The independent plant and tool hire business, which has more than 47 years' experience, has signed a franchising and licensing agreement with easyHire, which specialises in digital systems for the rental sector.
Martin Plant Hire, which has seven depots across Scotland, has purchased the exclusive brand rights to EasyToolhire Scotland to achieve greater local expansion. It wants to capitalise on digital channels and the brand recognition the ‘easy’ family of brands holds in the UK.
The company said that its customers will see the easyToolhire brand alongside the Martin Plant Hire brand. The new dual-branded partnership will enable Martin Plant Hire to digitise the business, giving customers the opportunity to order tools, plant and equipment at the touch of a button.
Andy Martin, managing director of Martin Plant Hire, said: “For 47 years, Martin Plant Hire has been serving customers in Scotland; everyone from large construction companies to DIY and home improvement enthusiasts.
“Our business model has served us well but we felt that the time was right to invest in our future. Lockdown proved how important it was to be able to take online orders, answer customer queries quickly, and have a strong online presence on every platform.
“By collaborating with easyHire and dual branding the business, with both the easyToolhire Scotland and Martin Plant Hire brands being visible, we are leading from the front, leveraging the benefits of being associated with a world-leading brand and giving our customers the opportunity to hire tools easier.”
Andrea Guzzoni and Dennis Helderman, directors of Rentuu and easyHire, said: “We are delighted to be working with Martin Plant Hire and launchingeasyToolhire Scotland. It’s our mission to make tool hire and plant rental easy. Partnering with the best business owners that share that mission is very important.
“Our world-leading technology enables anyone working on everything from a landscaping project to a renovation job, and more, to find all of their tool hire needs in one space. Moreover, they can hire the equipment from a brand that almost everyone recognises.”
Guzzoni added: “Our technology, which is simple for the customer to use, will help enable Andy and his team to plan for the future and be around for another 47+ years.”
Graham Arundell, retired CEO of Hire Association Europe, and industry advisor to easyHire, said of the company’s latest news: “It’s great that easyHire has recognised the opportunity for local independent plant and tool hire businesses to grow by going digital. The excellent platform developed by easyHire will I’m sure have a positive impact on these family-owned hire companies across Europe and the UK.”
Josh Nickell, Vice President of the Equipment Segment at the American Rental Association, and industry advisor to easyHire, said: “As someone who has run a successful equipment and plant hire company myself, I know how difficult it is for many local businesses to show they are highly professional, safe, and reliable.
Luckily, this is what easy does best, helped by a strong online presence and rich digital media. easyToolhire franchises will stand out as rental companies that the professional contractor and home DIY professional can trust.”
EasyHire’s technology includes a suite of customisable tools for franchise owners, such as a mobile-first website builder and manager, customer account portal to manage recurring business, dynamic pricing tools, system integration with inventory management, customer relationship management and marketing automation systems. Franchise owners also get access to a central easyHire marketing and product team.
EasyHire is currently ‘live’ in the UK as easyEventhire and easyToolhire and Italy (easyNoleggio), and will soon be launching in France (easyLocation), Spain (easyAlquilar) and Germany (easyMieten).
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