HSS Hire
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.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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+.
HSS Hire firmographics
Firmographics- 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
HSS Hire industry classification
Industry- 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
Where HSS Hire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
HSS Hire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free credit account with no subscriptions or contracts |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise managed services (custom pricing) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
HSS Hire product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use HSS Hire
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
HSS Hire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
HSS Hire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, core and minor.
- Speedy Hireflagship / coreCMA-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.
- ISScoreISS, 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 PlantminorSupplier 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)minorSustainable 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 GuardminorSupplier partner offering generator-free welfare units that eliminate on-site emissions. Part of HSS ProService's greener alternatives product range.
- Nixon HireminorSupplier partner providing solar frames and hybrid generator units as part of HSS ProService's sustainability-focused product range.
- IDE RentalsminorSupplier partner providing effective power distribution systems through HSS ProService Marketplace.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
HSS Hire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
HSS Hire social profiles
Digital presenceHSS Hire compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance11 records
HSS Hire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HSS Hire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
HSS Hire subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
HSS Hire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HSS Hire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HSS Hire
What does HSS Hire do?
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.
Is HSS Hire a public or private company?
HSS Hire is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was HSS Hire founded?
HSS Hire was founded in 1957. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is HSS Hire based?
HSS Hire is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does HSS Hire make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Marketplace Commission / Transaction Fee is the primary driver. The others are equipment Sales, managed Services / Professional Services and HSS Training.
Who are HSS Hire's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Speedy Hire, Boels Rental, Loxam and Aggreko. Broad incumbents are Ashtead Group (Sunbelt Rentals), Travis Perkins, Amazon Business, Ferguson (FERG) and Sunbelt Rentals (US). Toolstation is listed as an emerging player.
Does HSS Hire have an API?
No public API is recorded for HSS Hire.
What industry is HSS Hire in?
HSS Hire's product category is Building Services Equipment Hire Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAGAD, B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms, with a secondary code of CRAFAHAF, Office Supplies, IT & Workplace Procurement Marketplaces. Its SIC code is 7350.