Ex rugby union star backs new app

Former rugby union international Tim Stimpson is part of a consortium of investors behind an innovative new app set to streamline the process of locating and hiring construction equipment.

Trade Plant Hire has developed and launched the platform to enable local tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts alike to easily compare the market for a wide variety of equipment, from skips and scaffolding to power tools and portable generators.

It aims to support regional hire companies and equipment suppliers to compete on a more equal basis with the handful of national providers currently dominating the market.

The app has been launched in London and Birmingham, and will be rolled out across the rest of the UK later in the year.

Ivan Yardley, managing director of Birmingham-based Trade Plant Hire, said he had created a free-to-use app that offers a one stop shop for SME builders, tradespeople, and construction site managers.

“This gives users instant access through their smart phones to a huge network of stockists in their area – allowing them to see in an instant the type and quantity of equipment available. The plant hire industry is not only fragmented but poorly-served by tech solutions – and this app changes all that by being the only independent platform linking stockists with willing customers.”

There are several investors behind the company, including serial entrepreneur Gary Dewhurst of Growth50, and former rugby union player Tim Stimpson, who won a record five consecutive Premiership titles with Newcastle Falcons and Leicester Tigers.

Tim said: “This app is a disruptor and completely built around the needs of local tradespeople and DIYers by simplifying and streamlining what can be an incredibly time consuming and frustrating process. At the moment you might have to visit several different websites for quotes on a variety of hire equipment, only to find an item either unavailable or at a depot 50 miles away. This platform is a real gamechanger as it allows users to source equipment at a competitive price via their mobile phone.”

Trade Plant Hire is also championing regional and SME hire companies by making it free for them to upload their stock lists, delivery details and depot locations – helping boost hire rates and maximise profits. In addition, each hire is peer reviewed, so suppliers receive positive recognition for good service and reliability - driving up standards of customer service.

Pictured: From left, Tim Stimpson and Ivan Yardley