CP Hire
CP Hire is a family-run UK plant and equipment hire company founded in 1971, operating 13 depots across Northern Ireland and Great Britain and renting a 2,000+ unit fleet of excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, and attachments to construction, civil engineering, housing, and infrastructure contractors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersColeraine, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CP Hire does
CP Hire is a privately held, family-run plant and equipment hire company founded in 1971 in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, and now operating 13 depots across the UK and Northern Ireland — seven in Northern Ireland (Coleraine HQ, Ballymena, Banbridge, Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Dungannon, Magherafelt) and six in England and Wales (Cardiff, Port Talbot, Swansea, Birmingham, Bristol, Newbury). The company rents a 2,000+ unit fleet spanning excavators (0.8 to 21 tonnes), dumpers (1 to 10 tonnes), telehandlers (4m to 18m), compaction rollers, generators, compressors, welfare units, and a growing attachments inventory (Engcon tilt rotators, Epiroc grabs and compactors, land rakes) sourced from premium OEMs including Caterpillar, JCB, Komatsu, Kubota, Manitou, Wacker Neuson, Yanmar, Bomag, Hitachi, Mecalac, Doosan, and Kaeser. The fleet is maintained at an average age of approximately 2 years, and selected machines carry telematics for fuel-economy, hours-worked and fault reporting to customer-facing fleet reports.
CP Hire's go-to-market is sales-led through its depot network and dedicated Area Sales Managers covering England and Wales (e.g., Andy Smart in the Southwest, David Morgan in South East Wales). Pricing is quote-based and usage-based on daily/weekly hire rates, with operated plant hire (equipment plus trained operator, including nationwide coverage) sold as a separate professional-services line, and hire insurance offered as an add-on. Distribution is exclusively direct via physical depots rather than third-party aggregators. The firm has accumulated sector accreditations — FORS Bronze, RISQS, SafeHire (HAE), SafeContractor, SafePQQ — enabling work on rail, infrastructure, and large regulated construction tenders.
The customer base is enterprise-led in construction, civil engineering, housing development, and landscaping/agriculture; named customers include Knights Brown (preferred supplier on a Cardiff canal restoration project) and Kier Group (Gloucestershire Royal Hospital remembrance garden). The company recognises revenue primarily from equipment rental, operated plant hire services, and ancillary insurance; CP Hire GB recorded £12.7m of sales in 2019 (Sunday Times Fast Track 100 #47) with growth subsequently supported by 170+ new plant items in H1 2022, an expanded GB depot count (including the new Port Talbot depot opened March 2025), and a continued cadence of fleet reinvestment and attachment launches through 2025–2026.
CP Hire firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CP Hire
- Legal name
- CP Hire Ltd
- Website
- https://cphire.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- CP Hire is a family-run UK plant and equipment hire company founded in 1971, operating 13 depots across Northern Ireland and Great Britain and renting a 2,000+ unit fleet of excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, and attachments to construction, civil engineering, housing, and infrastructure contractors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CP Hire industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Equipment Rental
- NAICS
- Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (5324)
- SIC
- Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Material Handling Equipment Rental/Leasing (Forklifts, Telehandlers, Reach Trucks) (TLABAFAF)
Keywords
Where CP Hire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Coleraine
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices13 records
Markets served
CP Hire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Equipment Hire: Rental of construction plant equipment including excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, rollers, compressors and accessories. Both self-drive and operated plant hire options available.
- Operated Plant Hire: Full-service hire including trained operators for construction projects
- Equipment Insurance: Hire insurance services for customers' equipment protection
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | — | Standard Equipment Hire |
| Other | — | Operated Plant Hire |
| Usage-based | — | Special Offers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CP Hire product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CP Hire is a UK-based plant and equipment rental company operating for over 50 years, founded in 1971. They rent excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, rollers, and compressors from premium manufacturers through 13 depots across Northern Ireland and Great Britain. They offer both self-drive and operated plant hire, along with tool hire, powered access, and site cabin hire services for construction and infrastructure projects.
Product overview
CP Hire operates as a plant and equipment hire company offering a comprehensive fleet of construction equipment for rent across Northern Ireland (7 depots) and Great Britain (6 depots). The core offering centers on plant hire, tool hire, powered access hire, and site cabin hire across 25+ equipment categories. The equipment portfolio spans dumpers (1-10 tonnes), excavators (micro to 21-tonne), telehandlers (4-18m reach), compaction rollers, generators, compressors, welfare units, and specialized attachments including tilt rotators and hydraulic grabs. Equipment comes from premium brands such as Bomag, Hitachi, JCB, Komatsu, Kubota, Manitou, Wacker Neuson, Yanmar, and Caterpillar. The company differentiates through operated plant hire services with trained engineers, modern fleet averaging under 2 years old, and nationwide depot coverage. Ancillary services include equipment insurance, account management, and special promotional offers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CP Safe: Health and safety culture initiative that brings together Health and Safety, Training, Behaviours and Quality of Service.
Products and services
- Self-Drive Plant Hire
- Operated Plant Hire
- Tool Hire
- Powered Access Hire
- Site Cabin Hire
- Hire Insurance
Quantifiable outcome
- 65% annual sales growth over 3-year period
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CP Hire
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CP Hire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
CP Hire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- KaesercoreSupplier of M65PE mobile air compressors delivering up to 230 cfm for construction and civil engineering projects.
- YanmarcoreSupplier of tracked dumpers including C30R-3, C30R-3TV, C50R-5A and C50R-5ATV models for soft terrain operations.
- EpiroccoreSupplier of hydraulic grabs (MG400, MG800) and excavator compactors (HC350R, HC850R) for 8-14 ton excavators.
- EngconcoreTilt rotator technology provider. EC209 tilt rotator fitted to Kubota KX085-5 excavators with EC-Oil automatic quick coupler system.
- Finning (CAT)coreSecured up to 80 brand new CAT excavators to be distributed across 5 GB depots. Major fleet investment in 2022.
- TBF ThompsoncoreHistoric supplier of trucks and excavators to CP Hire in both UK and Northern Ireland. Supplied DAF trucks and excavators package worth over £3m as part of fleet investment.
- MecalaccoreMulti-million pound deal for supply of Mecalac site dumpers. Second year running agreement covers entire range of 4-wheel drive units from 1 tonne hi-tip to 9-10 tonne machines.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CP Hire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GAP Hire Solutions: Large UK-wide plant, tools, powered access, and welfare hire company with similar depot-based distribution model serving construction and infrastructure customers. Comparable in breadth of categories (excavators, telehandlers, dumpers, welfare) and customer segmentation.
- Speedy Hire: UK's largest tool and equipment hire company with national depot network and broad plant hire offering. Directly comparable in customer base (construction contractors), fleet composition, and operated/self-drive model, but at vastly larger scale (~£400m+ revenue).
- Sunbelt Rentals UK: UK arm of Ashtead/Sunbelt Rentals, formed from A-Plant acquisition. Directly competes with CP Hire in plant hire, tool hire, and operated services across the UK construction market; comparable fleet mix and customer segments but national scale.
- HSS Hire: UK tool and equipment hire specialist with national presence serving trade, construction, and DIY customers. Overlaps with CP Hire on small tool hire, powered access, and selected plant categories; comparable operated-hire and self-drive offering.
- Morris Leslie Plant Hire: Scotland-based plant hire specialist with fleet of ~5,000+ machines across excavators, telehandlers, dumpers, and platforms. Closest scale-comparable peer to CP Hire in regional UK plant hire with similar family/private ownership origins and operated plant offering.
- Brigg's Equipment Services: Northern Ireland-based equipment sales, service, and hire company. Direct local competitor to CP Hire's NI operations with overlapping territory (NI depots), comparable construction customer base, and similar brand partnerships with leading OEMs.
Broad incumbents
- Boels Rental (UK): European plant, tool, and modular space hire leader with growing UK footprint (former Boels/Coates Hire). Comparable on plant hire categories, customer base, and digital telematics/integration; operates in the same geographies and competes for similar framework agreements.
- Vp plc (Brandon Hire Station / Toolstation Hire): Diversified UK equipment rental group operating Brandon Hire Station (tool hire), ESS Safeforce, and other rental brands. Comparable categories to CP Hire (tool hire, safety equipment, welfare) but operates as an investment group of multiple brands rather than a single depot network.
- Travis Perkins (Tool Hire): UK's largest builders' merchant with embedded tool hire operation across its branch network. Comparable tool hire categories and trade-construction customer base, but operating as an ancillary service within a much broader building materials business.
Emerging players
- MGB Plant Hire: UK excavator and plant hire specialist with focus on smaller/tighter machines and strong digital booking platform. Comparable in excavator-focused category and trade-construction customer base; differentiated by smaller geographic footprint and direct-to-customer digital channel.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CP Hire social profiles
Digital presenceCP Hire compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
CP Hire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CP Hire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
CP Hire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CP 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 CP Hire
What does CP Hire do?
CP Hire is a UK-based plant and equipment rental company operating for over 50 years, founded in 1971. They rent excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, rollers, and compressors from premium manufacturers through 13 depots across Northern Ireland and Great Britain. They offer both self-drive and operated plant hire, along with tool hire, powered access, and site cabin hire services for construction and infrastructure projects.
Is CP Hire a public or private company?
CP Hire is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CP Hire founded?
CP Hire was founded in 1971. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CP Hire based?
CP Hire is headquartered in Coleraine, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CP Hire make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Equipment Hire is the primary driver. The others are operated Plant Hire and equipment Insurance.
Who are CP Hire's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GAP Hire Solutions, Speedy Hire, Sunbelt Rentals UK, HSS Hire, Morris Leslie Plant Hire and Brigg's Equipment Services. Broad incumbents are Boels Rental (UK), Vp plc (Brandon Hire Station / Toolstation Hire) and Travis Perkins (Tool Hire). MGB Plant Hire is listed as an emerging player.
Does CP Hire have an API?
No public API is recorded for CP Hire.
What industry is CP Hire in?
CP Hire's product category is Construction Equipment Rental. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLABAFAF, Material Handling Equipment Rental/Leasing (Forklifts, Telehandlers, Reach Trucks). Its NAICS code is 532412 and its SIC code is 7359.