Mabey Group

Mabey Group is a British engineering group whose activities have historically combined steel fabrication, temporary and permanent bridge systems, equipment hire and construction products. The business began in 1923 when Guy Mabey established a building-supplies company. After the Second World War, his son Bevil Mabey expanded the enterprise into engineering by acquiring surplus Bailey bridges from the British Army and developing them into commercial modular bridge systems. The company’s bridge engineering became its defining capability. Mabey developed lighter modular structures requiring fewer components while offering greater loading capacity, longer spans and extended service life compared with earlier designs. These systems were particularly suited to remote or developing regions, where transport, assembly and rapid deployment were important. Mabey bridges were used for civilian infrastructure, military logistics, peacekeeping and disaster-relief operations. The Mabey Logistic Support Bridge, for example, was deployed in relief and military contexts in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The group also supplied domestic infrastructure in the United Kingdom, including a rapidly assembled temporary bridge constructed across the River Derwent at Workington after flooding caused the collapse of the town’s Northside Bridge in 2009. Through acquisitions and expansion, Mabey developed capabilities beyond modular bridges. Its acquisition of a Chepstow subsidiary of Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in 1966 created the Fairfield-Mabey operation, giving the group heavier steel-fabrication capacity. This business contributed to major British infrastructure projects, including the Erskine Bridge, Avonmouth Bridge, Humber Bridge, Britannia Bridge and City Bridge in Newport. Mabey companies also built highway bridges and flyovers in Central America, the Caribbean and the Far East. In 1989 the group established Mabey Bridge Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, extending its presence into the United States. The group has also operated through construction-equipment and temporary-works businesses. Mabey Hire Ltd. was formed in 2009 through the combination of Mabey Hire, Murrayplant and Mabey Support Systems. The hire operation supplied equipment associated with temporary works, shoring and construction support. Mabey Australia and New Zealand began operations in 2012 after the acquisition of APlant Hire’s specialist shoring business. Mabey’s international expansion was severely damaged by bribery investigations and prosecutions during the 2000s and early 2010s. The company acknowledged possible improper payments connected with Iraq under the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme, while a Serious Fraud Office prosecution concerned attempts to influence public-contract decisions in Jamaica and Ghana. In 2009, Mabey & Johnson admitted systematic foreign bribery and was ordered to pay more than £6.5 million in fines and reparations. Three executives subsequently received criminal sentences in connection with Iraqi payments. The group then operated under a court-appointed monitor and pursued a formal anti-bribery compliance programme, becoming the first UK organisation to pass an independent audit for the BS 10500:2011 anti-bribery management standard in 2012. In the late 2010s, Mabey reshaped its portfolio. Mabey Bridge’s wind-turbine-tower manufacturing activity had been closed by 2015, and its former Chepstow site was sold for redevelopment in 2019. In May 2019, the group sold Mabey Bridge, its largest division, to the United States-based Acrow Bridge for an undisclosed amount. The transaction marked a major change in Mabey Group’s historical identity as an international bridge manufacturer. The remaining group has continued to be associated with engineering, hire and construction-related activities and remains family owned according to the cited reference material.

Mabey Group traces its origins to a building-supplies business founded by Guy Mabey in 1923. The company’s later transformation was led by his son, Bevil Mabey, who expanded the business after the Second World War by purchasing surplus Bailey bridges from the British Army. These acquisitions provided the foundation for a commercial modular-bridge operation. Mabey subsequently designed its own modular steel bridge package for highway and infrastructure use. Compared with earlier systems, the design used fewer and lighter components, supported heavier loads, allowed longer spans and offered a longer working life. Those characteristics made it useful in locations where conventional construction was difficult and where bridges had to be transported and assembled quickly. Mabey systems were exported widely and used for permanent, temporary, military and humanitarian purposes. The Mabey Logistic Support Bridge was used in international relief and military operations, including deployments associated with Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The group’s engineering capabilities broadened in 1966 when it acquired a Chepstow subsidiary of Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. The resulting Fairfield-Mabey operation gave the company heavier steel-fabrication capacity and enabled participation in major infrastructure projects. Mabey-related companies contributed to the Erskine Bridge over the River Clyde, the Avonmouth Bridge, portions of the Humber Bridge and Britannia Bridge, and the City Bridge in Newport. International work included highway bridges and flyovers in Central America, the Caribbean and the Far East. A US subsidiary, Mabey Bridge Inc., was established in Baltimore in 1989. Alongside bridge engineering, Mabey expanded into equipment hire and construction support. Mabey Hire Ltd. was created in 2009 by combining Mabey Hire, Murrayplant and Mabey Support Systems. The group also entered Australia and New Zealand in 2012 through the acquisition of a specialist shoring-hire operation. These activities complemented the company’s bridge business by serving contractors working on temporary works, excavation support and infrastructure projects. The group’s international business became the subject of serious corruption investigations. In the mid-2000s, allegations were made concerning Philippine aid projects and claims of excessive profits. A former sales manager later alleged misconduct relating to sales in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Panama. Mabey’s 2008 results acknowledged possible improper payments to Saddam Hussein’s regime in connection with Iraq and the Oil-for-Food Programme. A later United Nations review alleged a kickback of approximately $202,000 between 2001 and 2003 associated with a contract worth about $3.6 million. In 2009, Mabey & Johnson pleaded guilty in proceedings brought by the UK Serious Fraud Office concerning attempts to influence public contracts in Jamaica and Ghana between 1993 and 2001. The company became the first major British company to be convicted of foreign bribery under the cited proceedings and paid more than £6.5 million in fines and reparations. In 2011, sales director and shareholder David Mabey, managing director Charles Forsyth and executive Richard Gledhill were sentenced in relation to Iraqi payments. The group subsequently operated for three years under a court-appointed monitor and rebuilt its compliance controls. In 2012 it passed an independent audit for BS 10500:2011, an anti-bribery management standard developed in response to the UK Bribery Act. Mabey later reduced and reorganized its industrial portfolio. Its wind-turbine-tower activity at the former Chepstow site ended in 2015, and the site was sold for redevelopment in 2019. In May 2019, Mabey Group sold Mabey Bridge to Acrow Bridge of the United States. The sale transferred the group’s largest division and marked a significant departure from Mabey’s historic position as an international bridge manufacturer. The remaining business continues to be described in the reference material as family owned and focused on engineering, hire and construction-related activities.

• 2019

  Mabey Bridge sold to Acrow

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The largest division is sold to US-based Acrow Bridge.

• 2012

  Anti-bribery accreditation achieved

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group passes an independent audit for the BS 10500:2011 anti-bribery management standard.

• 2009

  Mabey Hire Ltd. formed

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Mabey Hire, Murrayplant and Mabey Support Systems are combined into Mabey Hire Ltd.

• 1989

  US subsidiary established

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Mabey Bridge Inc. is established in Baltimore, Maryland.

• 1966

  Acquisition creates Fairfield-Mabey capability

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group acquires a Chepstow subsidiary of Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, strengthening heavy steel fabrication.

• 1945

  Post-war expansion into modular bridge engineering

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Bevil Mabey expands the business by acquiring surplus Bailey bridges and developing commercial steel bridge systems.

• 1923

  Guy Mabey establishes the original building-supplies business

  [1]Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The enterprise that later became Mabey Group begins as a building-supplies company founded by Guy Mabey.

A family-owned engineering and construction-products group built around rapidly deployable steel infrastructure, modular bridge technology and specialist hire services.

• Temporary and permanent bridges

  Mabey modular bridge systems

  Mabey’s principal engineering product line consisted of modular steel bridge systems assembled from transportable components. The company’s designs were intended to be lighter and simpler to deploy than earlier Bailey-style systems while supporting substantial loads and longer spans. They were used for civilian infrastructure, emergency reconnection, remote-area development and other projects requiring rapid construction. Some systems were temporary, while others served as longer-life highway structures.

• Logistics, military and humanitarian bridging

  Mabey Logistic Support Bridge

  The Mabey Logistic Support Bridge was designed for rapid deployment where roads, communications routes or relief corridors needed to be established or restored. Reference material associates its use with United Nations relief operations and military or peacekeeping contexts in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Its transportable modular format enabled construction in difficult terrain and under demanding logistical conditions.

• Structural steelwork

  Permanent steel bridge structures

  Through Fairfield-Mabey and related operations, the group fabricated heavier permanent steel bridge structures and components. Its documented British work included contributions to the Erskine, Avonmouth, Humber, Britannia and City bridges. The business also delivered highway bridges and flyovers in overseas markets, extending Mabey beyond rapidly deployable modular systems into major civil-engineering fabrication.

• Construction equipment hire · 2009

  Mabey Hire services

  Mabey Hire supplied equipment and support for temporary works, construction sites and infrastructure projects. The operation was consolidated in 2009 from Mabey Hire, Murrayplant and Mabey Support Systems. Its capabilities included specialist shoring and related construction support, and the group later extended this activity into Australia and New Zealand through a shoring-hire acquisition.

• 2019

  Groundworks-products cartel investigation

  Mabey reported an alleged cartel involving suppliers of groundworks products to the UK Competition and Markets Authority. The company sought protection under the authority's leniency programme and agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

  Source

• 2011

  Criminal sentences linked to Iraqi payments

  David Mabey, Charles Forsyth and Richard Gledhill received prison or suspended sentences and director disqualifications in proceedings concerning illegal payments to Iraqi officials.

  Source

• 2009

  Foreign bribery convictions and penalties

  Mabey & Johnson pleaded guilty in a Serious Fraud Office case concerning attempts to influence public-contract decisions in Jamaica and Ghana. The company was ordered to pay more than £6.5 million in fines and reparations, making the case a major episode in the UK's enforcement of foreign-bribery laws.

  Source

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• 2019

  Sell Mabey Bridge to Acrow BridgeM&A

  Background

  Mabey Bridge was the group's largest division, but its wind-turbine-tower activity had closed and the division had experienced financial pressure.

  Action taken

  Mabey Group sold Mabey Bridge to US-based Acrow Bridge for an undisclosed amount.

  Aftermath

  The transaction removed the group's historic bridge-manufacturing division from its portfolio and significantly changed Mabey Group's industrial profile.

  Source

• 2012

  Formalize anti-bribery compliance systemsStrategy

  Background

  The group faced the consequences of foreign-bribery investigations and operated under a court-appointed monitor for three years.

  Action taken

  Mabey developed strengthened controls and passed an independent audit for the BS 10500:2011 anti-bribery management standard.

  Aftermath

  The accreditation was presented as evidence of a substantially upgraded compliance framework and was described by the Serious Fraud Office as a leading implementation of ethical-trading controls.

  Source

1. 1Mabey Groupen.wikipedia.org