C J OSHEA PLANT HIRE LTD.

What C J OSHEA PLANT HIRE LTD. does

C.J. O'Shea (Plant Hire) Limited is a UK private company founded in 1985 and headquartered at Station Yard, Smallford, St Albans. Operating under the O'Shea Group, it provides formwork and falsework hire, sale, design, transport, and repair services to construction contractors, developers, and infrastructure clients, with primary concentration in London and the South East of England and nationwide capability for larger projects. The company sources equipment from leading manufacturers including Doka (Framax, Alu-Framax), Ringer (Alu-Master, Steel Master), TOPEC, GASS, Alshor Plus, and Ischebeck (Titan Safety Screens), and operates a FORS Silver accredited in-house fleet of HIAB-equipped delivery vehicles.

The product portfolio spans wall formwork (steel and aluminium modular panels, A-Frames), slab formwork and shoring systems, edge protection (KGuard, Titan Safety Screens), structural beams and soldiers, climbing platforms (XClimb), and loading platforms (Cantideck, 5,000kg capacity). An in-house CAD-based design team delivers project-specific formwork solutions, while the sister company Formwork Products provides ISOQAR UKAS BS EN 1090 certified repair, refurbishment, welding, and fabrication services across all major formwork systems regardless of original manufacturer.

The business model combines recurring equipment hire (the primary revenue stream), one-time sales of new and used formwork, professional design and engineering services, transport/delivery services, and aftermarket repair work. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition is sales-led through direct enquiry (phone, email, website) supported by LinkedIn presence and a project case-study portfolio featuring Canary Wharf Jubilee Line Station, One West Point, The Stage, Wickside, Baltimore Tower, Brent Cross Substation, and Network Rail bridge works. Customers are predominantly enterprise-tier main contractors and developers such as Galliard Homes, Galldris, Tarmac Construction, and Network Rail.

Name

C J OSHEA PLANT HIRE LTD.

Legal name

C.J. O'Shea (Plant Hire) Limited

Website

https://osheaplanthire.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

C.J. O'Shea (Plant Hire) Limited is a UK-based formwork and falsework hire specialist serving construction contractors, developers, and infrastructure clients in London and the South East. The company provides equipment hire, sale, design, transport, and repair services backed by an in-house delivery fleet and a sister repair company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Smallford, St Albans

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Hire: Hire of formwork and falsework equipment including wall formwork, slab formwork, beams, soldiers, edge protection, and safety screens. Customers access materials without significant capital investment.
2. Equipment Sales: Sale of new and used formwork and falsework products. Products available individually or as packages, fully tested and ready to use. Custom painting in company colours available.
3. Design Services: In-house design service providing cost-effective formwork solutions using latest CAD systems. Engineers provide technical advice from initial enquiry through to onsite support.
4. Transport Services: FORS Silver accredited fleet with HIAB-equipped vehicles for delivery and unloading. Pre-slung loads ready for lifting available.
5. Repair and Refurbishment: Comprehensive repair services through sister company Formwork Products including cleaning, re-boarding, powder coating, frame welding, and fabrication.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

C J O'Shea Plant Hire provides formwork and falsework equipment hire, sales, design, transport, and certified repair services for concrete construction projects. The company stocks wall formwork, slab formwork, edge protection, safety screens, beams, soldiers, climbing systems, and loading platforms sourced from manufacturers such as Doka, Ringer, Ischebeck, and GASS, and delivers them through its FORS Silver accredited HIAB-equipped fleet primarily to construction sites in London and the South East of England.

Product overview

O'Shea Plant Hire offers a comprehensive portfolio of formwork and falsework solutions for construction projects. The product lineup includes wall formwork systems (Doka Framax, Doka Alu-Framax, Ringer Alu-Master, Ringer Steel Master, and A-Frames), slab formwork systems (GASS, TOPEC, and Alshor Plus), edge protection (KGuard and Ischebeck Titan Safety Screens), structural beams (T225 Primary Beam and Aluma 165 Secondary Beam), Superslim Soldiers, and climbing/loading platforms. These products are available for hire or sale, supported by design, transport, and repair services. The company operates from a depot near St Albans, serving London and the South East construction market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• O'Shea Group: Parent conglomerate encompassing O'Shea Plant Hire, O'Shea developer/contractor operations, and Formwork Products.
• Formwork Products

Products and services

• Formwork and Falsework Equipment Hire Hire of wall formwork, slab formwork, beams, soldiers, edge protection, safety screens, climbing platforms, and loading platforms from manufacturers such as Doka, Ringer, GASS, and Ischebeck. Allows construction companies and developers to access necessary materials without significant capital investment. Targeted at construction contractors, main contractors, and property developers in London and the South East.
• Formwork and Falsework Equipment Sales Sale of new and used formwork and falsework products, available individually or as packages, fully tested and ready to use. Custom painting in company colours available. Targeted at construction companies expanding their inventory or making first-time investments.
• In-House Formwork Design Services Design service providing cost-effective formwork solutions for complex concrete structures using CAD systems. Engineers provide technical advice from initial enquiry through to onsite support. Targeted at construction contractors needing expert design input for complex structures.
• Equipment Delivery and Transport Services Delivery and unloading of formwork and falsework equipment using a FORS Silver accredited fleet of HIAB-equipped vehicles, with pre-slung loads ready for lifting. Long-term external haulage partners provide additional capacity. Targeted at construction sites requiring reliable logistics.
• Formwork Repair and Refurbishment Services ISOQAR UKAS BS EN 1090 certified repair and refurbishment services including cleaning, re-boarding, powder coating, frame welding, corner repair, concrete removal, and custom fabrication. Operates across all major formwork and falsework systems regardless of manufacturer. Targeted at construction companies maintaining operational equipment.
• Doka Framax Wall Formwork System High-strength steel formwork system for walls, columns, and vertical structures. Features modular steel panels connected via a reliable locking system, compatible with Ringer Master range. Available for hire or sale.
• Doka Alu-Framax Aluminium Wall Formwork Aluminium formwork system for walls, columns, and vertical structures. Lightweight aluminium panels offer easy transport without heavy machinery while withstanding high concrete pouring pressure. Available for hire or sale.
• Ringer Alu-Master Wall Formwork Lightweight, high-strength aluminium formwork system for walls, columns, and vertical structures. Features interchangeable reinforced panels with cast corners, cross-compatible with Doka Framax. Available for hire or sale.
• Ringer Steel Master Wall Formwork High-strength steel formwork system for walls, columns, and vertical structures. Features interchangeable reinforced steel panels, cross-compatible with Doka Framax. Available for hire or sale.
• GASS Slab Falsework System High-capacity but lightweight aluminium falsework system with adjustable legs for slab construction. Modular aluminium frames available in various outer (1.4m-4.67m), inner (0.78m-1.68m), and extension (0.5m-1.4m) options. Available for hire or sale.
• TOPEC Aluminium Slab Falsework System Aluminium modular falsework system for slab construction requiring only two components: panels and props. Features Quick Strike for fast assembly, with panels in lengths (0.4m-1.8m) and widths (0.4m-1.8m) and props up to 5.5m height. Available for hire or sale.
• Alshor Plus Shoring System Versatile, lightweight aluminium shoring system for slab construction with strong and stable base. Aluminium legs available in heights from 1.25m to 4.0m with 1250mm jack extensions. Available for hire or sale.
• KGuard Edge Protection System BS EN 13374 compliant edge protection safety system providing safe working environment for workers at heights. Features interlocking panels in 1.3m and 2.6m sizes, adaptable to all falsework systems. Available for hire or sale.
• Ischebeck Titan Safety Screens Mk2 Easy-to-install safety screen system providing edge protection, debris prevention, and weather shielding for workers at height. Available for hire or sale.
• T225 Primary Beam High-strength aluminium primary beam for slab support and stability, available in lengths from 1.8m to 7.2m. Provides structural support for concrete pouring. Available for hire or sale.
• Aluma 165 Secondary Beam Lightweight, durable aluminium secondary beam alternative to wooden beams. Works with T225 primary beam, available in lengths from 1.21m to 6.4m. Available for hire or sale.
• Superslim Soldiers Heavy-duty steel beams for extra support and load-bearing properties in formwork projects. Versatile beams usable vertically and horizontally, available in sizes from 0.09m to 3.6m. Available for hire or sale.
• XClimb Climbing Platforms Versatile climbing system allowing traversal of vertical profile structures. Entire unit repositions in a single crane cycle, providing a safe working platform attached to the building. Available for hire or sale.
• Cantideck Loading Platform Cantilever loading platform providing safe, high-capacity landing deck for moving materials in and out of multi-story structures. Load capacity of 5000kg, quickly relocatable and installable. Available for hire or sale.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,269 deliveries made in last year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Tarmac ConstructionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Tarmac Construction was the main contractor for Canary Wharf Jubilee Line Station (completed 1999). O'Shea Plant Hire manufactured the molds for the fair-faced concrete ceiling of this iconic Foster + Partners designed station that serves over 40 million passengers annually and won 9 architecture awards in 1999 alone.
• Galliard HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGalliard Homes is the developer partner for major residential projects including Wickside (7-acre canal-side development with ~500 homes) and The Stage (Shoreditch mixed-use complex). O'Shea Plant Hire provides comprehensive formwork solutions including design, concrete pumps, equipment supply, transport, and edge protection. The partnership has delivered landmark high-rise developments across London.
• GalldriscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGalldris is the main contractor for the Brent Cross Town regeneration project. O'Shea provided design and formwork for the new primary substation as part of Galldris' works. The substation (21 metres high, now wrapped in public artwork) was award-nominated and is a landmark in North West London. O'Shea worked closely with Galldris to deliver the project successfully.
• Formwork ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormwork Products is a sister company providing formwork repairs and maintenance services. They work on all formwork systems regardless of manufacturer, offering ISOQAR UKAS BS EN 1090 certified repair services including frame welding, corner repair, cleaning, re-boarding, powder coating, and custom fabrication.
• DokamajorTechnology or IntegrationDoka is a leading manufacturer of formwork systems. O'Shea supplies Doka products including Framax (steel and aluminium wall formwork) and stocks Doka accessories. Products are sourced from industry's most reputable manufacturers.
• RingermajorTechnology or IntegrationRinger is a manufacturer of aluminium and steel formwork systems. O'Shea supplies Ringer products including Alu-Master, Steel Master, and Ringer accessories. Products are cross-compatible with Doka Framax systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• PERI: Global formwork and scaffolding manufacturer with direct UK hire and sales operations. Overlaps with O'Shea on product range and customer base, but operates at significantly greater scale and owns proprietary systems.
• Speedy Hire: Major UK-listed equipment rental company offering plant, tool and access hire. Not a direct formwork specialist, but competes with O'Shea for general construction equipment wallet share on the same customer projects.
• Altrad: Large diversified industrial services group providing scaffolding, formwork, insulation and site services across the UK and globally. Overlaps with O'Shea on formwork hire but competes from a much broader services platform.
• Doka: Global formwork manufacturer that already supplies O'Shea (Framax, Alu-Framax). Competes with O'Shea in the UK hire market via its own direct operations while also acting as a supplier — a dual competitor/OEM relationship.

Emerging players

• MFE Formwork: Formwork and shoring hire specialist active in the UK and Europe. Smaller, niche competitor with overlapping slab and wall formwork hire offerings that could displace O'Shea on specific project types.

Direct peers

• Acrow Group: UK formwork, scaffolding and temporary works hire specialist serving residential, commercial and infrastructure projects. Comparable to O'Shea in providing design-led formwork hire with an in-house fleet and depot network across the UK.
• Mabey Hire: UK specialist formwork, falsework and propping hire company offering integrated engineering design and equipment rental. Closest direct UK competitor to O'Shea with a comparable hire, design and transport service model focused on construction contractors.
• RMD Kwikform: Global formwork, falsework and ground shoring supplier with substantial UK operations. Directly comparable to O'Shea in offering proprietary wall and slab formwork systems for hire and sale, plus engineering design services for major building and infrastructure projects.
• ULMA Construction: International formwork and scaffolding supplier with UK presence, offering wall, slab and climbing formwork systems for hire and sale. Comparable mid-tier peer competing for similar concrete construction projects.
• BrandSafway (Hünnebeck UK): Hünnebeck, part of BrandSafway, supplies formwork, shoring and scaffolding systems across the UK. Directly comparable to O'Shea in providing proprietary formwork systems, design support and hire services to major contractors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/o-shea-plant-hire

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 C J OSHEA PLANT HIRE LTD.