Lancashire haulage and earthmoving contractor Fox Brothers has bought Wigan-based NMS Civil Engineering in its latest expansion move under private equity owner Stellex Capital.

The deal adds another key player in road planing, civils and recycling to the Fox Group’s growing circular construction business.

The Blackpool-based materials group said NMS will slot straight into its new £4m Leyland asphalt plant operation, helping drive use of recycled asphalt planings.

Chief executive Paul Fox said the acquisition would further broaden its circular offering to customers and push annual recycled product use close to 2m tonnes.

(l-r) Roger Thistlethwaite, managing director NMS Civil Engineering seals deal with Paul Fox, CEO Fox Group. John Flood, executive director Fox Group

NMS director Roger Thistlethwaite said that the tie-up would provide significant opportunity to grow and meet the increasing demand for RAP.

The deal is Fox’s second since Stellex bought into the business last September. In the summer, Fox also snapped up £11m turnover J Fisher & Sons, a player in heavy haulage, road planing and asphalt reprocessing across the north west.