AB Systems and Sterling Ancillary Services merge in new deal

UK-based process cooling and materials handling specialist, AB Systems, has announced a merger with Sterling Ancillary Services, a provider of independent installation, maintenance and consultancy services.

AB Systems says the move is a “real coup” for its business, as Sterling is a well-known name within the plastics industry, whose team of engineers have experience of working largely on a contract basis, performing technical materials handling and water installations on behalf of major distributors. Sterling also has its own customer base of plastics manufacturers.

“As an independent company, Sterling serviced and installed all makes of materials handling equipment, and also had great deal of experience on the water side. This level and breadth of expertise is extremely valuable and very difficult to come by, which is a great advantage for AB Systems,” explained Jeff Day, Managing Director at AB Systems.

Day and Sterling’s Director, Steve Payne, will now be equal Directors in AB Systems, although each will take on slightly different roles; Payne will take the lead on the materials handling side, helping to manage projects, price jobs and oversee technical installations, while Day will focus more on the water side, his specialist area.

“Sterling’s experience in installing and servicing a wealth of OEM equipment perfectly augments AB Systems’ skill base, meaning we can deliver an exceptional level of expertise across both materials handling and process cooling systems and all equipment manufacturers,” explained Payne. “Sterling also specialised in the installation and servicing of SB Plastics systems, for whom AB Systems is the UK distributor.”

Payne will now set about further developing the service side of the business, reaching out to customers with a broad spectrum of equipment. Sterling’s own customers will also come in under the AB Systems umbrella. These projects, AB Systems says, will leverage the extra resources provided by the newly expanded team, building on the platform already established.

Payne and his team of engineers from Sterling Ancillary Services, who were previously based at Leighton Buzzard, will transfer the short distance west (less than 20 miles) to AB Systems, working out of the company’s head office at Worminghall, Buckinghamshire.

“We both have big ideas and aspirations, and together we can take the business forward exponentially. There hasn’t been much change within the industry for years, so this this will really shake things up,” Payne concluded.