Andara

What Andara does

Andara Ltd, trading as Focus Plant, is an independent tool and plant hire company headquartered at 6a Lagoon Road, Orpington, Kent (BR5 3QX), United Kingdom. Established in 1985 and rebranded to Focus Plant in October 2017, the firm operates a single depot serving the Kent region with delivery capability. Its core activity is short-term rental of construction tools, plant equipment, and accessories — including mini excavators and dumpers (Kubota), access equipment (Genie, Lyte, Clow ladders), breaking and drilling tools (Hilti), sawing and cutting equipment (Makita, DeWalt), welding machines (Clarke, Arcgen, Nexus), landscaping tools (Stihl, Honda), and site safety/security products — sourced from major OEMs and offered on daily, multi-day, weekend, and weekly usage-based rates with deposits on larger items.

The business model is straightforward equipment rental revenue with usage-based pricing and required deposits for higher-value assets (e.g., £500 deposit on the Kubota U10-3 micro digger). Customer acquisition combines a public website (andaratools.com), WhatsApp direct messaging, and a trade account program for repeat professional customers. The customer base is segmented horizontally across construction trades, landscapers, groundworkers, and DIY users. Certifications held include HAE (Hire Association Europe) membership, CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) accreditation, and Safe Hire certification, which provide compliance and trust signals in the UK hire market.

The operating footprint is single-country and regional (Kent), with no disclosed headcount, no external funding, no subsidiaries, no M&A activity, and no disclosed revenue. Distribution is via depot pickup and delivery across Kent. The competitive position rests on 38+ years of continuous local presence, brand recognition within the catchment, multi-OEM equipment breadth, and the convenience of WhatsApp and trade account channels rather than on scale, technology differentiation, or proprietary IP.

Name

Andara

Legal name

Andara Ltd TA / Focus Plant

Website

https://andaratools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Andara Ltd (trading as Focus Plant) is a Kent-based independent tool and plant hire company, founded in 1985 and operating from a single Orpington depot, serving construction trades, landscapers, and DIY customers across the region with delivery and usage-based rentals of professional equipment from major OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orpington

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Short-term and long-term rental of construction tools, plant equipment, and accessories with daily, weekend, and weekly hire rates. Revenue generated through usage-based pricing with deposits required for larger equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Andara (trading as Focus Plant) provides short-term and long-term rental of construction tools, plant equipment, and accessories for trade professionals, landscapers, and DIY customers in Kent. Equipment is offered under daily, multi-day, weekend, and weekly hire rates with deposits on larger items and optional delivery to the customer's site.

Product overview

Andara (trading as Focus Plant) is a tool and plant hire company based in Orpington, Kent, offering short-term rental of construction tools and equipment. Established in 1985 and rebranded as Focus Plant in October 2017, the company provides a diverse portfolio of hire equipment across multiple categories including access equipment (ladders, boom lifts), breaking and drilling (Hilti breakers, dust removal systems), compactors and rollers, concrete equipment, gardening and landscaping tools, welding equipment, sawing and cutting tools (including Dewalt and Makita saws), plumbing and pumping equipment, site safety equipment, and mini excavators/dumpers from manufacturers like Kubota. Equipment is available for daily, multi-day, weekend, and weekly hire with delivery available. The hire fleet includes equipment from well-known brands such as Hilti, Makita, Dewalt, Honda, Genie, Clarke, Atlas Copco, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tool and Plant Hire Service Short-term and long-term rental of construction tools, plant equipment, and accessories (diggers, dumpers, breakers, welders, saws, ladders, compaction and landscaping equipment) for trade professionals, landscapers, and DIY customers in Kent. Hire available by the day, weekend, or week, with deposits on larger items and optional delivery.
• Kubota 1.1 Tonne Micro Digger/Excavator (U10-3) Compact micro digger (Kubota U10-3) capable of fitting through 750mm wide openings with a 990mm operating width. Available for hire from £95 per day with a £500 deposit; suitable for construction, landscaping, and groundworks.
• Kubota U27 Compact Excavator Compact 2.7-tonne excavator (Kubota U27) for digging and earthmoving tasks on construction and landscaping projects.
• 1 Tonne Hi-Tip Dumper Compact 1-tonne hi-tip dumper for transporting materials around construction sites.
• Tracked Barrow (Slanetrac HT1000) Petrol-powered tracked power barrow for transporting materials across rough terrain on construction and landscaping sites.
• Hilti TE3000 Breaker Heavy-duty Hilti TE3000 electric breaker for demolition and breaking applications on construction sites.
• Hilti TE-DRS-B Breaker Dust Removal System Dust removal system for Hilti breakers designed to reduce airborne dust during demolition and breaking work.
• Atlas Copco SB52 Hydraulic Breaker (1.5-1.7t Excavator) Hydraulic breaker attachment for 1.5-1.7 tonne excavators, for breaking concrete and road surfaces. Priced from £80 per day, £150 per week.
• Vib Roller Vibrating roller for compacting soil, gravel, and asphalt surfaces on construction and groundworks projects.
• Belle PCEL Plate Compactor Plate compactor for compacting granular soils, gravel, and asphalt on construction and landscaping sites.
• Baron F120 Forced Action Screed Mixer Forced action mixer for screed and mortar applications on construction sites.
• DeWalt DW743 250mm Flipover Saw 110v Dual-function 250mm saw usable as a bench saw for sheet materials or flipped to use as a mitre saw for bevelled and mitre cuts. Blade wear charges apply.
• Makita LF1000 260mm Flip Over Saw 110v Makita 260mm flip saw combining mitre saw and table saw functions. Weighs 32kg, with electronic constant speed control and soft start.
• Makita 14" Electric Cut-off Saw Makita 14-inch electric cut-off saw for cutting metal and masonry materials.
• Arbortech AS175 Masonry Saw Masonry saw for cutting brick, block, and stone materials in construction and renovation work.
• Arcgen WM150SP Petrol Arc Welder Compact portable petrol welder for welding alloyed and non-alloyed steel, stainless steel, and cast iron. £60 per day, £105 per week; welding rods extra.
• Clarke 131E Electric Arc Welder 130amp Compact portable electric welder for welding alloyed and non-alloyed steel, stainless steel, and cast iron using stick electrodes. £35.45 per day.
• Clarke MIG 130EN Electric MIG Welder Electric MIG welder producing its own shielding gas from flux-coated wire, without requiring a gas cylinder.
• Nexus 500 Combi Petrol Electrofusion Welder Petrol-powered electrofusion pipe welder for joining polyethylene pipes in plumbing and groundworks. £57.14 per day, £175 per week; fuel charged extra.
• Lyte 14 Tread Roof Ladder 14-tread roof ladder for safe access to roof surfaces during roofing work.
• Lyte 16 Tread Roof Ladder 16-tread roof ladder for safe access to roof surfaces during roofing work.
• Genie SLA10 10ft Static Boom Lift 10-foot static boom lift for elevated work access on construction, maintenance, and installation sites.
• Mace Bumpa Hoist 8m Electric Electric material hoist reaching up to 8 metres for lifting and lowering building materials on construction sites.
• Probst Kerb Grab Kerb stone handling equipment for installing and placing kerbs on construction and paving projects.
• Stump Grinder Equipment for grinding and removing tree stumps below ground level for landscaping and grounds maintenance.
• Petrol Earth Auger / Post Hole Borer Petrol-powered earth auger for drilling post holes and boring ground for fencing, decking, and landscaping.
• Active Petrol Turf Cutter Petrol-powered turf cutter for removing grass and sod layers for landscaping and lawn renovation.
• Honda Grass Mower Honda-powered lawn and grass cutting equipment for landscaping maintenance.
• Honda 2" Petrol Centrifugal Pump Petrol-powered water pump for dewatering and water transfer on construction and plumbing sites.
• Kamco Central Heating Power Flusher Power flusher for cleaning and flushing central heating systems in plumbing and HVAC work.
• Dri-Eaz Large Dehumidifier (Dual Voltage 110v-240V) Large-capacity dehumidifier for water damage restoration, drying, and climate control on construction and restoration sites.
• Elite Portable Air Conditioner Portable air conditioning unit for cooling and climate control on construction, events, and temporary sites.
• Makita DRT50ZJX3 18V Router/Trimmer BL LXT Cordless brushless router/trimmer with variable speed control, LED job light, and connectable dust extractor. £20.90 per day.
• Prop Pal Structural Props Adjustable props and support equipment for temporary structural support on construction sites.
• Armorgard TuffBank TB2 Site Box Secure site box for storing tools and equipment on construction sites.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MakitacoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Makita power tools available for hire including 14" Electric Cut-off Saw, Electric Laminate Trimmer, LF1000 260mm Flip Over Saw, 18V Router/Trimmer
• HilticoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Hilti professional tools including TE3000 breaker and dust removal systems available for hire
• DeWaltcoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - DW743 250mm Flipover Saw available for hire
• StihlcoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Stihl power tools available for hire
• SealeycoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Sealey tools and equipment available for hire
• KubotacoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Kubota mini diggers including 1.1 Tonne Micro Digger available for hire
• HondacoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Honda powered equipment including 2" Petrol Centrifugal Pump available for hire
• GeniecoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Genie access equipment including SLA10 available for hire
• Atlas CopcocoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Hydraulic breakers for excavators including SB52 available for hire
• Altrad BellecoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier - Altrad Belle compaction and mixing equipment available for hire
• HAE (Hire Association Europe)coreOthersIndustry trade association membership providing industry standards and credibility
• CHAScoreOthersHealth and safety assessment scheme certification - demonstrates compliance with health and safety standards for contractors

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• HSS Hire: One of the UK's largest tool and equipment hire companies with nationwide depots and broad construction/landscaping rental coverage. Directly comparable to Andara's core offering, but operating at significantly greater scale.
• Speedy Hire: Leading UK plant, tool, and specialist equipment hire provider listed on the London Stock Exchange. Directly comparable to Andara across construction equipment categories, with national depot coverage and digital booking.
• Boels Rental: Major European construction equipment rental company with a growing UK depot network. Directly comparable offering of mini-excavators, breakers, compaction, and access equipment to trade and contractor customers.
• Brandon Hire Station: UK tool and equipment hire specialist with multi-depot coverage, owned by Vp plc. Directly comparable to Andara in core categories including access, breaking, compaction, and landscaping equipment.
• GAP Group: UK plant, tool, and welfare hire company with nationwide depots serving construction and infrastructure customers. Directly comparable to Andara's hire categories, including excavators, dumpers, and powered access.
• Travis Perkins Tool Hire: Hire counter operated by Travis Perkins, the UK's largest building merchant. Offers overlapping tool and small plant hire categories to tradespeople, leveraging the merchant branch network.
• Jewson Tool Hire: Hire service within Jewson, a major UK builders' merchant. Comparable trade-focused tool and plant hire offering, distributed through the merchant branch network rather than dedicated depots.
• Hewden: UK plant and tool hire company with regional depots serving construction customers. Directly comparable categories including excavators, dumpers, powered access, and powered hand tools.

Broad incumbents

• Sunbelt Rentals (UK): UK arm of Sunbelt Rentals, the largest equipment rental company in North America. Comparable categories of construction and industrial equipment, but at much larger scale with broader geographic reach.
• Vp plc: UK-listed equipment rental group operating Brandon Hire Station, MEP Hire, and ESS Safeforce. Broader incumbent covering tool, plant, and specialist hire with much larger scale than Andara.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

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 Andara