Global Defence Procurement Ltd (GDP) – which has its main offices within the Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth – offers the sales and servicing of a wide range of marine and industrial equipment to the Ministry of Defence and its prime contractors, as well as to the commercial, leisure and fishing industries.
GDP facilities include a fully MCA approved servicing station covering such items as rescue boats, life rafts and life jackets. Other products supplied by the company include personal protective equipment, ropes, wires and other lifting products, navigation equipment, fire-fighting equipment and diving apparatus.
The company also has an office at the Portsmouth Naval Base, as well as its own rigging house that manufactures most military specified items.
Under the new ownership, GDP will continue its current business operations as part of Certex UK. Any outstanding orders and quotations will transfer to Certex by customer agreement.
Tony Stringer, Certex’s managing director, is confident that the change in ownership will have long-term benefits to all those concerned. He said: “Although there is obvious synergy between the companies and services they offer, their client bases are very separate. This deal will give Certex an ideal opportunity to grow as a business and also expand into market sectors where it is not currently represented, particularly in the field of military procurement.”
He added: “As for GDP, the organisation will be able to continue trading under its current remit backed by the security of a nationally based company like Certex, while still offering customers a specialist service at a local and personal level.”
Global Defence Procurement Ltd was set up in 2002 to meet the needs of the increasing commercialisation of the defence industry. Since this time it has grown into a significant specialist supplier to the defence industry.
The four-year-old company went into administration last month and Certex put in an offer for its assets and goodwill, which has been accepted by GDP’s administrators – Begbies Traynor.
Derek Foster, managing director and founder of Global Defence Procurement, will continue to manage the business at a local level. He said: “We were keen to find a new home for the company that would give the best future to our employees and customers.” He added: “Certex has an excellent reputation within the industry for both quality and service and we are looking forward to a bright future within that organisation.”
He also claimed it will be “business as usual” for customers and suppliers, to whom it offers continued service and commitment.
Certex – which operates mainly in the manufacturing, steel, construction, offshore, oil, gas and shipping industries – has a network of 15 regional distribution centres, including one in Plymouth. This centre and the newly acquired GDP base in Plymouth will continue to work independently of each other but under the same Certex banner.
