25 jobs to be created as Avonside Group acquires Halifax’s Ploughcroft in major deal

Ploughcroft, the Halifax-based eco-roofing specialist, has been acquired by one of the largest roofing companies in Britain, Avonside Group Services Limited.

The deal will result in the creation of 25 new jobs in the region over the next two years.

Avonside, headquartered in Heywood, Greater Manchester, currently has 29 branches across the UK.

The deal will see Avonside take ownership in Ploughcroft Ltd, with the aim of expanding into the domestic Yorkshire market, while also taking Ploughcroft’s Eco-Roof energy-saving roofing product nationwide for the first time.

Ploughcroft will continue to operate under its existing trading name from its Halifax headquarters in Hipperholme while founder, Chris Hopkins, will continue to run the business in a new divisional director role.

Chris will be focusing on growing the business in Yorkshire, while expanding to cover the North West, South Yorkshire, Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire markets over the next two years.

Since launching in 2007, Ploughcroft currently employs 22 staff and has a turnover of £1.6m.

Tony Burke, Avonside’s managing director, said: “We are extremely pleased to be announcing this exciting acquisition.

“We have been aware of Ploughcroft and its innovative roofing systems for some time now and the deal will not only bring us a best-in-class eco roof solution, but it will allow us to accelerate our expansion into both the Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire markets.

“It is also about introducing Ploughcroft’s unique “roof that pays for itself” to our customers in other regions of the UK.

“Avonside group have recognized for some time that the construction sector must innovate to meet UK carbon saving objectives by 2020, and this acquisition allows us to build on the excellent progress made by Chris, Helen and the team at Ploughcroft, we are looking forward to working closely with them to take full advantage of the position they have established.”

Chris Hopkins added: “ We are delighted to be joining the Avonside Group, which we believe will allow us to further promote the message of affordable energy efficient roofing systems for the domestic homeowner sector.

“The scale and resource afforded by being a part of one of the UK’s largest roofing contractors will give us the platform to grow substantially and in a sustainable manner.”