Ladybird Crane Hire

What Ladybird Crane Hire does

Ladybird Crane Hire (legal entity: Ladybird Cranes Ltd, Registered in England No. 1320772) is a UK specialist tower crane hire company operating from a purpose-built 6-acre yard at Brockhill Yard, Hewell Lane, Redditch, Worcestershire. The company maintains a fleet of over 80 Potain tower cranes spanning five product categories: self-erecting cranes (IGO and HUP series, jibs 21m-50m), flat-top tower cranes (MDT and MCT series, jibs up to 65m), luffing jib cranes (MR and MRH series, jibs up to 60m) for constrained urban sites, self-tow trailer cranes (LT14.14 and LT15.17) for small works, and self-propelled cranes (M21-4WDS) with 4WD/4WS for rapid deployment. As the UK Rental Partner for Potain (a Manitowoc brand), Ladybird was first to introduce the IGO50 self-erecting crane into the UK in 2004 and has continued fleet expansion with the HUP32-27/HUP40-30 (2016), Montarent M21 (2019), and Midi trailer cranes (2023). Note: the company history source dates the crane hire business to 2004, while firmographics data lists 1976 as the founding year — the underlying registered entity pre-dates the crane-hire focus.

The company serves construction firms and building contractors across the UK mainland, with named customers spanning enterprise contractors (Kingspan, Balfour Beatty) and mid-market builders (Rushmon Homes, LNT Construction). Revenue is generated through project-based hire contracts that bundle delivery, erection, operation where applicable, maintenance, and dismantling; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Ancillary revenue streams include crane installation and removal services and operator training via the affiliated Ladybird Training division, with Ladybird Crane Sales operating as a separately branded affiliate. The company is family-owned with no disclosed institutional investors, and is headquartered at a single Redditch site from which it covers the UK mainland. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015 (BSi), CPA (Tower Crane Interest Group), SSIP, Achilles, Construction Line, and SMAS Worksafe, supporting pre-qualification with major UK contractors.

Name

Ladybird Crane Hire

Legal name

Ladybird Cranes Ltd

Website

https://ladybirdcranehire.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ladybird Crane Hire is a family-owned UK specialist tower crane hirer operating from a 6-acre Redditch yard, renting a fleet of over 80 Potain tower cranes to construction firms across the UK mainland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Equipment Rental

NAICS

Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing (IMAHAJAN), Tower Cranes (IMAHAJAB)

Keywords

• Tower crane hire
• Crane rental services
• Construction equipment hire
• Lifting equipment
• Potain cranes

Headquarters

HQ city

Redditch

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tower Crane Hire: The primary revenue stream is tower crane rental/hire services. Ladybird Crane Hire offers a fleet of over 80 Potain tower cranes for hire to construction companies across the UK mainland. Revenue is generated through rental contracts for construction projects, with cranes delivered, erected, operated (where applicable), and dismantled as part of the service.
2. Crane Services: Additional services including crane training, specialist plant equipment hire, and related services for crane operations on construction sites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Ladybird Crane Hire rents tower cranes and associated lifting equipment to construction companies across the UK mainland. From a purpose-built 6-acre yard in Redditch, the company operates a fleet of over 80 Potain-branded tower cranes spanning self-erecting, flat-top, luffing jib, self-tow trailer and self-propelled models, delivering, erecting, operating (where required), maintaining and dismantling the equipment on customer sites.

Product overview

Ladybird Crane Hire operates as a specialist UK-wide hirer of tower cranes and lifting equipment, offering a comprehensive fleet of over 80 Potain brand tower cranes. The product portfolio consists of five core crane types: Self-Erecting Cranes (IGO and HUP series with jib lengths from 21m to 50m) for compact sites and reduced manual handling; Flat-Top Tower Cranes (MDT and MCT series with jibs up to 65m) for RC frame work and tall buildings; Luffing Jib Tower Cranes (MR and MRH series with jibs up to 60m) designed for city centre work with minimal oversailing; Self-Tow Trailer Cranes (LT series, 14-15m jib) for small works and roofing; and Self-Propelled Cranes (M21-4WDS with 32m jib) with 4WD/4WS capabilities for rapid deployment. The company also provides associated crane hire services, installation and removal, and operator training through affiliated divisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Self-Erecting Tower Cranes Compact tower cranes for hire (Potain IGO and HUP series, jibs from 21m to 50m) that reduce manual handling, operate quietly, fold the jib back at night to limit oversailing, and run on single or 3-phase electricity. Targeted at UK construction firms needing flexible, low-impact lifting on tighter sites.
• Flat-Top Tower Cranes Top-slewing flat-top tower cranes for hire (Potain MDT and MCT series, jibs up to 65m) offering extended jib lengths and tall masts, available with cab or radio remote operation. Suited to RC frame work, tall buildings and sites where smaller models can sit inside lift shafts.
• Luffing Jib Tower Cranes Hydraulic luffing jib tower cranes for hire (Potain MR and MRH series, jibs up to 60m) designed for city centre construction with a 10m out-of-service radius and minimum radius of 3.5m to minimise oversailing of neighbouring properties.
• Self-Tow Trailer Cranes Compact trailer-mounted cranes for hire (LT14.14 and LT15.17 models, 14-15m jibs) weighing 3.5 tons, towable on the road and running on 16 amp single-phase power. Intended for small works, extensions and roofing projects with low install/dismantle cost.
• Self-Propelled Tower Cranes Mobile self-erecting tower cranes for hire (M21-4WDS, 32m jib) with 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel steer, rapid set-up and the ability to be driven fully erected. Targeted at roofing and off-site construction work.
• Tower Crane Hire Services UK-wide hire of tower cranes and lifting equipment, covering the entire UK mainland from the Midlands-based purpose-built yard. Contracts include delivery, erection, operation where needed, maintenance and removal.
• Crane Installation and Removal Professional installation and dismantling of hired cranes on customer construction sites, carried out by trained Ladybird teams.
• Crane Operator Training Training services for crane operation delivered through the Ladybird Training division (ladybirdtraining.co.uk), aimed at construction and plant-hire operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fleet of over 80 Potain tower cranes available for hire
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Potain (Manitowoc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLadybird Crane Hire is a UK Rental Partner for Potain Tower Cranes, a brand with global reputation for market leading quality and innovation owned by Manitowoc. They offer the full range of Potain cranes from radio remote operated self-erecting cranes to cab operated flat-top and luffing jib top-slewing cranes. Ladybird was among the first UK companies to adopt new Potain crane models.
• CPA (Construction Plant-hire Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLadybird is a member of the CPA and the Tower Crane Interest Group within the CPA. This group works across the industry to improve the safety and working practices of all member companies.
• AchillesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAchilles membership provides supply chain risk management and pre-qualification services for the construction industry.
• Building ConfidenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding Confidence accreditation for supply chain risk management and contractor pre-qualification.
• Construction LineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction Line membership provides pre-qualification for UK construction supply chains.
• SMAS WorksafeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMAS Worksafe accreditation for health and safety pre-qualification in the construction industry.
• BSicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSi 9001:2015 accredited organisation - demonstrating quality management systems certification (certificate number FS727569).
• SSIPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) member - helping contractors demonstrate health and safety compliance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Falcon Tower Crane Services: UK tower crane hire, sales, and erection specialist. Direct competitor offering similar Potain and other OEM tower cranes for hire to UK construction contractors.
• Ainscough Crane Hire: The UK's largest crane hire company, operating mobile and tower cranes nationwide. Directly comparable as a UK crane hire business serving major contractors, though with a much broader mobile crane focus.
• City Lifting: UK specialist in tower crane hire and lifting services for construction. Closely comparable niche focus on tower crane rental for UK building projects.
• HTC Wolffkran (UK): Major European tower crane manufacturer and rental operator with a UK presence. Comparable as a tower crane hire competitor offering a full product range for construction projects.

Broad incumbents

• Liebherr (Tower Cranes): Global manufacturer of tower cranes with its own UK rental/sales footprint. Comparable as both a competing tower crane brand and a potential supplier to Ladybird.
• Mammoet: Global heavy lifting and transport specialist with UK operations. Comparable at the margin as a UK provider of cranes and lifting services to large construction and infrastructure projects.
• Sarens: International heavy crane rental and engineered lifting company with UK presence. Comparable as a provider of large-scale lifting solutions to construction and industrial clients.
• Select Plant Hire: UK-wide plant and equipment hire business, part of the Laing O'Rourke group. Comparable as a broader equipment hire incumbent to major UK contractors that competes for crane and lifting contracts.

Others

• GAPO UK: UK construction and lifting equipment supply/services partner. Adjacent comparability — referenced on Ladybird's site as a partner, providing complementary services to the same contractor base.
• Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA): UK industry body for plant hire. Adjacent comparability as the trade association of which Ladybird is a member and that sets safety/operating standards for the UK crane hire sector.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ladybird-crane-hire

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Ladybird Crane Hire