Department of Transport

Watts welcomes next BR Central Services sale
_______________________________________________________________

date 10 December 1996
source Department of Transport
type Press release

note 382

John Watts, Minister for Railways and Roads, today welcomed the sale
of Scientifics Limited to Atesta Group Limited of Ratho, Midlothian.

Commenting on the sale, Mr Watts said:

"I am extremely pleased to see the sale of another BR Central
Services business.

"These companies are being freed from the dead hand of public sector
ownership and given the opportunity to thrive in the competitive
environment of the private sector. The travelling public can only
benefit from this transformation of Britain's rail industry."

Scientifics Limited provides a range of technical and consultancy
services in relation to safety, health and the environment,
analytical sciences, and materials science issues. The company
employs 107 staff at five sites in Derby, Doncaster, Glasgow, Swindon
and London, and had a unaudited turnover of around #4.6 million in
the financial year 1995/96.

Notes to Editors:

Scientifics Limited is part of the Central Services Group of BR
businesses and is the first of the next tranche of businesses to be
sold from this group. Other Central Services businesses sold include
Signalling Control UK, Interlogic Control Engineering, Castleton Long
Welded Rail and Track Works, Interfleet Technology and The
Engineering Link. British Rail plan to dispose of the remaining
Central Services businesses by the end of the current financial year.

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Railhub Archive ::: 1996-12-10 DoT-001