Instant Tool and Plant Hire, a Newcastle-under-Lyme based equipment hirer is celebrating a successful first year in business thanks to its round-the-clock service and a fleet of 20 new compact JCB machines.
It has been a story of two Staffordshire family businesses working together as Instant Tool and Plant Hire was founded 12 months ago by husband-and-wife team Andy and Joanne Macartney – launched with a major investment in brand new JCB equipment worth in excess of £300,000 supplied by local dealer Gunn JCB.
The Macartneys bring vast experience in customer service and rapid response following a combined 40 years working together in the vehicle recovery sector prior to setting up Instant Tool and Plant Hire. That experience has proved vital in their hire firm which unlike competitors is open seven-days-a-week and is backed by 24-hour support line. The company supplies building and landscaping equipment to residents and businesses across Staffordshire and Cheshire.
The new company has seen instant success, with great demand for its small plant and tools for hire, driven by a summer boom in DIY and gardening projects during the Covid-19 lockdown. That saw its branded equipment and vehicles gaining great exposure, leading to increased business from small building and landscape firms throughout the region.
The firm has subsequently gone from strength to strength, already acquiring the business of long-established Castle Tool Hire during the course of its first year.
Director Andy Macartney said: “We have been absolutely delighted with our successful first year in plant hire and wish to thank those valued customers across the city and surrounding area who took a chance on a new player in the market and have stood by us ever since.
“Our inspiration for the business came from our own struggles to source equipment quickly, reliably and out of office hours when doing our own projects at home. We recognised there was a gap in the market for a plant and tool hirer prepared to do whatever it takes to help customers. That’s where the idea for a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week hirer that ‘never says no to customers’ was born and that ethos has brought loyalty from our customers in return.”
Director Joanne Macartney said: “Once we made the decision to go for it, it had to be with JCB. Supporting a British manufacturer was important to us – as was the ability to source the bulk of our wide-ranging fleet from one place. There was also great synergy with a local, successful business still run by the founding family to this day.
“From the very first moment the service from Gunn JCB was amazing. They treated Andy and I as equals and their experience, advice and backup has been incredible throughout.”
Established in late 2019, family-owned Instant Tool and Plant Hire offer a vast range of compact plant and tools on flexible hire terms to customers across Staffordshire and Cheshire. Open seven-days-a-week and with rapid support available, it runs a fleet of 20 JCB machines including micro and mini excavators with associated attachments, compaction rollers, tracked dumpsters, site dumpers and access equipment.
