Watersheds, the Swindon-based firm of corporate finance advisors, has led the sale of Lift West Limited, the South West’s leading independent materials handling equipment supplier, to Staffordshire based Dunstall Holdings Limited.

Lift West was established in 1993 by Andrew Whitehouse and supplies, services and maintains forklift trucks and industrial doors to a blue-chip industrial client base including some of the South West’s leading businesses.

The Company employs 80 staff and is a Toyo Carriers Manufacturing (TCM) main dealer in the South West and South Wales and is headquartered at Lopen Head in Somerset. Lift West prides itself on providing personalised solutions for customers’ materials handling needs.

The acquisition of Lift West represents the second major acquisition completed by Dunstall Holdings following the acquisition of its agricultural business, Rea Valley Tractors, in 2010.

Watersheds partner, Jessica Painter, said:

“Finding a buyer and negotiating a deal is only half of the story. For shareholders that have not sold a business before, or that have a small team of management to help them, the process can be demanding and daunting. I was pleased to be able to help Andrew complete the deal and allow him to realise his investment in the business, built up over the last 25 years.”