Fork
Rent plc expands with the acquisition of Swift Plant Hire
Leading
independent hire firm Fork Rent plc has acquired the mechanical assets
of Ibstock-based rental business Swift Plant Hire, the in-house plant
business of David Wilson Homes, boosting its fleet to more than 1,400
items of plant. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, includes in excess of
120 telescopic handlers and more than 20 delivery vehicles.
As part of the acquisition, Fork Rent has signed an 18-month sole-supply
agreement with David Wilson Homes, to provide plant and equipment to all
of the company’s house building sites across the UK.
Fork Rent, based in Ipswich, Suffolk, currently runs more than 1,200 machines
in its hire fleet, more than half of which are telescopic handlers. The
hire firm had already been supplying machines to many of David Wilson’s
sites, but will now provide a complete plant service to the house building
contractor.
“There was a great deal of synergy between the two fleets, but this
deal will mean more than simply adding 120 machines to our business,”
says Fork Rent director Guy Nicholls.
“We run the youngest fleet of telehandlers in the country, 14 months
is the maximum turnaround for our machines. We will therefore be renewing
all of these additional telehandlers within the next six months.
“This acquisition is part of our ongoing plan to grow the business,
and we will be making further announcements in the coming months.”