History

2009 - Key Events

• Speedy contracts exclusively with network rail to maintain over 25,000 of network rail-owned assets, supported by a 24/7 qualified team of mobile fitters and engineers
• Speedy launches its greener from the ground Up programme - a package of measures and innovations designed to help customers reduce waste and improve energy efficiency
• Speedy forms the Construction Site Solutions consortium and successfully bids to provide the on-site tool and materials facility at the olympic Park (north) in Stratford

2008 - Key Events

• Speedy wins the hire Association Europe award for 'Best Contribution to Environmental Issues'
• Speedy launches its first Multi Service Centre (MSC) - an eight-acre logistics and distribution centre - to bring the group's entire products and services under one roof
• Speedy works with equipment manufacturers and customers to develop and launch a new range of environmentally-friendly site accommodation (EnviroCabin)
• Speedy delivers its 100,000th 'Toolbox Talk' - training sessions run on construction sites to help raise awareness and understanding of health and safety best practice
• Speedy launches its third SfTgU campaign to raise awareness of dust pollution
• Speedy is ranked no. 1 in The observer's good Companies guide (fTSE 350) of ethical companies
• Speedy signs a five-year contract with Exxon Mobil to install and operate an on site facility providing hire products and other asset maintenance and support services

September 2008

• Steve Corcoran awarded North West Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors.

June 2008

• Steve Corcoran awarded European Rental Person of the Year at the European Rental Awards in Amsterdam.

May 2008

• Speedy Hire - is awarded a silver ranking in Business in the Community's Corporate Responsibility (CR) Index.
• Speedy Hire enters into a five year strategic partnering agreement with Carillion plc.
• Speedy Hire announces the acquisition of Carillion Asset Management Limited's accommodation business.
• Speedy awarded Service Excellence award at the BSIF Safety Awards.
• Speedy Hire scooped two top awards at the prestigious Hire Association Europe's (HAE) Hire Awards of Excellence.

January 2008

• Acquisition of AMEC Logistics and Support Services for £12.5m.

November 2007

• Speedy win a prestigious award for the production of its annual report - winning Corp Comms' 2007 award for 'Best Annual Report - quoted companies'.
• Speedy win the Marketing Strategy of the Year Award at the National Business Awards for Safety From The Ground Up.

October 2007

• Speedy Hire is the first company in its sector to take delivery of a fleet of high energy battery powered delivery vehicles.
• Speedy win Plant Hire Company of the Year at the Contract Journal Awards.
• The Group are also awarded Best Contribution to Health and Safety and Environmental Issues at the Hire Association of Europe's Annual Hire Awards of Excellence.

September 2007

• Speedy achieve the number one spot in The Observer's Good Company Guide as the Number One Ethical Investment Choice

August 2007

• Speedy announce the completion of the acquisition of the Tool Hire division of Hewden Stuart Plc for £115 million a transformational deal consistent with our strategy of growing the business organically and through acquisition.

July 2007

• Speedy announces the acquisition of Waterford Hire Services Limited a long standing, well-respected, independent tool and equipment hire business with 31 employees operating from two depots in Waterford City and South Kilkenny in South East Ireland for €5.2 million
• Speedy Hire has been judged the best company in the UK for the social impact of its Safety from the Ground Up campaigns by winning a top CSR award from Business in the Community.
• Speedy Generators Invests £8 Million in new equipment to power it's growth.

May 2007

• Speedy are the only Tool Hire company to achieve a listing in the Sunday Times Top 100 for Corporate Responsibility.
• Speedy Invests in greener deliveries announcing the addition of the first electric vehicles to its fleet, which are totally silent and emit no CO2.

April 2007

• Speedy Hire launches the third phase of it's award winning Safety from the Ground Up campaign focusing on prevention and control of dust in the workplace.

March 2007

• Speedy are honoured at the PLC Awards in association with the Financial Times. The Group win the Best Investor Communication category. At the same time Steve Corcoran is runner-up in the Entrepreneur of the Year category.

February 2007

• Speedy Opens First Stand Alone Safety Depot To Support Olympic Games

January 2007

• Speedy invest in the future with the launch of the Apprenticeship Scheme based on the Modern Apprenticeship in Plant & Maintenance.

October 2006

• Speedy Lifting is accredited with the Investors in People standard.
• Speedy Power is accredited with the Investors in People standard
• Speedy Lifting announces the acquisition of Lifting Gear Hire Limited for £13.5 million. This takes the number of depots and employees across the group to over 350 and 3800 respectively.

June 2006

• Speedy announces that it is now a member of the FTSE 250

May 2006

• Speedy Power announces the acquisition of LCH Generators Limited for a cash consideration of £59.0 million.
• Speedy Space is accredited with the Investors in People standard.
• Speedy's Preliminary Results show revenue increased by 23% to £254.3 million and profit grew by 25% to £30.7 million.
• Lord Hunt, Minister for Health and Safety commends Speedy on their Safety from the Groud Up campaign

April 2006

• Speedy's Hand Arm Vibration Communications Campaign receives a top honour from OPERC, the leading international centre of excellence for plant and equipment science.

March 2006

• Speedy Hire launches the second phase of it's award winning Safety from the Ground Up campaign focusing on Hand Arm Vibration

February 2006

• Speedy Hire Plc launches its Tools, Lifting, Survey and Power divisions in Ireland with depots in Belfast and Dublin.
• Speedy Space announces the acquisition of Caledonian Safemaker for a cash consideration of £13.7 million

December 2005

• Speedy announces the acquisition of Mowlem and their accommodation and survey fleet for £5.1 million. Speedy also enters into a five year exclusive supply agreement with Mowlem for accommodation and survey equipment.

November 2005

• Speedy Hire plc announces another set of strong interim results: turnover is up 21.3% to £120 million, while operating profit before amortisation and impairment increases 26% to £17.3 million
• The Group is also honoured with two more awards. Firstly, the Growth Strategy of the Year award at the National Business Awards. Then, Speedy's Safety From the Ground Up campaign wins Campaign of the Year at the Construction Marketing Awards.

October 2005

• Speedy Hire Plc is named Plant Hire Company of the Year at the Contract Journal Awards. In the same month the company acquires Delyn Hire Centres' 4 locations in North Wales

August 2005

• Speedy completes the signing of a new £150 million debt facility.

July 2005

• Speedy acquires the internal plant hire operations of MJ Gleeson Group Plc and secures a £6 million hire agreement.

June 2005

• Speedy's preliminary results show a turnover increase of 21% to £206.5 million, while profit before tax is up 12.4% to £23.8 million.

May 2005

• Speedy Hire Plc is named Hire Company of the Year by the Hire Association of Europe for an unprecedented 3rd year in a row. At the same event, John Brown receives the Hire Person of the Year.

April 2005

• Speedy Hire announce the acquisition of the business and certain assets of 'The Cabin Company Limited,' a wholly owned subsidiary of Birse Group, for a maximum cash consideration of £6.25m.
• As announced at the AGM in July 2004, the Board of Speedy Hire Plc confirms the appointment of Steve Corcoran as Chief Executive with effect from 4th April 2005. John Brown, Speedy Hire's founder and retiring Chief Executive, will step down from the Board at the AGM in July 2005.

February 2005

• Speedy Hire announce the acquisition of the business and certain assets of D.A.D. Hire Services Ltd for a cash consideration of £0.3m.
• Speedy Hire also announces it has disposed of in full, the trade and assets of Toilet Hire U.K. to a management buy in team.
• Speedy Hire strengthens its market leading position with the purchase of Lloyds British Hire for £3.1m, cementing Speedy Lifting's position as the Number 1 provider of Lifting and Materials Handling equipment.

November 2004

• Speedy Hire Plc's interim financial results show turnover is £98.9m (2003: £79.8m) and operating profit increases by 23.8%.
• Speedy Survey continues to develop its industry leading specialist offering and celebrates being awarded the Investors in People standard.

October 2004

• Speedy continues its dynamic growth strategy with the acquisition of the internal hire operations of Simons Construction Limited.

August 2004

• Speedy buys Coates Rent Air, investing £6.65m in the purchase, which adds six new depots and means Speedy becomes the market leader in power including compressed air, generators and lighting towers.
• Speedy acquires Multi and the ten site £7.65 million deal further enhances Speedy's position as the No.1 in the UK tool hire industry and extends Speedy's coverage in Birmingham, Greater London, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.
• Speedy celebrates its 2500th employee and Financial Director Neil O'Brien says "Our culture and reward structure is firmly focused on staff loyalty - providing great incentives for all to succeed. For instance, we paid £7.6 million in staff bonuses in the financial year 2003/04; an average of more than £3000 per employee."

July 2004

• Speedy Survey celebrates gaining IS0 9001 in under a year.
• Speedy Hire announces that Steve Corcoran will take over as Chief Executive with effect from 1 April 2005.
• The 'Safety from the Ground Up' campaign by Speedy begins in earnest with a nationwide investment in Suredeck - part of Speedy's multi million pound investment in health and safety - and work at height solutions in particular.

June 2004

• Speedy announces strong preliminary 2003/2004 financial results: turnover up 18% to £170.2 million.

April 2004

• Speedy Hire is named Hire Association Europe's Hire Company of the Year for the second year running. Speedy and Interserve enter industry-leading agreements, as Interserve moves to streamline and co-ordinate all of it's purchasing from small hire and plant providers.
• Speedy and the Hand Arm Vibration working group launch a new health and safety training pack at Interbuild 2004. The group, brings together suppliers, contractors, construction organisations and Speedy in the first industry wide work to tackle the issue of hand arm vibration.

March 2004

• Speedy Power launches its Pumps division. Speedy Power's commitment to innovation and investment is demonstrated by the development, with Genset, of the industry's leading range of super silenced, environmentally friendly powerful pumps.

February 2004

• Speedy signs preferred supplier agreement with Mowlem for a minimum of 3 years, demonstrating its ability to work in partnership with the contractor to provide dedicated hire desk services, consolidated invoices and bespoke management reporting.
• Speedy acquires Pitreavie Tool Hire in Scotland - the deal strengthens Speedy's existing operation in Dunfermline and gives the business a new strategic location in Livingston.
• The acquisition follows a busy 10 months for Livingston based Speedy Scotland. Though less than one-year-old Speedy Scotland is already changing the face of the tool hire industry in Scotland through its growing network of 23 depots.

December 2003

• Speedy Lifting celebrates its first birthday with the award of the new ISO 9001 standard, emphasising the company's commitment to health and safety, and the ongoing training of specialist, expert staff.

October 2003

• A £1.3 million acquisition of Watts Optronics sales and hire network from leading survey equipment manufacturer Leica Geosystems, firmly cements Speedy Survey as the number one survey equipment hire company in the UK. Speedy Survey is on track to become the number one hirer of specialist survey equipment.

September 2003

• Speedy Hire makes the £2.2m purchase of the business and assets of St Vincent Plant, from privately owned construction and industrial services company, Clugston Group. The purchase provides Speedy with another seven depots in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire located in Bradford, Doncaster, Grimsby, Hull, Lincoln, Scunthorpe, and Sheffield - and an enhanced national offering.

July 2003

• The acquisition of Kingfisher Hire means Speedy increases its depot network and capabilities. A further acquisition, Ashtead Plant Hire's 'Big Air' Division, makes Speedy the number one hire company for compressed air in the UK.
• Speedy Space continues to expand, taking its number of locations to 14 with a major £7m investment in the business, supplying portable accommodation to the UK construction industry and the rail, utilities and facilities management sectors.

May 2003

• Speedy is named Hire Association Europe's Hire Company of The Year for national multiple outlets.

April 2003

• Speedy Scotland is officially launched with John Cummings as Managing Director and quickly establishes itself in the market working with construction, building services, rail and utilities in Scotland. The number of depots grows steadily and the Speedy Scotland team wins contracts including Scottish Parliament and the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

February 2003

• Speedy signs a £3m enhanced contract with Kier construction, demonstrating Speedy's ability to work in partnership with construction companies.

January 2003

• Speedy sets out its objective to grow the size of the business by 30 depots across the UK in 2003.

October 2002

• Speedy consolidate all Lifting depots and forms Speedy Lifting Limited.

January 2002

• Speedy acquires Jewson's 37 standalone depots and substantially increases the size of its depot network, ensuring that service and delivery capabilities are second-to-none wherever the location.

2001

• John Brown named Hire Association Europe's Hire Person of the Year for the second time.

August 2001

• Allen Plc changes its name to Speedy Hire Plc and becomes a pure tool hire company.

2000

• Steve Corcoran is named Hire Association Europe's Hire Person of the Year.

October 2000

• Speedy Western is formed providing a significant base from which to service construction businesses in Bristol, the Western Region and Wales and to further invest in new depots and equipment.

April 2000

• Speedy Power commences trading, successfully supplying into new markets, where we previously had little exposure, as well as our existing markets.

January 2000

• The acquisition of Construction Instruments leads to Speedy Survey becoming an independent specialist business. This enables Speedy to maximise the utilisation of survey related products and to better service the primary clients for this most specialised equipment.

1998

• John Brown, later to become Speedy Hire Plc Chief Executive, is named Hire Association Europe's Hire Person of the Year and outlines his vision for the continued growth of the business.

March 1997

• Launch of Speedy Hire Direct, a call centre operation established to provide a single port of call for contractors working on a national basis.

May 1996

• Acquisition of Midlands based Tidy Hire, boosting coverage in the UK's industrial heartland.

1995

• Beskab Ltd changes its name to Speedy Space.

December 1995

• Speedy moves into Scotland for the first time, with the purchase of depots from John Cummings who joins Speedy. Speedy begins to make its presence felt in Scotland, offering services to the Scottish construction, transport and utilities industries.

September 1994

• The acquisition of Kendrick Hire's 41 branches was the deal that really put Speedy on the UK hire industry map. The two companies are split to form Speedy Northern and Speedy Southern and Speedy is on the way to providing full geographic reach a cross the UK.

February 1993

• Speedy buys Hire-A-Tool, boosting the number of hire centres to 30, and the well-established team joins the Speedy group. Speedy announces that the company will continue to expand through strategic acquisitions.

November 1990

• Steve Corcoran, later to become Chief Operating Officer, joins the company as a member of the sales team.

1989

• Allen Plc, the parent group for Speedy Hire, was floated on the London Stock Exchange.

October 1987

• First Speedy depot opens in London establishing a base for the company in the South and the foundations for Speedy Southern are laid. The now famous Speedy chevron logo was first introduced at this branch.

1983-1987

• Speedy steadily opens a number of Greenfield depots.

April 1982

• John Brown purchases Speedy Fixings Power Tools Ltd. In addition to the fixing business, it operated 3 hire outlets in Prescot, Manchester and Llandudno. The depot network started to grow. It was here he adopted the Speedy name.

April 1977

• John Brown became Managing Director of Livesey Hire in Wigan, later to become Speedy Hire Plc. The Speedy vision begins with one depot in Wallgate, Wigan.