Island Construction Services has merged with trucking company AT&V to form Bermuda's largest container delivery service.

And the company's president, Zane De Silva, revealed that the business was seeking to expand even further later this year.

Island Construction, which was already the Island's largest residential and commercial excavation company, bought out AT&V on September 1 this year for an undisclosed sum.

The eight AT&V employees have been kept on by Island Construction and the former president of AT&V will remain as a consultant.

"What this means is that we will be able to serve our customers more effectively,'' said Mr. De Silva who announced the merger yesterday.

"Before AT&V took care of about 25 percent of weekly imports, and now together we take between about 35 and 45 percent of all container deliveries, which makes us the largest service provider.'' Tommy Chiappa, the former president of AT&V, said: "Previously customers came to AT&V to move a container, and we had to call Island Construction to get a crane or a fork lift.

"Now it can all be done in the same place.'' Island was started in 1961 by Howard De Silva as a construction company.

He retired in 1994 and today the business is run by his two sons, Zane and Allan and a third partner, Stephen Moniz.

In the past decade the expansion of the Island empire has been rapid.

In 1988 the company had 11 staff on its books with the business focusing on till excavation, trenching and demolition.

But since several companies have been swallowed up, Island now employs over 60 staff and has branches that work in asbestos abatement, landscaping, quarrying, and tyre business. The company also has a fleet of industrial trucks -- nine tractor heads, three cranes, four fork lifts and 105 chassis used for carrying containers.

"It is the biggest fleet across the Island,'' said Mr. Moniz.

He added: "Now we are together, if a customer called, there is nothing we could not supply them with.'' Building a better future: Island Construction, which has announced it has merged with AT&V, now has the largest fleet of industrial vehicles on the island.