Equistone-backed BUKO strengthens presence in the Greater London area with acquisition of Keltic Traffic Management

BUKO Group ("BUKO"), a leading European provider of temporary traffic management services, has further strengthened its UK presence with the acquisition of Keltic Traffic Management Limited ("Keltic"). Keltic is a specialist in complex London-based temporary traffic management operations. The company’s high-quality and reliable service offering has driven significant growth in recent years, and this acquisition represents a key milestone for BUKO as it aims to become the market leader in the UK.

Headquartered in Barendrecht, the Netherlands, BUKO employs over 1,000 people across four countries and successfully oversees thousands of projects annually. Founded in 1991, the company specialises in temporary traffic management solutions. With its comprehensive portfolio of services – from design, planning, approval, deployment and collection, as well as onsite management of road signage, safety equipment required for roadworks and an innovative range of digital traffic management solutions – BUKO primarily serves contractors and public authorities, active in utility-related and urban/rural roadworks. 

Since funds advised by Equistone acquired a majority stake in BUKO in February 2023, the company has pursued a growth strategy focused on building its presence in its home market and targeted expansion into other European countries supported by strong market dynamics. In March 2024, BUKO established a foothold in the attractive UK market by acquiring Road Traffic Solutions, which was further strengthened in November 2024 with the acquisition of Hooke Highways. BUKO entered the German market in October 2024 with the acquisition of BVT Bremer Verkehrstechnik, and the Swedish market in March 2025 with the acquisition of Sweden-based Road Rental. 

With the acquisition of Keltic, BUKO continues this international growth strategy. Founded in 2016 by Damien and Karla Kelly, Keltic provides a high-quality, reliable and flexible service to a diverse customer base, which includes some of the largest civils, utility and telecommunications companies in the UK.

“We are proud of what we, together with the team, have built in recent years,” said Damien Kelly, founder and Managing Director of Keltic. “The partnership with BUKO will provide additional support and capabilities to further enhance the service we provide to our customers, and we look forward to this next phase in Keltic’s development. We believe this step will also provide attractive opportunities to our employees to further develop within a strong, international organisation.”

Robert Emmerich, CEO of BUKO, said: “I have been impressed by the entrepreneurship of Damien and Karla Kelly, and by their customer-centric and results-oriented way of working. Their approach perfectly matches that of BUKO: professional, flexible and with a focus on customers. With this strategic acquisition, we further strengthen our position in the Greater London area.”

Hubert van Wolfswinkel, Partner in Equistone’s Amsterdam office, said: “Keltic has proven to be a highly successful London-based traffic management specialist, and we are excited to partner with this ambitious company and team. This is the latest step in BUKO’s strategy of becoming the leading temporary traffic management provider across the UK and Europe.”

BUKO was advised by PwC (Financial & Tax), Ashfords and Clifford Chance (Legal), Roland Berger (Commercial) and Marsh (Insurance).

Keltic was advised on the transaction by Clearwater (M&A) and Addleshaw Goddard (Legal).