Height Safety Company Pure Safety Group Aquires Checkmate In The U.K.
Acquisition is the third in the past year, establishing Pure Safety Group as the world’s largest independent provider of safety equipment, training and resources for workers at height
Pure Safety Group (PSG), now the world’s largest independent provider of height safety equipment, training and resources, has announced that it has acquired UK-headquartered Checkmate Lifting and Safety Ltd., the leading innovator, designer and manufacturer of lifting and height safety equipment, including its product and patent portfolio, installation and training businesses.
The acquisition of Checkmate continues PSG’s plan to expand its full line of height safety offerings, particularly its premium line of products, and extend its global reach. Checkmate is a prime addition to PSG being a product innovation powerhouse with a premium products portfolio including self-retracting lifelines, horizontal lifelines, harnesses, and descent and rescue products. Pure Safety Group will leverage the combined range of all its product brands to extend its offerings to its growing global network.
The acquisition is PSG’s third in the past year; in August 2017, the company purchased Guardian Fall Protection, based in Seattle, and Web Devices, based in Houston.
Checkmate’s 100 employees and its production facilities and offices will remain in the UK. Checkmate was founded by Paul Auston in 1979 and owned by Paul and his son Oliver, who has been CEO of Checkmate since 2006. Paul Auston has a global reputation for his expertise in height safety and sling products and will remain as a consultant to the business, particularly in the marine shipping market, where he has deep industry connections, and to ensure customer continuity during the transition. Oliver Auston will manage the company’s integration into PSG and the UK operations, and become Chief Innovation Officer of PSG, leading product research, design and development across the Pure Safety Group companies. Oliver will be a shareholder in the expanded PSG group.
“We were looking for a partner that would allow us to bring our products and design innovation to more users globally, to save more lives,” said Oliver Auston, “while retaining the strong employee culture that has made our success possible.” Auston adds that the company will immediately ramp up production to meet the needs of the global market as part of PSG.
“Checkmate is recognized as an innovator in the height safety industry, with a 40-year history of design breakthroughs and 70 patents granted or pending,” said Brad Gates, CEO of PSG. “It brings a significant, impressive pipeline of impending new products into our growing proprietary portfolio that we offer customers in several industries, including construction, general industry, oil and gas, energy and utilities.”
Gates adds that Checkmate’s commitment to developing products that meet or exceed ANSI voluntary standards also aligned with PSG’s recent commitment to being a standards leader in the industry. Last month, PSG announced ANSI Z359.18 compliance for several anchor products including details behind the testing that is performed in their accredited ISO 17025 laboratory and witnessed by a Professional Engineer.
About Pure Safety Group
Pure Safety Group™, parent company of Guardian Fall Protection, Web Devices and now Checkmate, is the world’s largest independent provider of height safety equipment and training. PSG’s leadership team including industry veterans such as Brad Gates, Kevin Coplan, Pat Velasco, Anders Pettersson, and Roland Schylit have deep experience as innovators, thought leaders and business builders in the global height safety industry. Their decades of experience and combined strengths, along with the talent and technology of the teams at Pure Safety Group facilities across the world, have quickly built the company into the global source for keeping workers safe at height. Learn more at www.puresafetygroup.com.
