengths within both Litter Boss’ and our grounds maintenance and internal cleaning operations, with a view to integrating operations in this period. In addition, we will continue to explore opportunities for growth that benefit our customers and our people. These are exciting times for Ground Control.