Wed, 17 Sep 2025 | BUSINESS SALE
Fox Brothers Holdings, a private equity-backed construction materials firm headquartered in Blackpool, has expanded with the acquisition of a North West civil engineering contractor. The acquisition of NMS Civil Engineering is Fox Group’s second acquisition since it was bought by Stellex Capital Management in September 2024.
NMS Civil Engineering is an established contractor, delivering key services in civil engineering, recycling, road planing and barriers. The acquisition is the latest step in Fox Group’s move to establish itself as a fully integrated circular construction materials business supplying sustainable solutions to the construction sector.
The acquisition is effective from September 2025 and is aligned with Fox Group’s strategy of driving both organic and inorganic growth. NMS, which is a key regional player in the North West’s circular construction market, is expected to drive significant synergies for the group. Potential synergies include the use of recycled asphalt planings in the group’s asphalt production process. Fox Group’s new £4 million Leyland Asphalt plant opened in July 2025.
Fox Group Chief Executive Paul Fox said that with the acquisition, the group “will build on our recent expansion and further broaden our circular offering to customers bringing our annual use of recycled products close to 2 million tonnes.”
He continued: "NMS has a strong management team, and we welcome them and their colleagues as we continue with our growth plans. We are committed to a smooth transition for the teams and customers of NMS and we anticipate success and growth through this synergistic partnership.”
Roger Thistlethwaite, director at NMS, added: “Joining the Fox Group will enable us to work with their expansive network and resources, providing significant opportunity to grow and meet the increasing demand for RAP.”
"The support and partnership from the team at the Fox Group will help further our mission to drive circularity and sustainability throughout our business.”
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