1st CALL
1st Call Plant Hire is a UK-based self-drive and operated plant hire company providing excavators, dumpers, rollers, telehandlers, and 100+ attachments from a fleet of 800+ machines (all under two years old) distributed across 7 UK depots, serving construction contractors, specialised trades, and small private customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGloucester, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 1st CALL does
1st Call Plant Hire Ltd is a UK-based construction equipment hire company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Gloucester, England. The company provides self-drive and operator-assisted hire of excavators (1-ton micro to 35-ton), dumpers (1–9 ton), rollers (80cm tandem to 13-ton), telehandlers (4–17m reach), and over 100 attachments, with a fleet of more than 800 machines — all under two years of age — sourced from global OEMs including Komatsu, Kubota, JCB, Hitachi, Caterpillar, Manitou, Bomag, and Thwaites. Fleet technology comprises GPS tracking and remote monitoring, sensor detection, 360-degree cameras, blind-spot monitoring, VCAS, manufacturer key immobilisers, Stop-Start fuel-saving systems, Thatcham 4-star security accreditation, and EU Stage V emissions-compliant engines; ScanCert provides digital access to operator manuals, LOLER certificates, and machine documentation. Bio-oil conversion is offered for environmentally sensitive sites.
The business operates a direct-to-customer hire model distributed through 7 UK depots (London/Kent, Southampton, Yeovil, Swindon, Gloucester, Bristol, Manchester, Midlands), enabling same-day or next-day nationwide delivery and 24/7 sales and technical support. Customers range from small private users and sole traders to large national contractors, served via quote-based pricing with optional credit accounts. Revenue is generated primarily through per-day/per-week/per-month equipment rental, with self-drive as the default and operator-assisted hire as an option.
Capital intensity is a defining operational feature: the company invests approximately £10 million annually in its excavator range and £3 million over 36 months in attachments, supporting continuous fleet modernisation. Revenue, funding history, and ownership details are not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held with no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional investment identified in the available data, and operates with a workforce in the 11–50 range.
1st CALL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 1st CALL
- Legal name
- 1st Call Plant Hire Ltd
- Website
- https://1stcallplant.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 1st Call Plant Hire is a UK-based self-drive and operated plant hire company providing excavators, dumpers, rollers, telehandlers, and 100+ attachments from a fleet of 800+ machines (all under two years old) distributed across 7 UK depots, serving construction contractors, specialised trades, and small private customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
1st CALL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Equipment Rental
- NAICS
- Construction Machinery Manufacturing (33312), Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331)
- SIC
- Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Site Vehicles (Dumpers, Site Carriers, Telehandlers) (IMAHAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Excavators (IMAHAAAA)
Keywords
Where 1st CALL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gloucester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
1st CALL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Plant and Machinery Hire: Self-drive hire and operator-assisted hire of excavators, dumpers, rollers, telehandlers, and attachments. Equipment hire is the primary revenue stream with flexible rental periods including same day and next day delivery options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard equipment hire with optional operator |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
1st CALL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
1st Call Plant Hire provides self-drive and operator-assisted rental of construction plant and machinery, including excavators (1–35 ton), dumpers (1–9 ton), rollers (80cm–13T), telehandlers (4–17m reach), and over 100 attachments. Equipment is dispatched from 7 UK depots with same/next day nationwide delivery, backed by advanced safety and tracking technology on a fleet of 800+ machines, all under two years of age.
Product overview
1st Call Plant is a leading UK construction self-drive plant hire company offering a comprehensive fleet of over 800 machines under two years of age. The core product portfolio consists of excavators (1-ton micro to 35-ton, from Kubota, Komatsu, JCB, and Hitachi), dumpers (1-9 ton, Thwaites), rollers (80cm to 13-ton, Bomag and CAT), telehandlers (4-17m reach, Manitou), and over 100 different attachments including hydraulic hammers, selector grabs, multi processors, pulverisers, crushers, screening buckets, and rock wheels. Equipment is available for self-drive hire or operator-assisted hire with same/next day delivery from 7 UK depots. Technology features include GPS tracking, sensor detection systems, blind spot monitoring, VCAS, manufacturer key immobilisers, and Stop-Start technology, with 4-star rating and Thatcham approval. The company invests £10 million annually in excavators and £3 million in attachments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Excavators Self-drive and operated hire of hydraulic excavators from 1-ton micro diggers to 35-ton machines supplied by Komatsu, Kubota, JCB, and Hitachi. Used by construction companies, civil engineers, landscapers, and demolition contractors across the UK.
- Dumpers Self-drive hire of dumpers ranging from 1-ton to 9-ton including front tipping, swivel, cabbed, hi tip, and power swivel variants from Thwaites. Used for earth moving and material transport on construction sites.
- Rollers Versatile range of rollers from 80cm tandem rollers to 13-ton tandem rollers from Bomag and Caterpillar, including remote-controlled Rammax compactors. Used for compaction and levelling of tarmac, stone, hardcore, and asphalt in confined and open spaces.
- Telehandlers Telehandlers with lifting heights from 4-17 meters and capacity up to 13 tonnes supplied by Manitou. Used for lifting, moving, and placing operations at height in construction and multi-story projects.
- Attachments Over 100 different excavator attachments including hydraulic hammers, selector grabs, multi processors, static and rotating pulverisers, mini crushers, rotary screening buckets, compactor plates, digging clamshells, rehandling clamshell buckets, excavator pallet forks, and rock wheels. Supported by a £3 million investment over 36 months.
- Self-Drive Plant Hire Service UK nationwide self-drive plant hire service with optional operator assistance, offering same/next day delivery from 7 depots across London, Kent, Southampton, Swindon, Gloucester, Manchester, Bristol, Bridgewater, and Yeovil. Customers can open credit accounts for ongoing hiring.
- GPS Tracking and Fleet Management Installed GPS tracking and remote monitoring on every machine for 24/7 protection and centralised on/off-site tracking, providing site workers with machine visibility and security.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% reduced fuel consumption with young fleet
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 1st CALL
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
1st CALL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
1st CALL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- KomatsucoreKomatsu is a key equipment supplier providing excavators from micro (1T) to large (35T) with advanced hydraulic technology, EU Stage V engines, and fuel-saving systems.
- KubotacoreKubota supplies excavators ranging from 1T micro diggers to 8T machines, known for E-TVCS engines with low fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
- JCBcoreJCB provides excavators as part of the diverse fleet from global brands.
- HitachicoreHitachi supplies excavators as part of the diverse fleet from global brands.
- CaterpillarcoreCaterpillar (CAT) supplies rollers as part of the diverse fleet from global brands.
- ManitoucoreManitou supplies telehandlers ranging from 4-6m to 10-17m lifting heights with JSM joystick controls and multiple steering modes.
- BomagcoreBomag provides rollers from 80cm to 13T including tandem rollers and radio-controlled Rammax compactors for confined space compaction.
- ThwaitescoreThwaites supplies dumpers from 1T to 9T including hi tip, power swivel, and front tip variants with Stage V compliant engines.
- KeywayminorPayment and support services partner shown in partner logos section.
- Powered Access SolutionsminorPartner shown in partner logos section for support services.
- AnloreminorPartner shown in partner logos section for support services.
- Trade Plant Tool HireminorPartner shown in partner logos section for industry association/networking.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
1st CALL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Vp plc: UK-listed equipment rental group owning Brandon Hire Station, TPA, and Groundforce. Competes with 1st Call in groundworks-focused plant hire while running adjacent specialist rental businesses; useful benchmark for UK plant hire scale economics.
- A-Plant (Ashtead Group): UK arm of Ashtead Group/Sunbelt Rentals, one of the largest equipment rental operators in the world. Overlaps with 1st Call in excavator and site plant hire but operates a far broader portfolio including powered access, tools, and specialist equipment.
- Loxam: Europe's largest equipment rental company, with UK presence through selected acquisitions. Broader portfolio (access, tools, plant) than 1st Call but overlaps on excavators and telehandlers; useful comparable for European scale economics.
- Sunbelt Rentals (UK): UK arm of Ashtead Group's Sunbelt Rentals brand, one of the largest equipment rental operations in the world. Overlaps with 1st Call across excavators, telehandlers, and dumpers but operates at a materially larger scale and broader category set.
Direct peers
- Speedy Hire: UK-listed plant and tool hire company with a national depot network. Direct competitor offering excavators, dumpers, telehandlers, and powered access across construction and infrastructure. Most comparable UK peer given overlapping product, customer base, and self-drive/operated model.
- Brandon Hire Station: UK national plant and tool hire chain owned by Vp plc. Competes head-to-head with 1st Call in excavator, dumper, and roller hire for construction and groundworks customers, with overlapping depot coverage in southern England.
- HSS Hire: UK-based tool and equipment hire specialist with national coverage. Overlaps with 1st Call in construction plant hire (excavators, dumpers, rollers) while extending into tools and powered access. Comparable self-drive B2B hire model serving contractors.
- Nixon Hire: UK independent plant hire company specializing in excavators and heavy construction equipment. Comparable fleet composition (Komatsu, Hitachi), self-drive model, and customer base of construction contractors.
- Flannery Plant Hire: UK specialist excavator and plant hire company with a national footprint. Direct competitor focused on the same 1T-35T+ excavator and dumper categories, serving major UK contractors with self-drive and operated hire.
Others
- Plant Hire UK / Trade Plant Tool Hire network: UK industry network/aggregator connecting contractors with plant hire suppliers. 1st Call is listed as a partner; relevant as an ecosystem channel rather than a direct fleet competitor, and indicative of 1st Call's positioning within the UK hire referral ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
1st CALL social profiles
Digital presence1st CALL compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
1st CALL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
1st CALL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
1st CALL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
1st CALL 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 1st CALL
What does 1st CALL do?
1st Call Plant Hire provides self-drive and operator-assisted rental of construction plant and machinery, including excavators (1–35 ton), dumpers (1–9 ton), rollers (80cm–13T), telehandlers (4–17m reach), and over 100 attachments. Equipment is dispatched from 7 UK depots with same/next day nationwide delivery, backed by advanced safety and tracking technology on a fleet of 800+ machines, all under two years of age.
Is 1st CALL a public or private company?
1st CALL is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 1st CALL founded?
1st CALL was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 1st CALL based?
1st CALL is headquartered in Gloucester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does 1st CALL make money?
One revenue line is on record: plant and Machinery Hire.
Who are 1st CALL's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Vp plc, A-Plant (Ashtead Group), Loxam and Sunbelt Rentals (UK). Direct peers are Speedy Hire, Brandon Hire Station, HSS Hire, Nixon Hire and Flannery Plant Hire. Plant Hire UK / Trade Plant Tool Hire network is listed as an others.
Does 1st CALL have an API?
No public API is recorded for 1st CALL.
What industry is 1st CALL in?
1st CALL's product category is Construction Equipment Rental. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAIAB, Construction Site Vehicles (Dumpers, Site Carriers, Telehandlers), with a secondary code of IMAHAAAA, Excavators. Its NAICS code is 33312 and its SIC code is 3531.