Kennards Hire
A privately owned equipment-hire company serving construction, trade, industrial, and household customers in Australia and New Zealand.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Kennards Hire is an Australian privately owned equipment-hire company whose roots date to 1948, when Walter Kennard established W Kennard Agencies in Bathurst, New South Wales. The original business sold equipment and machinery and acted as an agent for several automotive and industrial brands. Its later development into a hire company was prompted by a practical customer transaction: rather than buying a concrete mixer, a customer rented one for a fee. That model became the basis for the business that would eventually operate under the Kennards Hire name. The family business moved to Sydney in 1951 and initially operated from the garage of the Kennard family home in Mosman. During the 1950s and 1960s it diversified into manufacturing roof racks and changed its trading name to W Kennard Industries. The company expanded its physical network through additional locations in Artarmon, Rydalmere, and Alexandria, establishing the branch-based operating model that later supported its equipment-hire growth. Kennards also entered the self-storage sector in the 1970s. Six storage garages were developed behind its Moorebank hire store in 1973, initially under the Kennards Mini Storage name and later as Easi-Stor. By 1990, the self-storage operation had grown to 14 branches in Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane. In 1991, brothers Andy and Neville Kennard divided the family business: Andy retained the equipment-hire operation, while Neville took responsibility for self-storage. Kennards Self Storage subsequently developed as a separate business from Kennards Hire. The hire business expanded substantially during the 1990s. Kennards Hire acquired eight stores from GKN in 1992 and bought the remaining ten GKN stores two years later. Further acquisitions and newly developed branches extended its Australian footprint, and by 2000 the company had operations in all mainland Australian states. In 2012, it entered New Zealand through an acquisition, turning the business into a two-country equipment-hire network. A company description cited by Wikipedia recorded 146 branches across Australia and New Zealand in 2021. Kennards Hire provides access to equipment that customers may need temporarily rather than purchase outright. Its publicly described range includes construction and site equipment such as excavators, scaffolding, and generators, as well as tools and other equipment used by tradespeople, contractors, industrial customers, and household users. The hire model can support short-term construction work, maintenance, renovations, events, and other projects, although the available reference material does not provide a complete current catalogue or detailed service segmentation. The brand remains associated with family ownership and a broad branch network rather than with a listed corporate group. Since 2017, Kennards Hire has also held the naming-rights sponsorship of Sydney FC, giving the company a visible presence in Australian sports marketing. Its current positioning is based on equipment access, branch availability, and a wide range of hire categories across Australia and New Zealand.
History
Kennards Hire began in 1948 as W Kennard Agencies, founded by Walter Kennard in Bathurst, New South Wales. The initial enterprise sold equipment and machinery and represented brands including Caltex, Hillman, Humber, and Lightburn. The transition toward equipment hire arose from a customer need: a concrete mixer that might otherwise have been purchased was instead supplied for temporary use in return for a fee. This transaction illustrated the commercial potential of renting equipment rather than requiring every customer to own it. In 1951, the Kennard family moved to Sydney, where the business operated from the garage of the family home in Mosman. The company diversified during the 1950s by manufacturing roof racks and adopted the name W Kennard Industries in 1954. Operations moved to Dickson Avenue in Artarmon and later, in 1960, to the Pacific Highway in Greenwich. Branch growth followed with a second location on Victoria Road in Rydalmere in 1967 and a third on Botany Road in Alexandria in 1969. The Greenwich branch was relocated to Herbert Street, Artarmon, in 1972. A significant diversification occurred in 1973, when Kennards built six self-storage garages behind its Moorebank hire store. The activity was initially branded Kennards Mini Storage and was renamed Easi-Stor in 1979. By 1990, the self-storage operation had expanded to 14 branches in Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane. In 1991, brothers Andy and Neville Kennard separated the family interests. Andy retained the equipment-hire business, while Neville assumed the self-storage operation. This division created the basis for Kennards Hire and Kennards Self Storage to develop independently. Kennards Hire pursued expansion through acquisitions and new branch development during the 1990s. In 1992, it bought eight stores from GKN and acquired the remaining ten GKN stores two years later. The combination of acquisitions and greenfield sites enabled the hire business to establish a presence in all mainland Australian states by 2000. The company later expanded beyond Australia: in 2012, it entered New Zealand through an acquisition. This gave Kennards Hire a trans-Tasman operating footprint while preserving its focus on equipment rental. The business model is based on making equipment available for temporary use. The reference material identifies excavators, scaffolding, generators, and concrete mixers among the equipment associated with the company, alongside broader construction, industrial, and tool-hire categories. Its branch network serves customers who need equipment for projects without making a permanent purchase, including construction and trade users as well as other customers requiring short-term access. By 2021, the company was described as operating 146 branches across Australia and New Zealand. Kennards Hire has remained privately owned and family associated, rather than becoming a publicly listed company. Brand-building has also included sports sponsorship: from 2017, Kennards Hire became the naming-rights sponsor of Sydney FC. The available reference material does not identify a current chief executive, provide audited financial figures, or document a complete chronology of later acquisitions and product developments.
- 2021
The network is reported at 146 branches
[1]The company is described as having 146 branches across Australia and New Zealand.
- 2017
Sydney FC naming-rights sponsorship begins
[1]Kennards Hire becomes the naming-rights sponsor of Sydney FC.
- 2012
Kennards Hire enters New Zealand
[1]The company expands into New Zealand through an acquisition.
- 2000
The company reaches all mainland Australian states
[1]Through acquisitions and newly developed branches, Kennards Hire establishes a presence in all mainland Australian states.
- 1994
The remaining GKN stores are acquired
[1]Kennards Hire purchases the remaining ten GKN stores, further extending its equipment-hire network.
- 1992
Kennards acquires eight GKN stores
[1]Kennards Hire purchases eight stores from GKN as part of its Australian expansion.
- 1991
The family business is divided
[1]Andy Kennard retains the equipment-hire business while Neville Kennard takes the self-storage operation.
- 1973
Kennards enters self-storage
[1]Six self-storage garages are built behind the Moorebank hire store, creating the foundation of the later self-storage business.
- 1969
A third branch opens
[1]A third branch opens on Botany Road in Alexandria.
- 1967
A second branch opens
[1]Kennard opens a second branch on Victoria Road in Rydalmere, expanding its Sydney operating network.
Products and positioning
A family-owned, branch-based equipment-hire provider offering temporary access to construction, trade, industrial, and general-purpose equipment across Australia and New Zealand.
Construction equipment
Excavators
Excavators are among the construction machines associated with Kennards Hire. They provide temporary earthmoving and excavation capability for building, landscaping, trenching, and related site work, allowing customers to access machinery without purchasing and maintaining it permanently.
Access and site equipment
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is part of the company’s site-equipment offering. Hire access to scaffolding can support construction, renovation, maintenance, and elevated work where temporary working platforms are required. The available source material does not specify the full range of systems or configurations.
Temporary power equipment
Generators
Generators provide temporary electrical power for construction sites, industrial activities, events, maintenance work, and other situations where permanent power may be unavailable or insufficient. Kennards Hire identifies generators among its major hire categories.
Construction equipment
Concrete mixers
Concrete mixers are closely connected to the origin story of Kennards Hire: a customer rented a mixer instead of buying one, illustrating the temporary-access model that shaped the company. The equipment is used for concrete preparation in construction, renovation, and related projects.
Tools and equipment hire
Tools and trade equipment
Kennards Hire provides a broader range of tools and equipment for trades, construction, maintenance, and general project work. The reference material does not enumerate the current catalogue, but this category complements the company’s larger machinery, access, and site-equipment lines.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Sydney FC naming-rights sponsorship
Australia
Kennards Hire began a naming-rights sponsorship of Sydney FC, linking the equipment-hire brand with a prominent Australian football club and extending its consumer-facing marketing beyond branch operations.
Outcome. The sponsorship is described as continuing from 2017, although the available material does not provide campaign metrics or financial terms.
Brand decisions
2012
Enter the New Zealand marketM&ABackground
Kennards Hire had built a substantial Australian network and pursued expansion beyond its home market.
Action taken
The company entered New Zealand through an acquisition.
Aftermath
Kennards Hire became a trans-Tasman equipment-hire business operating in Australia and New Zealand.
1994
Acquire the remaining GKN storesM&ABackground
Following the 1992 purchase of eight GKN stores, Kennards continued consolidating its Australian hire network.
Action taken
Kennards Hire acquired the remaining ten GKN stores.
Aftermath
The transaction supported the company’s subsequent expansion across mainland Australia.
1992
Acquire eight GKN storesM&ABackground
Kennards Hire was expanding its Australian equipment-hire network through acquisitions.
Action taken
The company purchased eight stores from GKN.
Aftermath
The acquisition increased Kennards Hire’s branch presence and preceded the purchase of the remaining GKN stores in 1994.
1991
Separate the hire and self-storage businessesStrategyBackground
The Kennard family operated both equipment hire and self-storage, but the two brothers decided to divide the business interests.
Action taken
Andy Kennard retained the equipment-hire operation, while Neville Kennard took the self-storage business.
Aftermath
Kennards Hire and Kennards Self Storage developed as separate businesses.
Recent events
- 2017
Kennards Hire begins Sydney FC naming-rights sponsorship[1]
Campaign
Kennards Hire became the naming-rights sponsor of Sydney FC, a partnership that continued to provide the equipment-hire brand with sports-marketing visibility.
Sources2 sources
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