08.02.2008

Fork Rent acquires Swift Plant

Fork Rent, the UK based telehandler rental company has acquired the operational assets of Ibstock, Leicestershire, based Swift Plant Hire.

Swift is the in-house equipment business of David Wilson Homes and boosts Fork Rents fleet by 120 telescopic handlers and more than 20 delivery vehicles. The transaction value has not been disclosed.

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, more than half of which are telescopic handlers. The company will now provide a complete equipment hire 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.”

Fork Rent made the news in 2006 when it ordered over 1,000 JCB telehandlers and added a number of Manitou rough terrain articulated booms, not to mention self erecting tower crane.