ESS

What ESS does

ESS is a specialist equipment hire company operating as a division of VP plc, a publicly listed conglomerate on the London Stock Exchange. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in West Bromwich, United Kingdom, ESS rents Safety, Survey, Communications, and Test & Measurement equipment to industrial, construction, utility, and safety-critical industry customers across the United Kingdom. The company serves over 7,000 customers through a nationwide branch network supported by a satellite-tracked delivery fleet that enables next-day delivery of core inventory across the country.

ESS stocks equipment from leading manufacturers including Leica Geosystems, Trimble, Radiodetection, Crowcon, Draeger, Wolf, Scott Safety, MSA, Fluke, Megger, Omicron, Beamex, GE Druck, and TSI. Its product portfolio spans breathing apparatus, gas detection, confined space access, total stations, GNSS smart antennas, terrestrial laser scanners, ATEX-rated radios, cable testing, electrical testing, environmental monitoring, and thermal imaging. Value-added services include certified training courses, equipment calibration, on-site technical support, reconditioned products, ex-rental sales, and stock clearance.

ESS operates a sales-led go-to-market model with dedicated internal and external account managers, complemented by a credit-account system for business customers and a self-serve MyAccount online portal for ordering and reporting. Revenue is generated primarily through daily, weekly, and project-based equipment rentals on a quote-based pricing model with account-specific terms. The company addresses customer pain points around avoiding capital expenditure on specialist equipment, ensuring calibration and certification compliance, and accessing rapid equipment availability for projects and emergency situations across hazardous and regulated environments.

Name

ESS

Legal name

ESS

Website

https://ess-safeforce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ESS is a UK specialist equipment hire company (division of VP plc) renting Safety, Survey, Communications, and Test & Measurement equipment to over 7,000 industrial customers via a nationwide branch network with next-day delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellingborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Hire/Rental Services: ESS generates revenue primarily through renting specialist equipment to customers on a daily, weekly, or project basis. The company offers next day delivery via a fleet of satellite tracked delivery vehicles. Customers can hold credit accounts for convenient online ordering and reporting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ESS is a UK specialist equipment hire company that rents Safety, Survey, Communications, and Test & Measurement equipment to businesses on daily, weekly, or project terms. The company supports more than 7,000 customers through a UK-wide branch network with next-day delivery via a satellite-tracked fleet, and complements its rental offering with operator training courses and on-site technical support services.

Product overview

ESS is a specialist equipment hire company offering a unified platform of rental equipment across four core categories: Safety Equipment, Survey Equipment, Communications Equipment, and Test & Measurement Equipment. The company operates as a single unified service with next-day delivery capabilities across the UK, supported by over 25 years of experience and a nationwide branch network. Products are sourced from leading manufacturers (Leica Geosystems, Fluke, Wolf, Draeger, MSA, Radiodetection) and include both new equipment hire and secondary offerings such as Reconditioned Products, Ex-Rental items, and Stock Clearance. Additional value-added services include Support Services for hazardous environments and Training Courses. The product portfolio ranges from personal safety gear (breathing apparatus, gas detectors) to precision instruments (total stations, laser scanners) and communication systems (radios, CCTV), all available for short-term rental or purchase.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Safety Equipment Hire Rental of specialist safety equipment including breathing apparatus (SCBA, EEBD, PAPR, Airline), confined space access equipment (davit arms, fall arrest, tripods, winches), gas detection (personal and area detectors), hazardous area solutions (ATEX lighting, ventilation), utility detection (cable avoidance, location, rodding), and working at height equipment for industrial and construction customers.
• Survey Equipment Hire Rental of precision surveying instruments including optical and digital levels, fixed beam, rotating, grade and pipe lasers, manual and robotic total stations, GNSS smart antennas, and hand-held and terrestrial laser scanners for surveying, mapping, and construction professionals.
• Communications Equipment Hire Rental of site communication equipment including POC and LTE handhelds, two-way radios, ATEX radios for hazardous environments, full duplex two-user and multi-user systems, body worn cameras, CCTV systems, repeaters, 4G/5G routers, tunnel mesh systems, and related accessories.
• Test & Measurement Equipment Hire Rental of testing and analysis instruments covering cable testing (identification, fault location, VLF, TDR), electrical testing (clamp meters, earth loop, insulation, PAT, RCD), environmental monitoring (air, combustion, light, sound, vibration), inspection tools, network testing, power analysis, process and control, sub-station equipment, rail gauges, and thermal imaging.
• Reconditioned Products Refurbished and certified equipment available for hire at reduced rates, maintained to manufacturer specifications, providing a cost-effective alternative to new equipment hire.
• Ex-Rental Sales Former rental equipment offered for outright purchase, providing cost-effective access to professional-grade tools for customers seeking ownership.
• Stock Clearance Discounted equipment and inventory available for quick purchase.
• Support Services Expert support services for hazardous environments including equipment setup, on-site assistance, and provision of technical specialists.
• Training Courses Operator and safety training delivered through an international network of training venues by qualified trainers, supporting equipment certification and safe use requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 customers served across the UK

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Leica GeosystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Leica Geosystems for survey equipment including total stations, GNSS, laser scanners, and levels. ESS is committed to offering precision technology for surveying applications.
• TrimblecoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Trimble as a leading manufacturer of precision surveying technology equipment.
• RadiodetectioncoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Radiodetection for utility detection and cable location equipment used in safety applications.
• CrowconcoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Crowcon for gas detection equipment including personal gas detectors and area gas detectors.
• DraegercoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Draeger for safety equipment including breathing apparatus and gas detection solutions.
• Wolf SafetycoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Wolf for ATEX lighting and hazardous area safety equipment solutions.
• Scott SafetycoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Scott Safety for breathing apparatus and respiratory protection equipment.
• MSA (Mine Safety Appliances)coreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with MSA for safety equipment including fall protection and working at height solutions.
• FlukecoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Fluke for test and measurement equipment including electrical testing, thermal imaging, and inspection tools.
• MeggercoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Megger for electrical testing equipment including cable testing and power analysis solutions.
• OmicroncoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Omicron for advanced test and measurement equipment for electrical power systems.
• BeamexcoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Beamex for process calibration and measurement equipment.
• GE DruckcoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with GE Druck for pressure and temperature measurement instrumentation.
• TSIcoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with TSI for test and measurement equipment including environmental monitoring and airflow measurement solutions.
• Capital SafetycoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with Capital Safety for fall protection and working at height safety equipment.
• RamFancoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with RamFan for ventilation systems and air movement equipment for hazardous areas.
• SeaSafecoreTechnology or IntegrationESS partners with SeaSafe for marine and offshore safety equipment solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gap Group: UK plant, tool, and equipment hire company with significant survey, powered access, and ground engineering offerings. Directly comparable to ESS in survey equipment rental and UK customer segments.
• Speedy Hire: UK-listed equipment hire specialist operating across tools, access, lifting, power, survey, and safety categories with national coverage. Directly comparable to ESS in product mix, customer base, and UK-focused specialist equipment rental model.
• HSS Hire: UK tool and equipment hire company serving construction, industrial, and trade customers with national branch coverage. Directly comparable to ESS on scale, customer profile, and equipment hire business model.
• Brandon Hire Station: Sister VP plc division offering tool and equipment hire across the UK. Closely comparable given shared parent, similar UK branch network, and overlapping product categories including safety and access equipment.
• Hewden: UK-based powered access and equipment hire company with national coverage. Comparable to ESS on customer base, UK market focus, and specialist equipment categories including safety and access.
• Groundforce: Sister VP plc division specializing in excavation support equipment hire including shoring and piling equipment. Closely comparable given shared parent and complementary specialist equipment hire model serving UK construction customers.

Broad incumbents

• Sunbelt Rentals UK: UK arm of US-based Sunbelt Rentals (Ashtead Group) offering a broad industrial and construction equipment hire portfolio. Comparable to ESS in UK equipment rental end-markets, though broader and more diversified in product range.
• Ashtead Group: FTSE 100 parent of Sunbelt Rentals operating one of the largest equipment rental fleets globally with significant UK exposure. Comparable to VP plc/ESS at the corporate level on UK equipment rental strategy and end-market exposure.
• Aggreko: UK-headquartered specialist in temporary power generation and temperature control equipment rental. Adjacent to ESS on industrial/commercial equipment rental model and UK-headquartered specialist hire positioning, though focused on a different equipment category.

Others

• Vp plc: UK-listed conglomerate and ESS's parent company, owning multiple equipment hire divisions. Comparable at the corporate/portfolio level as the ultimate holding entity with diversified specialist equipment rental exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Vpplc_ESS
• Facebookfacebook.com/ess.vpplc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vp-ess

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ESS