Scott Group acquires HLC

1 September 2015


The UK’s largest pallet manufacturer Scott Group has acquired HLC (Wood Products) Ltd in a multi-million pound deal.

HLC operates from three automated facilities in the Midlands and South East (Burton-on-Trent, Needham and Peterborough), including biomass and kilning facilities - adding additional service capacity and capabilities to that of Scott Pallets.

The deal is expected to deliver customer benefits, including customer service and security of supply.

“Scott Pallets and HLC will trade side by side as part of Scott Group and together offer an unrivalled national network of multi-faceted manufacturing sites, operating to the highest manufacturing standards with particular focus on quality, health and safety, customer service and account management,” said Alan Gibson, managing director of Scott Pallets.

“Together, we are ideally positioned to support customers in a diverse range of industry sectors nationwide. The deal improves our geographical penetration of the large South East market and increases our potential access to European supply.”

HLC’s joint managing directors, brothers Ryan and Paul Lewis, will remain with the business together with their senior management team. Several directors of Scott Group (Norman Scott, Alan Gibson, Tracy Trotter and Robert Maclean) will also join the board of HLC.

“For 35 years at HLC we have been committed to our customers and that commitment has resulted in strong growth and market leading products and service,” said Paul Lewis.

“We are delighted to be joining forces with Scott Pallets to further improve our commitment to customers, and Ryan and I look forward to working side by side in the coming years.”

HLC and Scott directors after sealing the deal