Brulines Group plc (AIM:BRU), specialist in real-time monitoring systems and data management services for the forecourt services and leisure sectors,

has agreed to acquire Retail & Forecourt Solutions Ltd. Based in Desford, Leicestershire, RFS describes itself as the UK market leader in fuel pump calibration, adjustment and legal verification, and also a leading provider of forecourt audit and compliance services.

RFS was established in 1995 by managing director and majority shareholder Michael Hollier following a senior management career in the motorway services forecourt industry. On completion, Francis Hollier, currently RFS Technical Director, will assume the role of managing director of RFS, reporting to Phil Maud, managing director of Brulines’ Forecourt Service Division, while Michael Hollier will act as a consultant to RFS.

Brulines’ forecourt strategy aims to deliver a market leading, integrated toolbox of data management, analysis, and associated products and services that allow forecourt operators to optimise return on investment from their fuel stocks and the assets designed to store, control and issue fuel. This strategy has seen the acquisition of Edensure, a wet stock management business, in October 2008; the appointment of Maud as managing drector of the Forecourt Division in September 2009 from Morrisons Supermarkets, where he had previously been director of Petrol Forecourts for eight years; and the acquisition of ELS Ltd the gauging systems, tank lining, LPG and forecourt services business in April 2010.
Maud said: “This acquisition sees the group continuing to refine our strategy and offering for the forecourt industry. Over-dispensing pumps can cost forecourt retailers thousands of pounds a year in fuel given away. Our state-of-the-art Edensure wet-stock loss analysis is able to identify this over-dispensing quickly and accurately, and now with RFS as part of our Group we can offer forecourt operators an integrated and responsive solution of analysis, identification, and on-site correction.


Commenting on the proposed acquisition and appointment, James Dickson, chief executive of Brulines, highlighted: “This acquisition which will be earnings enhancing from the outset, is another important step in developing a market leading integrated solution for forecourt operators and underlines our intention to replicate in the forecourt market our success in the leisure sector.

"The opportunities for this expanded offering are significant, and we look forward to updating shareholders on our progress in the forecourt services market.”