Unifi Aviation acquires Up & Away, expands to the UK aviation market

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Jul 11, 2023, 10:46 ET

Largest US-based aviation services company marks its foray into the UK with acquisition of aviation and jet detailing company, targets more than $120m in growth

ATLANTA, July 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unifi Aviation, the global aviation services business of the Argenbright Group, acquires Up & Away, one of the UK's leading aircraft services and private jet detailing businesses. Up & Away provides key aviation services, including cabin cleaning, de-icing, private jet detailing, technical cleaning, and other adjacent aviation services. It counts marquee UK and European airlines and global VIPs/dignitaries among its clientele.

Up & Away was founded in 2008 by Stefan Murphy and has grown exponentially under his leadership. Up & Away currently has a presence in thirteen UK airports, including Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX), Newcastle (NCL), with an upcoming fourteenth location at London Gatwick Airport (LGW). In addition, Up & Away services select customers across more than 10 additional airports in the UK, including Bournemouth (BOH), London City (LCY), and Liverpool (LPL).

Unifi aims to grow its UK business to more than $120 million in the region over the next three years, benefiting its key stakeholders, its customers and employees. Murphy will become Unifi's Managing Director based in the UK.

Gautam Thakkar, CEO, Unifi: "Up & Away has earned a strong reputation for exceptional services. We look forward to working with Stefan and his team as they join the Unifi family and build upon Up & Away's track record. More than 224 million passengers traveled to and from airports in the UK in 2022, and we are confident that our knowledge and experience from operating in 200+ airports, including the world's busiest, will allow Unifi to replicate its success in the UK and provide the customers an exceptional experience."

Stefan Murphy, Founder & Managing Director, Up & Away: "I have been fortunate to build this company from the ground up. I look forward to this immensely exciting phase of growth, and joining a leading aviation services organization like Unifi opens new doors. I want to thank George Rolls, our former Chairman, for his astute guidance and unwavering support through the formative years of the business and recent negotiations. I also want to thank all of Up & Away's staff and customers for their loyalty and contributions, without which this exciting expansion would not be possible."

Ernie Patterson, Chairman of International Business for Argenbright Group, will provide additional oversight of Unifi's UK aviation business and work with Up & Away's team to broaden operations into newer airports, including London Heathrow.

The Argenbright Group currently employs more than five thousand employees in the UK. This acquisition further strengthens the Argenbright Group's investment in the UK and its people and is part of its strategic commitment to the region.

About Unifi
Unifi Aviation, LLC^® is the largest ground handling & aviation services company in North America, servicing more than two million flights annually. The company has stations in over 200 airports and provides a full range of services, including ground handling, passenger transport, security, cabin services, ground support equipment maintenance, and much more. Unifi is a part of the Argenbright Group and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, visit unifiservice.com.

About Argenbright
The Argenbright Group is a privately held family of companies that provides tech-enabled solutions to various industries, including aviation services, facilities management, and commercial and government security. Argenbright Group was founded in 1979 by Atlanta-based entrepreneur Frank A. Argenbright, Jr., and has grown to a $1.4 billion global operation with presence across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Europe. The Argenbright portfolio includes Velociti Services, Unifi Aviation, and Argenbright Security Europe Limited (ASEL) among others.

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SOURCE Unifi