Cripps advises the shareholders of Hi-Way Services Ltd on their sale to SWARCO

Cripps has advised the shareholders of Hi-Way Services Ltd, a leading UK provider of road and car park marking services, on the sale of the business to SWARCO, the Austrian-based international traffic technology group.

Founded in 1993 and based in Hersden, Kent, Hi-Way Services has established itself as a market-leading provider of road marking services across the South East and South of the UK. The business employs around 60 people and operates from three depots, serving a diverse customer base including National Highways, local authorities, contractors and private sector organisations.

The acquisition strengthens SWARCO’s position in the UK market and marks an important milestone in the continued growth and development of Hi-Way Services. Following the transaction, the business will become part of SWARCO’s Road Marking Systems division.

Cripps provided comprehensive legal support to the sellers throughout the transaction, advising on all aspects of the deal and assisting with a pre-sale reorganisation.

The multidisciplinary Cripps team was led by Corporate Partner John Kirkwood and included Francesca Harrison (corporate), with support from specialists across the firm’s corporate, reorganisation, employment, commercial and real estate teams. The pre-sale reorganisation work was led by Jade Hallam. Employment advice was provided by Holly Milne-Peasey and Sarah Glocker, while the real estate aspects of the transaction were handled by Claire Durkin and Oliver Fox.

John Kirkwood, Partner at Cripps, commented:

“We were delighted to support the shareholders of Hi-Way Services on this significant transaction. The sale represents a major milestone for the business and its owners after more than 30 years of successful growth. It was a pleasure to work alongside the Hi-Way team and their finance and tax advisers, Burgess Hodgson, to deliver a successful outcome and position the business for its next stage of development as part of the SWARCO group.”

Andy O’Reilly, Founder of Hi-Way Services, said:

“After more than 30 years of building Hi-Way Services, this transaction marks an important milestone for our business. We would like to thank the Cripps team for their expert guidance, commercial, pragmatic and responsive advice throughout the sale process and the associated reorganisation work, helping us achieve a successful outcome.”