Plant hire company wins national award

A WARRINGTON based Plant Hire Company is celebrating after winning a prestigious business award.
Ashtead Plant Hire Company (A-Plant) won The 3i Growth Strategy of the Year Award at this year’s Orange National Business Awards during a glittering award ceremony and gala dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, hosted by Andrew Marr.
A-Plant is one of Britain’s leading non-operated equipment rental companies with over 200 depots nationwide, offering in excess of 30,000 customer plant, tools and specialist equipment for hire.
The firm’s customer base largely operates in the construction and civil engineering markets. A-Plant’s award success emerged through a programme of merging its smaller depots into ‘Supersites’ resulting in increased delivery rates and customer convenience, contributing to a 49 per cent growth in profits and a 75 per cent equipment utilisation rate.
More than 1,200 business leaders and other VIPs including HRH The Earl of Wessex and Peter Mandelson, the Secretary of State for Business, attended the event.
Lord Mandelson, The Secretary of State for Business said: “Awards such as The National Business Awards are a great confidence builder. Showcasing some of the UK’s top businesses, they help us recognise the real wealth and talent we have in this country. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and I know that the resilience and tenacity of the business leaders such as these equip our economy for the 21st century and beyond.”
Recognising and rewarding excellence, innovation and success, 2008’s campaign has been the hardest fought to date.
Entrants have a combined turnover of £1,261bn, profit of £84bn and 4.5 million people on the payroll. Uniquely open to organisations of all sizes from any industry sector – public or private – the best of British businesses are able to showcase their achievements and benchmark their successes against firms and bodies of all types.