ONE of Scotland's largest independent debt collectors and enforcement agencies has been acquired by Marston Holdings for an undisclosed sum.
Marston has snapped up Edinburgh-based market leader Scott & Co in a deal which also includes its smaller sister company, AA Hutton, a collection and enforcement firm headquartered in Perth.
The acquisition marks the first foray by Marston into the Scottish debt collection market.
Scott & Co and AA Hutton employ a total 275 staff between them, including 46 sheriff officers and messengers-at-arms, in 13 offices across Scotland.
Scott & Co, which has 260 staff, has contracts with Scottish local authorities, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. It works on behalf of solicitors and businesses, executing warrants and orders from the courts of Scotland and civil courts around the world.
The senior management team at Scott & Co, including managing partner David McLaughlin and Joy McLaughlin, will retain their roles further to the deal.
The acquired companies will also continue to trade under their existing names as standalone businesses within the Marston group.
Mr McLaughlin said: "Becoming part of Marston Holdings was a natural decision for us. We are well matched in terms of ethical standards, reputation and our leading positions in our respective marketplaces.
"Our commitment to our clients and to the provision of local services remains.
"Our existing management teams and staff will continue to deliver service excellence from our established office network and to play a key part in the future growth of our business. This is an exciting chapter in our development, enabling us to extend our range of services to our clients."
The arrival of Scott & Co and AA Hutton swells the team employed by Marston, the UK's largest judicial services group, to about 2000 staff and contractors.
Marston works on behalf of 265 local authorities across the UK, as well as for Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service, Legal Aid Agency, Child Maintenance Group, DVLA, Transport London, Highways Agency and Student Loans Company.
Asked what had attracted Marston to Scott & Co, chief executive Gareth Hughes said the company's "high quality reputation precedes them". He cited Scott & Co's "ethics, culture and way of doing business", as well as its "great track record" of contract service delivery.
Mr Hughes said a significant benefit brought by the merger will be the enlarged company's ability to offer "effective cross-border recovery" for English-based clients with debts to be collected in Scotland, and vice versa.
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