HSS Hire

What HSS Hire does

HSS ProService Marketplace, now operating as ProService Building Services Marketplace PLC (AIM: PRO, formerly HSS Hire Group plc), runs a two-sided B2B digital marketplace connecting UK building-services buyers with 650+ verified suppliers across 50,000+ products spanning equipment hire, equipment sales, building materials, fuel supply, and training. Founded in 1957 and listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2015, the business served approximately £300m of revenue in 2025 with 750 UK employees and holds an estimated 7-8% share of a UK equipment and plant hire market that remains dominated by small independents. Customers span enterprise construction (GRAHAM, McLaughlin & Harvey, Bellway, Severfield, Creagh Concrete), facilities management (ISS, Sodexo, CBRE, Amey), large retail (Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda, Sports Direct, JD Sports), and government/healthcare (MOD, NHS), with a separate HSS DIY sub-brand serving consumers and trade professionals.

The underlying platform provides real-time tracking, live project dashboards, digital ordering, automated off-hire, ESG/Scope 3 carbon dashboards, and greener-alternative prompts, and was named Tech Company of the Year (Large) at the UK Business Tech Awards in 2024. Distribution is hybrid: a self-serve digital marketplace for SME and mid-market buyers, supported by dedicated enterprise account managers and field sales for managed-service contracts such as the £6m ISS deal that spans 30+ countries. Revenue is generated through marketplace commissions on hire transactions (with about 60% of equipment sourced externally from suppliers), equipment sales, enterprise managed services, and the HSS Training division, which delivers 300+ accredited health, safety, and technical courses.

The business is being repositioned as Europe's largest stand-alone marketplace for building services following the November 2025 CMA-approved commercial agreement that makes Speedy Hire a customer, 9.99% shareholder, and sole rehire/resale supplier. The parent was simultaneously rebranded to ProService Building Services Marketplace PLC, with the AIM ticker changing from HSS to PRO on 28 November 2025, and The Hire Service Company (THSC) was announced for divestiture. Major shareholders Exponent (29.51%) and Ravensworth International (26.02%) anchor institutional ownership, ESG credentials include EcoVadis Platinum (top 1% globally) and SBTi-validated Net Zero by 2040 targets, and certifications span ISO 9001/14001/45001/27001, RISQS, and IPAF Rental+.

Name

HSS Hire

Legal name

HSS ProService Limited

Website

https://hsshiregroup.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ProService Building Services Marketplace PLC (AIM: PRO) operates Europe's largest stand-alone B2B marketplace for UK building services, connecting 650+ verified suppliers with 7,000+ active monthly accounts across equipment hire, materials, fuel, and training for enterprise, FM, retail, and public-sector customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Services Equipment Hire Marketplace

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Office Supplies, IT & Workplace Procurement Marketplaces (CRAFAHAF)

Keywords

• Equipment hire marketplace
• Construction plant rental
• Building services platform
• Tool and equipment hire
• Facilities management supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Marketplace Commission / Transaction Fee: HSS ProService operates a two-sided marketplace connecting buyers with 650+ verified suppliers. Revenue is generated through commissions on hire transactions and transaction fees from the marketplace platform, aggregating supply from external suppliers (60% of equipment sourced externally) alongside HSS's own fleet.
2. Equipment Sales: Sale of owned equipment and machinery to customers who prefer to buy rather than hire. Sourced through HSS's own fleet and supplier network.
3. Managed Services / Professional Services: Fully managed service for enterprise customers handling their entire hire supply chain. Example: ISS £6m managed service contract. Includes dedicated account management, custom service packages, and end-to-end procurement support.
4. HSS Training: Health and safety technical training provided through HSS Training division. Offers face-to-face, virtual classrooms, and e-learning across 300+ courses. Leading provider in PASMA, IPAF, and Ladder Association accreditations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HSS ProService operates Europe's largest stand-alone B2B digital marketplace for UK building services, aggregating 650+ verified suppliers and 50,000+ products for equipment hire, equipment sales, building materials, fuel supply and training procurement. The platform combines free self-serve digital ordering with dedicated account management, real-time tracking, automated off-hire, ESG/Scope 3 carbon reporting and click & collect across 3,000+ supplier locations. A separately operated consumer sub-brand (HSS DIY) and a paid training division (HSS Training with 300+ accredited courses) complete the offering.

Product overview

HSS ProService operates a three-brand portfolio: HSS ProService Marketplace (the core B2B digital marketplace), HSS DIY (consumer/small trader sub-brand via hss.com), and HSS Training (health and safety training division). The Marketplace is a hybrid platform combining digital self-serve capabilities with expert-assisted service, offering access to 50,000+ products across equipment hire, equipment sales, building materials, fuel supply, and training. The platform differentiates through real-time site visibility, automated ordering/off-hire, built-in ESG/sustainability tools including a Scope 3 Carbon Dashboard and Greener Alternatives prompts, and 24/7 personalized support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HSS DIY: Equipment hire for homeowners, small traders and community projects
• HSS Training

Products and services

• HSS ProService Marketplace Digital B2B marketplace platform connecting buyers with 650+ verified UK suppliers for equipment hire, equipment purchase, building materials, fuel supply and training procurement, with real-time tracking, automated ordering and off-hire, ESG/Scope 3 carbon reporting, and 24/7 expert-assisted support.
• Access Equipment Hire Hire of powered access platforms, scissor lifts, boom lifts and alloy towers for working at height, with specialist advisory on kit selection, safety compliance and nationwide delivery coordination.
• Plant & Heavy Equipment Hire
• Building Materials
• Power, Heating & Climate Solutions
• Fuel Supply
• Equipment Sales
• HSS DIY
• HSS Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Hire is 5% of spend but 45% of invoice queries — HSS ProService addresses this fundamental inefficiency in the equipment hire sector.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, core and minor.

• Speedy Hireflagship / coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025CMA-approved commercial agreement making Speedy Hire a customer, shareholder (9.99% stake), and supplier for HSS ProService Marketplace. Speedy becomes sole supplier for rehire and resale. HSS Training will also enter a commercial agreement with Speedy's training division. Creates Europe's largest stand-alone marketplace for building services.
• ISScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorISS, a leading workplace experience and facility management company with presence in 30+ countries and 27,000+ UK and Ireland employees, selected HSS ProService as its official hire supply chain partner after a competitive tender. £6 million managed service covering ISS's entire hire supply chain across sectors including banking, healthcare, and public services.
• Taylor Construction PlantminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier partner providing hydrogen-powered lighting towers as part of HSS ProService's greener alternatives initiative. Contributes to the platform's eco-friendly product range and ESG reporting capabilities.
• L Lynch (L. Lynch Plant & Tool Hire)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSustainable supply partner providing electric, hybrid, and Tier 5 plant equipment. Part of the platform's strategy to offer low-carbon product alternatives and support customer ESG goals.
• Liberty GuardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier partner offering generator-free welfare units that eliminate on-site emissions. Part of HSS ProService's greener alternatives product range.
• Nixon HireminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier partner providing solar frames and hybrid generator units as part of HSS ProService's sustainability-focused product range.
• IDE RentalsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier partner providing effective power distribution systems through HSS ProService Marketplace.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Speedy Hire: UK tool and equipment hire company, recently entered a CMA-approved commercial agreement with HSS to become customer, supplier, and shareholder. Most direct overlap in product categories, customers, and geographic footprint.
• Boels Rental: Major European equipment rental company offering tools, plant, and powered access across multiple countries. Direct peer in the equipment hire category with comparable product breadth and customer segments, though broader geographic footprint.
• Loxam: Europe's largest equipment rental company operating across construction, industrial, and event hire. Closely comparable in scale, product range, and B2B customer base; provides a blueprint for pan-European marketplace ambition.
• Aggreko: Global specialist in temporary power, heating, and cooling equipment rental. Comparable in serving construction and industrial customers with project-based equipment needs; relevant peer for HSS's Power, Heating & Climate Solutions category.

Broad incumbents

• Ashtead Group (Sunbelt Rentals): FTSE 100 equipment rental giant operating Sunbelt Rentals in the UK and North America. Largest UK plant hire competitor to HSS, with broader scale and main-market listing that gives it access to cheaper capital for expansion.
• Travis Perkins: UK builders' merchant and tool hire operator with extensive branch network. Comparable in serving construction customers but focused on materials distribution with hire as an adjacent offering rather than a marketplace play.
• Amazon Business: Largest B2B procurement marketplace globally, serving enterprise customers with broad MRO and facilities spend. Adjacent comparator for marketplace dynamics, procurement workflow design, and enterprise contracting playbook.
• Ferguson (FERG): Large UK/US distributor of plumbing, heating, and building services products serving contractors and facilities operators. Comparable in B2B construction-services customer base and integrated distribution model.
• Sunbelt Rentals (US): Largest equipment rental company in North America and part of Ashtead Group. Comparable in category leadership and scale of fleet; useful benchmark for the upper bound of equipment rental platform economics.

Emerging players

• Toolstation: UK trade and DIY tool retailer with strong e-commerce platform and branch network. Competes with HSS DIY sub-brand for trade and consumer tool buyers, though focused on sales rather than hire.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubepodcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drill-a-hss-proservice-podcast/id1745693799
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hss-hiregroup

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 HSS Hire