AER Rents (O’Flaherty Holdings Group Co.) has acquired Drogheda Hire & Sales Ltd.

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O’FLAHERTY HOLDINGS TO EXPAND ITS PRESENCE IN PLANT HIRE

 

ANNOUNCEMENT COMES FOLLOWING ACQUISITIONS IN DROGHEDA & DERBYSHIRE

PLANS TO OPEN DUBLIN DEPOT AT LONG MILE ROAD  

THROUGH ITS AER RENTS SUBSIDIARY, O’FLAHERTY GROUP ACQUIRES PLANT HIRE SPECIALISTS, DROGHEDA HIRE & SALES LIMITED.

The acquisition was completed in May 2020, a busy year for AER Rents as the company further expanded its plant hire interests in Ireland and in the UK.

Founded in 1993 by David Donegan and operating with 28 members of staff from headquarters at Cement Road in Drogheda, Drogheda Hire & Sales Ltd has a distinguished reputation and a successful trading history. Its activities include the hire of heavy plant and equipment to customers involved in the construction, groundwork, utilities, civil works and landscaping sectors. In addition, the company has an expanding business in the hire of mini and midi diggers, dump trucks, cultivators and other equipment used by contractors operating in the commercial, residential and home maintenance and repair sectors.

Through its retail outlet, also located at Cement Road, the company markets building materials, tools and components used by trade and DIY customers. Plans are already in place to further expand the business with a second depot opening on Dublin’s Long Mile Road in early 2021. From the acquisition the business is now run by General Manager Daniel Dunne, with David Donegan supporting in a consultative capacity.

In the UK, AER Rents also completed the acquisition in December of Derbyshire-based Mainline Hire Group, tool, plant, access and power generation hire specialist. Founded by Keith Williams and Carole Poynton 39 years ago as Mainline Tool & Plant Hire, the business has grown to become one of the region’s leading plant hire and equipment sales companies, serving an extensive customer base throughout the Midlands and Home Counties.

Like Drogheda Hire & Sales, Mainline’s current activities include the hire of tools, plant, access and power generation equipment to customers across the construction, groundwork, utilities, civil works and landscaping sectors. The business employs 34 staff with Keith and Carole continuing in their leadership roles.

The O’Flaherty Holdings group first invested in plant hire in 2014 with the acquisition of London-based Mr Plant Hire. Each business will retain its identity, while capitalising on the strengths of their collective offerings and reach across the UK and Ireland.

AER Rents will continue to expand its presence in the plant hire market through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic growth, offering its customers access to a wider offering of modern products and services.

The O’Flaherty Holdings group is an organisation well known in Ireland, primarily through its role in the development of the Irish motor industry. Founded in the 1940s by legendary motor industry entrepreneur, the late Stephen O’Flaherty, the group continues to be owned and managed by members of the O’Flaherty family. Its subsidiaries include Motor Distributors Limited, distributors in Ireland of Mercedes- Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles and MSL – a network of independent motor dealerships providing sales and after-sales service for Mercedes-Benz, Mazda & Skoda.

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