MBO for loading bay manufacturer

Dock Solutions, the UK’s largest manufacturer of loading bay equipment, has completed a management buyout led by general manager Joshua Hale in a deal advised on by the Cardiff-based GS Verde Group.

With a strong trading history of nearly 20 years, Dock Solutions, based in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, offers bespoke manufacturing of levellers, lifts, industrial doors, and shelters, as well as product maintenance carried out by their expert team.

Hale has been an integral part of the company’s growth in recent years. Starting as an apprentice in 2016, he would eventually play a key role in growing Dock Solutions’ annual turnover from £2.6m to £4.9m in the space of four years, and the business achieving chartered status in 2020.

The MBO of Dock Solutions also means the business can continue its growth plans of expanding across the UK and opening a northern depot in Q1 of 2024.

Hale said: “Back in 2016, I had a job paying £5.50 per hour, and as an apprentice I never would have thought I’d be in this position today. It is a great example of how apprenticeships work in certain industries, and I am so excited to take Dock Solutions into the future with our fantastic team at the helm.”