Horizon Platforms

What Horizon Platforms does

Horizon Platforms is a UK privately-held powered access rental and training provider, founded in 2008 by Ben Hirst and Matthew Fray in Horbury, West Yorkshire, and now headquartered in a purpose-built 47,000 sq ft super depot in Normanton, Wakefield. The company rents Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) — scissor lifts, cherry pickers/boom lifts, personnel lifts, push-around verticals, material lifts, working podiums and mobile scaffold towers — through short-term hire, contract hire, and finance-leased arrangements, while also running an IPAF-approved training centre delivering IPAF and PASMA courses and an in-house maintenance service for access platforms. Customers are concentrated in vertical markets including construction, warehousing and logistics, facilities management, mechanical and electrical contracting, fit-out, racking installation, manufacturing, and food processing/retail; named enterprise users include DHL and an unnamed national supermarket retailer and national electrical contractor.

Revenue flows from five streams: equipment hire (recurring), platform sales via the dedicated PlatformSupermarket.com storefront (one-time), IPAF/PASMA training (professional services), maintenance services (managed services), and finance leasing brokered through DLL. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with on-account credit terms, a 24/7 self-service HireHub digital portal, and a nationwide partner network of 31 independently owned powered access specialists across 64 UK depots, providing access to 16,000+ platforms alongside the company's own fleet of several hundred MEWPs. Pricing is quote-based against credit-account terms, with operational commitments including a 98.4% on-time delivery rate, 98% trouble-free hire days, and 4-hour rapid delivery on core kit.

The business is differentiated primarily by compliance and quality credentials rather than proprietary technology: it holds IPAF Rental+ Gold status (world's first rental business to achieve, 2018), a triple crown of ISO certifications (9001/14001/45001), Safe Contractor and FORS Bronze accreditation, and a 16-consecutive-year clean IPAF Training Centre audit (through 2025). In 2021, ownership transitioned from the founders to an Employee Ownership Trust, making all employees beneficiaries — a structure the company describes as unique within the MEWP hire industry and which underpins its Best Companies 2-star accreditation (BCI 696.5) and an NPS of 75.

Name

Horizon Platforms

Legal name

Horizon Platforms Ltd.

Website

https://horizonplatforms.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Horizon Platforms is a UK-based powered access rental and training provider offering MEWPs — scissor lifts, boom lifts, personnel lifts and material lifts — for hire, sale, training and maintenance. It serves construction, warehousing, facilities management, M&E, and retail customers across the UK through direct sales, the HireHub digital portal, and a 31-partner network spanning 64 depots.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Powered Access Equipment Rental & Training

NAICS

Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (81121), Elevator and Moving Stairway Manufacturing (333921)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Lifting Platforms & Aerial Work Platforms (MEWPs) (IMAHAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerial Access & Lift Equipment MRO (Boom/Scissor Lifts, Telehandlers) (TLAKAHAD), Field Service Management (FSM) & Dispatch Platforms (HDAEALAM)

Keywords

• Powered access rental
• Mobile elevating work platforms
• Scissor lift hire
• Cherry picker hire
• IPAF training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Normanton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Equipment Hire: Short-term and contract hire of powered access platforms (scissor lifts, cherry pickers, personnel lifts, push around platforms). Core revenue stream with options for daily, weekly, and long-term rental. Some platforms available within 2-4 hours.
2. Platform Sales: Sale of new and used access platforms through PlatformSupermarket.com. Includes various financing options including hire purchase (36-84 months) and contract hire. Part-exchange accepted.
3. Access Platform Training: IPAF and PASMA training courses for MEWP operators, demonstrators, and managers. 96% pass rate. Training available at Wakefield depot or onsite.
4. Maintenance Services: Maintenance and servicing of access platforms through dedicated team of field engineers. Aftercare packages available for purchased equipment.
5. Finance Leasing: Finance leasing options through DLL for contract hire arrangements. Credit facilities for business customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Horizon Platforms provides short-term and contract hire of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) — scissor lifts, cherry pickers/boom lifts, personnel lifts, push around verticals, material lifts, working podiums, and mobile scaffold towers — to UK businesses, alongside IPAF and PASMA training courses, maintenance and aftercare services, and a digital HireHub portal for 24/7 self-service account management. Their own fleet of several hundred platforms is supplemented by a nationwide network of 31 partner depots giving access to 16,000+ machines, with rapid same-day delivery available in some cases within 4 hours.

Product overview

Horizon Platforms operates as a powered access rental and training provider offering a comprehensive fleet of MEWPs (Mobile Elevating Work Platforms). The core offering includes scissor lifts, cherry pickers (boom lifts), personnel lifts, push around verticals, material lifts, and mobile scaffold towers available for short-term hire, contract hire, or purchase. The company provides IPAF and PASMA training services, maintenance support, and operates PlatformSupermarket.com as a dedicated sales channel for new and used platforms. Their HireHub digital portal enables online ordering, tracking, and account management, while the Platform Finder tool helps customers select appropriate equipment. Additional services include the Platform Protect damage waiver, finance leasing through DLL, and contract hire options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PlatformSupermarket.com: A dedicated MEWP (Mobile Elevating Work Platform) purchasing website created by Horizon Platforms to allow businesses to buy new or used access platforms.
• HireHub

Products and services

• Scissor Lift Hire Short-term and contract hire of scissor lifts with working heights from 6m (19ft) to 8m+ (26ft) including narrow electric scissor lifts for restricted environments and diesel variants for outdoor use, available for construction, warehousing, fit-out, and facilities management customers.
• Cherry Picker / Boom Lift Hire Rental of articulating, telescopic, and vertical mast boom lifts for working at height, available in electric and diesel variants with reach capabilities from 6m to 14m+ (45ft), serving construction, facilities management, M&E, and retail fit-out customers.
• Personnel Lift Hire Compact man lifts suitable for restricted environments such as narrow aisles, with platform capacities up to 250kg, ideal for warehousing and indoor building applications.
• Push Around Vertical (PAV) Hire Manual push platform lifts that require no power to move and are powered only when raising or lowering the platform, suitable for low-level work at height.
• Material Lift Hire Equipment for lifting materials to elevated work positions, used across construction, warehousing, and fit-out sites.
• Working Podium Hire Low-level access equipment for working at height, intended for indoor fit-out and maintenance tasks.
• Mobile Scaffold Tower Hire Mobile scaffold towers for elevated work access, providing an alternative to MEWPs for sites where towers are appropriate.
• Contract Hire Long-term rental agreements for access platforms, available across the MEWP fleet, suitable for customers needing ongoing equipment access without ownership.
• PlatformSupermarket.com (New & Used MEWP Sales) E-commerce platform for businesses to purchase new access platforms (including Dingli electric scissor lifts) and approved used MEWPs with up to 180-day warranty, finance options such as hire purchase (36-84 months), contract hire, part-exchange, and aftercare maintenance packages.
• IPAF Training Courses IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) operator, demonstrator, and instructor training — including 1b static boom, 3a mobile scissor, 3b mobile boom, combined 1b/3a/3b, push around vertical, safety harness, and advanced manager/demonstrator/instructor courses — delivered at the Wakefield depot or onsite.
• PASMA Training Courses PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers' and Manufacturers' Association) Towers for Users and combined IPAF & PASMA courses for scaffold tower operators, delivered as part of Horizon's training services.
• Maintenance & Servicing Services Maintenance and servicing of access platforms, including aftercare packages for purchased equipment, delivered by a dedicated team of field engineers supporting customers with both rented and owned MEWPs.
• Platform Protect — Hire Waiver Optional damage waiver product providing protection for hired MEWP equipment against accidental damage during the hire period.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.4% on-time delivery rate
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IPAF (International Powered Access Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon Platforms is an IPAF-approved training centre offering IPAF courses (1b, 3a, 3b combined, PAL renewals, demonstrator, pre-delivery inspection, instructor courses). They were the world's first rental business to achieve IPAF Rental+ Gold status.
• PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers' and Manufacturers' Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon Platforms offers PASMA training courses including Towers for Users and combined IPAF & PASMA courses. PASMA is the trade association for the mobile access tower industry.
• Dingli (Zhejiang Dingli Machinery)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatformSupermarket.com is an authorised end user dealer for Dingli access platforms. Dingli offers electric scissor lifts with direct electric drive motors, sealed maintenance-free batteries, and hydraulic oil-free electric lift actuators.
• Independent Powered Access Partners (31 companies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 31 independently owned powered access specialists across UK with 64 depots. Partners share commitment to technical excellence and safety compliance. Horizon monitors and tracks partner performance against high standards and accreditations.
• Best CompaniesminorOthersBest Companies assessed Horizon Platforms and awarded 2-star accreditation, ranking them 94 in UK Best Mid-Sized Companies. Their BCI score was 696.5.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Height for Hire: UK and Ireland MEWP specialist offering scissor lifts, boom lifts, and training. Comparable on product range, IPAF training delivery, and focus on work-at-height compliance.
• Kew Platforms: Mid-sized UK MEWP rental specialist with national presence and IPAF-accredited operator training. Directly comparable on core hire, training, and customer verticals.
• Nationwide Platforms: UK MEWP specialist rental business with one of the largest dedicated powered access fleets in the country. Closest direct peer to Horizon given shared product focus, national coverage, and IPAF-aligned training offering.
• AFI Rentals: UK division of Sunbelt Rentals and one of the largest UK powered access specialists, offering scissor lifts, boom lifts, and IPAF training across an extensive depot network. Directly comparable to Horizon on product, customer, and IPAF Rental+ accreditation model.
• Star Platforms: UK independent MEWP hire specialist with multiple depots and strong service reputation. Direct peer in the IPAF-accredited regional-to-national MEWP rental segment.

Broad incumbents

• Speedy Hire: Largest UK equipment rental group, listed on the London Stock Exchange, offering broader plant and tool hire alongside powered access. Comparable as a national multi-vertical rental operator with overlapping MEWP customer base.
• Manitou Group: Global OEM of aerial work platforms, telehandlers, and material handling equipment with associated rental and service operations. Comparable through its MEWP product portfolio, dealer-network model (similar to Horizon's partner network), and finance-leasing capabilities.
• JLG Industries: Global MEWP OEM (aerial work platforms) and rental operator through JLG Rental. Material competitor and supplier to UK rental channels — comparable given Horizon resells Dingli and other OEM platforms.
• Sunbelt Rentals UK: UK arm of the world's largest equipment rental company with significant MEWP capability through the AFI acquisition. Overlaps with Horizon on UK powered access, IPAF training, and large-enterprise customers.

Regional players

• Niftylift: UK-based MEWP manufacturer and self-propelled aerial platform specialist. Comparable as a UK-headquartered work-at-height platform business with overlapping technical expertise, though competing more on manufacturing than rental.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Horizon_Ltd

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Horizon Platforms