HOUSTON — National Trench Safety, a Houston-based company specializing in the rental and sales of trench and traffic safety equipment as well as OSHA-compliant training classes, last month announced the acquisition of certain operating assets of On-Grade Systems Inc., a Houston-based laser, survey instrument and machine control products sales and repair company. NTS also hired some of On-Grade Systems' employees.

“The assets and employees we gained in this transaction allow NTS to open a large and fully staffed laser-repair division in our Houston branch operation,” said NTS president Ron Chilton. “On-Grade has a large nationwide customer base that will allow NTS to expand its business reach to new areas of the country. In addition, NTS will now be able to offer very sophisticated laser, machine control and survey instrument repair capabilities to all of our customers in each of our branch locations. This is a major step in our goal to provide our customers the ultimate one-stop service partner they are looking for.”

The new laser division will be managed by Steve Wratchford, past president of On-Grade. Wratchford has more than 15 years direct experience in the sale and repairs of laser, survey instruments and machine control products.

Chilton added that with the objective of building a nationwide network of trench and traffic safety branches, NTS plans to open two to three other new branch operations in the second half of 2006, with more to follow.

In addition to its Houston headquarters, NTS has branches in Beaumont, San Antonio and Austin, Texas; Gonzales, La.; and Fremont, Calif.