Hills Equipment acquired by national operator, AJ Baker

Hill Equipment & Refrigeration has become part of a national group - AJ Baker - under acquisition terms recently announced in Adelaide.

Hill Equipment & Refrigeration is a major installer and service provider for commercial refrigeration and catering equipment to a wide range of SA clients.

It is also a specialist provider to Australia’s defence services, this work includes over 40 per cent of the Navy’s major vessel fleet (including the Collins Class submarines) and Tiger Helicopters.

“One of the biggest attractions of partnering AJ Baker in this deal is that it is a family business buying out another family business,” Hill Equipment Chairman, Keith Turner, said.

“There are therefore very strong ethics and motivation behind the opportunity to now further grow the Adelaide operation,” Turner said.

AJ Baker Chairman, Peter Baker, said that the acquisition of the South Australian business completed a 10-year period of expansion by the Perth group from a solely Western Australian-based refrigeration contracting company to one with a national presence in the capital cities of all five mainland states.

“The acquisition will greatly increase the influence of ‘Baker Refrigeration’ within the Australian commercial refrigeration market, in addition to the further opportunities that Hill Equipment and Refrigeration brings on board with its catering and defence products.”