Equipment firm JLA acquires catering distributor the Carford Group
Business equipment firm JLA has acquired independent catering equipment distributor the Carford Group, it announced today.
It is the latest acquisition for the JLA Group, which last month also acquired Red Squared, CKM and Proton Washrite.
The Dorset-based Carford Group manages kitchen design, supply, installation and maintenance in UK markets such as healthcare, hospitality and education. It employs over 130 people and aims to provide a "one-stop solution" for customers, including planning, design and manufacturing.
The new acquisition will add to the overall JLA service and help the group respond better to its customers' requirements, which have recently included more demand for kitchen equipment support, JLA said.
Chief executive Stephen Baxter said: "We were attracted to Carford because of the expertise they have in catering circles. On every level, they match our own ability and ambition, and their know-how and project design capabilities will allow us to offer a wider range of products and services to our customers."
JLA's Catering division now aims to provide a wide range of commercial kitchen services, backed up with service response from over 200 engineers across the UK.