Caterhire

What Caterhire does

Caterhire is an Irish event and party hire company that rents furniture, tableware, catering equipment, and ancillary event essentials on a short-term basis to corporate event planners, wedding organizers, and private party hosts across the Republic of Ireland. Founded approximately in 1986 and headquartered at a recently refurbished showroom in Sandyford Business Park, Dublin 18, the company operates eight core product categories — furniture, tableware, glassware, linen, catering equipment, buffet/service, barware, and outdoor furniture/BBQ — plus branded sub-collections such as the Woodley Furniture line and Illuminated Furniture range. The inventory spans over 243 furniture SKUs and includes premium branded ranges (Wedgwood, Villeroy & Boch, Royal Doulton, Arthur Price, Jasper Conran) alongside aspirational items such as Chiavari and Chameleon chairs.

The business operates on a transactional rental model with pay-as-you-go unit pricing — tables from €8.82 ex VAT, chairs €2.34-€27.04, and lounge packages around €90 — and offers flexible 3-day hire periods. Go-to-market is predominantly direct-to-consumer via a BigCommerce e-commerce storefront, supplemented by a physical showroom, phone (01 294 3111) and email ordering, Click & Collect, and nationwide Next Day Delivery. The company markets through email newsletters, Instagram, and content/blog channels, and runs periodic promotional codes (e.g., JULY10, JUNE10). The Managing Director is Gavin Divilly, who has over 35 years of industry experience, and the company employs 11-50 staff. Caterhire is privately held with no external investors, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed funding.

Revenue is generated entirely through equipment rental fees, with a small adjac

Name

Caterhire

Legal name

Caterhire

Website

https://caterhire.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caterhire is an Irish event and party hire company that rents furniture, tableware, catering equipment, and outdoor event gear on short-term contracts. It serves corporate event planners, wedding organizers, and private party hosts across the Republic of Ireland via e-commerce, a Dublin showroom, and nationwide delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Equipment Rental

NAICS

Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers (4491)

SIC

Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961), Retail-Furniture Stores (5712)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate, Event & Staging Furniture Rental (Short-Term) (CRAIAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Furniture Rentals (Tables, Chairs, Lounge) (HSACAFAB)

Keywords

• Event furniture rental
• Party equipment hire
• Catering equipment rental
• Tableware hire services
• Event linen rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandyford

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental/Hire: Caterhire generates revenue through short-term rental of event furniture, tableware, catering equipment, and party essentials. The business operates on a rental model where customers pay to hire items for events, with flexible hire periods. Products are available for hire with options for next day delivery or customer pickup. Some items are also available for purchase (e.g., Tables For Sale, Linen For Sale).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Caterhire rents event and party equipment to private and corporate customers across Ireland from its Dublin base. The catalog covers furniture, tableware, glassware, table linen, catering equipment, buffet and service items, barware, outdoor furniture and BBQs, and games and props, organized into eight core hire categories with branded sub-collections such as Woodley and Illuminated Furniture. Orders are placed via the BigCommerce e-commerce site, phone, or email, with fulfillment through Click & Collect from the Sandyford showroom or nationwide Next Day Delivery.

Product overview

Caterhire is an event and party hire company operating as a single e-commerce platform for renting furniture, tableware, catering equipment, and event essentials. The company offers eight core product categories: Furniture Hire (chairs, tables, lounge furniture, illuminated furniture, kids furniture), Tableware Hire (crockery, cutlery), Glassware Hire (drinkware, bar glasses), Table Linen Hire (tablecloths, napkins), Catering Equipment Hire (refrigeration, cooking equipment, food preparation), Buffet & Service Hire (display equipment, serving dishes), Barware Hire (bar counters, accessories), and Outdoor Furniture & BBQ Hire. The portfolio includes branded sub-collections such as the Woodley Furniture Collection and Illuminated Furniture line, alongside featured products like Chiavari and Chameleon chairs. Services include Click & Collect and Next Day Delivery. The company has over 35-40 years of experience supplying events nationwide from its Dublin showroom.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Furniture Hire Rental of chairs, stools, tables, lounge furniture, illuminated furniture, kids furniture, and office furniture for events, weddings, corporate functions, and parties.
• Tableware Hire Rental of crockery (white, coloured, patterned), cutlery (silver, gold, coloured, specialty), and tableware accessories for fine dining and events.
• Glassware Hire Rental of drinkware and glassware for events including wine glasses, champagne flutes, water glasses, beer glasses, cocktail glasses, and specialty glassware.
• Table Linen Hire Rental of tablecloths, napkins, table runners, bows, skirting, and spandex table covers in various colours and sizes for event tables.
• Catering Equipment Hire Rental of commercial kitchen equipment including refrigeration, ovens, fryers, griddles, microwaves, BBQs, food preparation items, beverage service equipment, and wash ware.
• Buffet & Service Hire Rental of buffet stands, risers, serving dishes, chafers, cake stands, table lighting, condiment sets, and centrepieces for buffet and canape service.
• Barware Hire Rental of bar tools, serving trays, bar counters (cocktail, illuminated, back bars), and bar refrigeration for event bar service.
• Outdoor Furniture & BBQ Hire Rental of outdoor seating, lounge furniture, tables, chairs, BBQs, games, props, gazebos, parasols, patio heaters, and outdoor collections for outdoor events.
• Games & Props Hire Rental of entertainment items including game packages, giant outdoor games, team games, animal props, Christmas props, Halloween props, and themed event props.
• Woodley Furniture Collection Sub-brand hire range of natural wood-finish event furniture including rope lounge chairs, dining tables, cocktail tables, bar stools, and side tables.
• Click & Collect Self-service collection option allowing customers to pick up hired equipment from the Caterhire showroom in Sandyford, Dublin.
• Next Day Delivery Nationwide delivery service for hired equipment to customers across the Republic of Ireland with next-day availability.

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tiger Event Hire: UK event hire specialist renting furniture, tableware, and catering equipment for weddings and corporate events; closest functional peer to Caterhire across categories and customer base, though larger scale and UK-focused.
• The Big Table Group: UK catering equipment and tableware hire company serving events, hospitality, and commercial kitchens — overlapping rental inventory (catering equipment, tableware) and customer segments with Caterhire, though at larger scale.
• Event Hire UK: UK national event rental company offering furniture, catering equipment, and tableware with nationwide delivery — comparable business model to Caterhire but with significantly broader geographic reach across Great Britain.
• Plate Event Hire: UK-based tableware and crockery rental specialist (Villeroy & Boch, Wedgwood, gold/silver rim) — directly comparable to Caterhire's premium tableware hire offering including Wedgwood Gio Gold, but with a narrower category focus.
• Marquis Event Furniture: UK-based short-term event furniture rental specialist offering chairs, tables, and lounge furniture to corporate and private events — directly comparable product mix and rental model to Caterhire but operating in the larger UK market.
• Glasshouse Hire: UK event furniture and tableware rental company serving corporate events, weddings, and private parties — overlapping product categories and short-term rental model with Caterhire, though UK-focused.
• Brammer Catering Equipment Hire: UK rental specialist for commercial catering equipment including refrigeration, cooking, and food service items — directly comparable to Caterhire's Catering Equipment Hire category at greater scale and longer history.

Regional players

• Catering Equipment Hire Ireland: Irish rental provider focused on commercial catering equipment — overlaps with Caterhire's Catering Equipment Hire category within the same Irish market, but with a narrower product focus.
• Chiavari Chairs Ireland: Irish specialist rental of Chiavari and event chairs for weddings — directly comparable to a featured Caterhire product (Chiavari Chairs), but focused on a narrower category within the same Irish market.
• Event Masters Ireland: Irish event production and rental company supplying furniture and equipment to corporate events — comparable Irish-market competitor with overlapping event hire offerings, though broader in production services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/caterhire.ie
• Xx.com/caterhire
• Facebookfacebook.com/caterhire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caterhire-ireland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Caterhire