Grounds maintenance firm swallowed by US giant

Greater Manchester-based commercial groundskeeping specialist Countrywide Grounds Maintenance has been acquired by US trade service giant Dwyer Group.

Countrywide, headquartered in Cheadle Hulme, has a turnover of nearly £23m and made a pre-tax profit of £400,000 in the year to June 30, 2016.

The deal marks the 10th acquisition for Dwyer Group, which recently reached £1.2bn in system-wide sales.

Countrywide Grounds Maintenance offers commercial grass cutting, landscape maintenance, sports grounds maintenance and winter gritting services.

Established by founder Martin Stott in 1985, he and his family have grown Countrywide Grounds Maintenance from a family-owned and operated business into a system with more than 50 franchisees.

“On behalf of the Stott family and Countrywide team, we are so proud of the amazing franchisees who have helped to build the Countrywide network,” he said. “I am confident that under the guidance and leadership of Dwyer Group, the future of this organization and our family’s legacy will continue to be nothing short of extraordinary.”

Dwyer Group will now have 19 brands with more than 2,850 franchisees and 700 employees across its service brands throughout North America, the UK and Germany.

“Countrywide brings three decades of experience in grounds maintenance to our organization and is a great fit for Dwyer Group’s growing family of service brands in the United Kingdom,” said Mike Bidwell, president and chief executive of Dwyer Group.

“We look forward to growing that presence and providing the best professional solution for landscape maintenance and management.”