Agreement to acquire LBI Inst

RNS Number : 9134N

Brulines Group PLC

21 June 2010

 



Press Release

21 June 2010

Brulines Group plc

(the "Group" or "Brulines")

Agreement to acquire LBI Installations Ltd

Brulines Group plc (AIM:BRU), the leading provider of real time monitoring systems and data management services for the leisure and forecourt services sectors, is pleased to announce that it has agreed to acquire the issued share capital of LBI Installations Ltd ("LBI" or "the Company").  Completion, subject to satisfactory due diligence, is scheduled for 16 July 2010. 

Established in 2006, LBI operates web-based contract management solutions for forecourt operations, including those of a leading UK supermarket retailer, which has recently extended that contract for a further 3 years. LBI's proprietary solution has been designed to significantly simplify management of multiple contractors for both reactive and preventive maintenance, as well as ensuring regulatory compliance in a sector where exemplary control measures are essential. In addition, LBI offer forecourt engineering and project management solutions to a number of forecourt operators.

The consideration for the acquisition will consist of an initial payment of £360,000, followed by performance related deferred consideration. Unaudited accounts for LBI for the year ended 31 March 2010 show that the Company recorded an EBITDA of £166,000 on a turnover of £1,202,000.

 On completion of the acquisition, Craig Brocklehurst, current Managing Director of LBI will be appointed Operations Director of Brulines Forecourt Services Division, reporting to Phil Maud, Managing Director of Brulines Forecourt Services Division.

Brulines' forecourt strategy aims to deliver a market leading, integrated toolbox of data management, analysis, and associated products and services that allow forecourt operators to optimise return on investment from their fuel stocks and the assets designed to store, control and issue fuel.

This strategy has been progressed through a series of developments commencing with the acquisition of Edensure, a wet stock management business, in October 2008 followed by the appointment of Phil Maud from Morrisons Supermarkets in September 2009, the acquisition of Energy Level Systems Ltd the gauging systems, tank lining, LPG and forecourt services business in April 2010, and very recently, on the 09 June 2010, the acquisition of Retail & Forecourt Solutions Ltd, the UK market leader in fuel pump calibration, adjustment and legal verification, and also a leading provider of forecourt audit and compliance services.

Phil Maud, Managing Director of Brulines' Forecourt Services Division said:  "This acquisition is one of the final elements in building a product portfolio and organisation capable of delivering our forecourt strategy. Our recent acquisitions in forecourt services are well run, profitable businesses employing high calibre people. We are now focused on growing our business organically by building on the broad customer base which has resulted from this year's acquisitions. Across the division we now supply solutions to UK forecourt retailers accounting for over 60% of the fuel sold in the UK, including most of the major supermarkets and leading oil company brands.

Commenting on the proposed acquisition and appointment, James Dickson, Chief Executive of Brulines, commented:  "This acquisition is a key element of our customer proposition and ensures that Brulines Forecourt Services Division is in a strong position to continue our innovation and to challenge  larger players in the fuel management sector such as Fairbanks in the UK, and internationally, global players such as Gilbarco Veeder-Root.  I am very confident that we are now well placed to replicate in the forecourt market our success in the leisure sector. Additionally, the LBI system has capabilities which we believe can offer value to customers within our Leisure division, and we will look to take advantage of that opportunity over time."

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Enquiries:

Brulines Group plc
James Dickson, Chief Executive	Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]	www.brulines.com

Cenkos Securities plc
Stephen Keys / Camilla Hume	Tel: [phone]
	www.cenkos.com

Media enquiries:

Abchurch Communications
Sarah Hollins / Joanne Shears / Mark Dixon [e-mail]	Tel: [phone] www.abchurch-group.com

About Brulines

Brulines Group is focused on the provision of real time monitoring systems and data management services for the UK's leisure and petrol forecourt sectors. Since its admission to AIM in 2006, the Group has grown both organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions to give the Group access to key vertical markets. The Group operates two divisions which comprise five key products:

LEISURE DIVISION

Dispense Monitoring (DMS)	The Group's core product, DMS, is widely used by owners and operators within the UK licensed on-trade, especially the tenanted / leased pub sector. Flow meters connected to draught beer dispense lines send data via an on-site communication panel to a secure central database. Liquid volumes by fount, draught wine or post mix are tracked as they are served, thereby helping customers to maximise sales, service and quality as well as managing their costs . DMS is installed in over 22,000 pubs and manages data for more than one in three UK pubs.
i-draught (formerly BQM)	A more recent and rapidly growing product offer is i-draughtTM, an extension of the Group's DMS, which scrutinises the quality of products running through beer lines in a bar; measuring volume, temperature, flow rate and liquid type (e.g. beer, cleaning fluid or water) at the point of dispense. i-draught is the first system to provide effective measurement of true yields on draught products. Actual dispense volumes are compared with till transactions to identify shrinkage from products given away, pilferage and wastage. i-draught measures the precise temperature of every pint as it is dispensed, the time taken to dispense each drink, and automatically identifies the liquid allowing customers to know exactly when lines are cleaned. Wherever they are, customers can stay in control through accessing their information on a secure web site.
Gaming  Machine Data Services	The acquisition of Coin Metrics in May 2007 was a strong strategic fit with Brulines' existing Machine Insite business which already provides gaming machine data management and consultancy services to operators within the pub, club and leisure markets. Customers benefit from state-of-the-art real-time data capture and reporting systems that deliver improved machine profitability and operational security.
Vending  Telemetry	The Group's subsidiary Vianet is a pan-European provider of telemetry solutions and data applications to the vending industry. Vianet provides services for all vending management needs; from operations, sales, field services, national accounts to senior management.

FORECOURT SERVICES DIVISION

Through its Forecourt Services Division, Brulines offers a market leading, integrated toolbox of data management, analysis, and associated services that allow forecourt operators to optimise return on investment from their fuel stocks and the assets designed to store, control and issue fuel. The Forecourt Services Division and its associated services have been built through a series of strategic acquisitions starting with Edensure, a wet stock management business, in October 2008. The acquisition of Energy Level Systems Ltd (ELS) Ltd; the gauging systems, tank lining, LPG and forecourt services business followed in April 2010. In June 2010, the Group acquired Retail Forecourt Solutions Ltd (RFS), the UK market leader in fuel pump calibration, adjustment and legal verification, and also a leading provider of forecourt audit and compliance services. Under the leadership of Managing Director Phil Maud, formerly Morrisons Supermarkets Forecourts Director, who joined in September 2009, the Forecourt Division supplies services to forecourt retailers that account for more than 60% of the fuel sold in the UK, including all the major supermarkets and the majority of the leading oil company brands.

Headquartered in Stockton-on-Tees, Brulines employs more than 290 people. 

For further information, please visit www.brulines.com

 

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