AJ Baker acquires Hill Equipment

Perth-based company AJ Baker & Sons has acquired South Australian refrigeration and catering equipment provider Hill Equipment & Refrigeration for an undisclosed sum. All of Hill Equipment’s 73 Adelaide staff will be retained.

Established 36 years ago, Hill Equipment & Refrigeration has achieved strong growth in the past decade, growing from a $10 million-a-year business to record annual revenue of $17.5 million in the year to 30 June 2013 under managing director Mark Turner.

Hill Equipment Chair Keith Turner and AJ Baker Chair Peter Baker inspect a new supermarket refrigeration unit.

“One of the biggest attractions of partnering AJ Baker in this deal is that it is a family business buying out another family business,” said Keith Turner, Hill Equipment chairman.

“There are therefore very strong ethics and motivation behind the opportunity to now further grow the Adelaide operation.

“AJ Baker has also embraced and recognised the expertise and existing relationships our employees have with our strong client base and that was a critical factor in the two parties agreeing settlement terms and conditions.”

Hill Equipment & Refrigeration installs and provides service for commercial refrigeration and catering equipment to a wide range of SA clients, including the Drake Foodland group, a major fuel franchise chain, developers of the new Adelaide Oval grandstand facilities and training kitchens at the Regency International Centre for food studies. It is also a specialist provider to Australia’s defence services.

AJ Baker already has a strong national presence with commercial refrigeration, air conditioning and supermarket equipment operations in Perth, Bunbury, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. It is the largest privately owned refrigeration contractor in Australia supplying turnkey projects to the supermarket industry.

The acquisition will become effective as of 30 November 2013.