AB Systems, a leading expert in process cooling and materials handling, has amalgamated with Sterling Ancillary Services.

Sterling has a proven track record dating back to the late 1980s of independent installation, maintenance and consultancy services. The move is being seen as a major coup for AB Systems, as Sterling Ancillary Services has been courted by many of the leading players in the materials handling and cooling arenas.

AB Systems will now exclusively leverage the superior technical expertise brought by Sterling to the amalgamated organisation.

Sterling Ancillary Services is headed up by Steve Payne, whose skill set is well respected throughout the sector and the company’s professional team of engineers worked largely on a contract basis, performing technical materials handling and water installations on behalf of major distributors. Sterling also had its own customer base of plastics manufacturers.

Managing director at AB Systems, Jeff Day, said: “As an independent company, Sterling serviced and installed all makes of materials handling equipment, and also had great deal of experience on the water side. This level and breadth of expertise is extremely valuable and very difficult to come by, which is a great advantage for AB Systems.”

He continued: “In addition to gaining a team of excellent service engineers, the amalgamation with Sterling Ancillary Services means that AB Systems is able to offer a wider skill set for materials handling applications. This is likely to be troubling for our competitors, many of whom relied upon Sterling Ancillary Services to fulfill their technical installations and servicing programmes.”

Jeff Day and Steve Payne will be equal directors in AB Systems, although each will take on a slightly different role. Mr Payne will take the lead on the materials handling side, helping to manage projects, price jobs and oversee technical installations, while Mr Day will focus more on the water side, which is his specialist area.

Mr Payne said: “Sterling’s experience in installing and servicing a wealth of OEM equipment perfectly augments AB Systems’ skill base, meaning we can deliver an exceptional level of expertise across both materials handling and process cooling systems and all equipment manufacturers. Sterling also specialised in the installation and servicing of SB Plastics systems, for whom AB Systems is the UK distributor.”

Mr Payne and his team of engineers from Sterling Ancillary Services, who were previously based at Leighton Buzzard, will transfer the short distance west (less than 20 miles) to AB Systems, working out of the company’s head office at Worminghall, Buckinghamshire.