Youngman enters lighting market with TCP joint venture

TCP Ltd and Youngman Group have formed a joint venture to manufacture, market and sell TCP's Ecolite range of lighting towers.

The companies said the joint venture would "provide additional manufacturing capacity and increase sales and distribution opportunities within the UK and overseas markets." TCP will continue to design and develop the products while Youngman will develop manufacturing capacity for the towers. The two companies are neighbours in Maldon, Essex.

For Youngman, the addition of the lighting towers is something of a departure from the access products for which it is best known. It has been an independent business following a management buyout in 2005 from former owner SGB.

Andrew Barker, TCP's managing director, told IRN that the two companies would continue to operate as independent businesses, with the joint venture limited to the lighting towers.

The Ecolite is available in two versions and are described as "environmentally focused lighting towers which reduce carbon footprint and running costs by up to 80% compared to other lighting towers on the market."

Mr Barker said it was the Ecolite P that would be the main focus of attention for Youngman's efforts. The P model is a square design tower sized to fit on a standard Euro pallet. The standard Ecolite is a trailer mounted tower.

As well as making the Ecolite's TCP supplies high-tip compact tracked dumpers and micro-crushers. Youngman Group supplies light access equipment including aluminium and fibreglass access towers, ladders and stagings. It has also recently launched a range of push-around micro scissor lifts.

The company will officially launch the joint venture at the Executive Hire Show in Coventy, UK on 3 and 4 February.