Speedy Hire
Speedy Hire is a United Kingdom-based provider of tool and equipment hire services for construction, infrastructure, and industrial customers.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Speedy Hire is a British equipment-rental brand serving professional and industrial customers. Its business centers on the hire of tools, machinery, and related equipment, with services directed particularly toward the construction, infrastructure, and industrial sectors. Rather than operating primarily as a consumer product manufacturer, the company provides access to equipment for defined work projects, allowing customers to rent assets instead of purchasing and maintaining an entire fleet themselves. The business originated in Wigan in 1977, when John Brown founded it as a division of Allen Group plc. This origin placed Speedy Hire within the wider development of the United Kingdom's equipment-rental market, where contractors and industrial operators increasingly used specialist hire companies to manage capital costs, equipment availability, and project-related demand. The company later developed into a standalone public business and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 1993. Speedy Hire's principal operating footprint is in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its network includes more than two hundred fixed sites, giving the business a geographically distributed presence for serving construction and other commercial customers. The branch-based model supports the practical requirements of equipment hire, including local availability, collection and delivery, and repeat service relationships with contractors and industrial users. The company has also pursued activity in energy-related markets outside the British Isles. In 2012, it established a branch in the United Arab Emirates to serve oil and gas customers. That business was subsequently sold to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in March 2021, marking a retreat from direct operation of that UAE activity. Speedy Hire continues to have exposure to oil and gas markets in Kazakhstan through a joint venture, according to the referenced company description. Its brand positioning is therefore based on operational access rather than ownership of equipment: Speedy Hire supplies tools and equipment, together with the service infrastructure needed by organizations undertaking construction, infrastructure, maintenance, and industrial work. The available reference material does not provide a detailed current product catalogue, financial profile, executive roster, or confirmed current stock-market status. Those areas require further verification beyond the supplied sources.
History
Speedy Hire was established in Wigan in 1977 by John Brown as a division of Allen Group plc. Its original business was built around hiring tools and equipment, an operating model that enabled construction and industrial customers to obtain machinery for particular jobs without making a permanent purchase. The company consequently developed as a service business in the professional equipment-rental sector rather than as a manufacturer of branded tools. The business expanded from its original divisional status and became a public company. Speedy Hire was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 1993. This listing represented an important transition in the company's corporate development, providing it with a public-market identity and a platform for operating at a larger scale. The supplied reference does not specify the exact corporate restructuring that preceded the listing or provide details of subsequent ownership changes. Over time, Speedy Hire built a substantial branch network in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The referenced description records more than two hundred fixed sites across these markets. This network is central to the company's operating model because equipment rental depends on local access, logistical coordination, and the ability to support customers across multiple project locations. The company serves construction, infrastructure, and industrial markets, where demand can vary according to project schedules and operational requirements. Speedy Hire also expanded into international energy markets. In 2012, it established a branch in the United Arab Emirates to serve the oil and gas sector. This move extended the company's activity beyond its core British and Irish network and aligned the hire business with the equipment needs of energy companies and contractors operating in the Gulf region. The UAE operation was later sold to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in March 2021. The transaction ended Speedy Hire's direct ownership or operation of that business, although the supplied material does not state the consideration, transaction structure, or precise post-sale arrangements. The company retains a presence in oil and gas markets in Kazakhstan through a joint venture. This indicates that Speedy Hire's international activity has not been limited entirely to its United Kingdom and Ireland network, while also showing a more selective approach to overseas operations than a wholly owned global branch model. The available sources do not identify the joint-venture partner, its formation date, or the scale of its Kazakhstan activities. In its current described form, Speedy Hire is a professional hire-services business with a national-scale UK and Ireland infrastructure and selected international exposure through a Kazakhstan joint venture. Its role is to make tools and equipment available to commercial users in construction, infrastructure, industry, and energy-related work. Detailed information on present leadership, financial performance, current listing status, product categories, and recent strategic developments is not provided in the supplied reference material.
- 2021
Sale of UAE oil and gas business
[1]Speedy Hire sold its United Arab Emirates oil and gas business to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in March 2021.
- 2012
United Arab Emirates expansion
[1]The company established a UAE branch to serve oil and gas customers.
- 1993
First London Stock Exchange listing
[1]Speedy Hire was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 1993.
- 1977
Founded in Wigan
[1]John Brown founded Speedy Hire in Wigan as a division of Allen Group plc.
Products and positioning
A professional equipment-hire provider focused on dependable access to tools and machinery for construction, infrastructure, industrial, and selected energy-sector customers.
Equipment rental · 1977
Tools and equipment hire
Speedy Hire's core offering is the rental of tools and equipment to professional customers. The service is intended for organizations that need access to equipment for construction, infrastructure, industrial, or related work without acquiring every asset outright. The supplied reference does not provide a detailed list of individual tool types, machine models, or hire terms.
Construction equipment rental
Construction and infrastructure equipment services
The company serves construction and infrastructure markets through its branch network and equipment-hire operations. These services support project-based requirements, where contractors may need equipment at different locations and for varying durations. Specific service packages, delivery arrangements, and equipment categories are not detailed in the supplied sources.
Industrial equipment rental
Industrial and oil and gas equipment hire
Speedy Hire provides equipment-hire services to industrial and energy-sector customers. Its international oil and gas activities have included a former UAE branch and a Kazakhstan joint venture. The UAE business was sold in 2021; the available material does not specify the precise products or services supplied in either market.
Brand decisions
2021
Sale of the United Arab Emirates oil and gas businessM&ABackground
Speedy Hire had established a UAE branch in 2012 to serve oil and gas customers.
Action taken
The company sold the UAE oil and gas business to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in March 2021.
Aftermath
The sale removed the UAE operation from Speedy Hire's directly operated business portfolio. The supplied source does not state the transaction value or describe subsequent operational changes.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
ADNOC Logistics and Services acquires Speedy Hire's UAE assets[2]
Reported:
ADNOC Logistics and Services acquired all UAE-based assets of Speedy Hire, including equipment, stock and other fixed assets.
Speedy Hire announces James Bunn as CFO[3]
Reported:
Speedy Hire announced that James Bunn would become its Chief Financial Officer, with his role due to start on 14 September 2020.
Sources4 sources
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