Fork Rent is a leading provider of tele-handlers

Searchlight Capital Partners and Duke Street have acquired controlling interests in Fork Rent Limited and One Call Hire Limited.

The two family-owned businesses will combine to create one of the UK’s largest providers of rental equipment to the construction industry.

Fork Rent and One Call have complementary sector exposures and product ranges, according to the new owners. While Fork Rent has a greater involvement in the residential market, One Call has a larger footprint in the infrastructure and commercial segments. The newly combined business will create one of the UK’s leading fleets of excavators and telescopic handlers.

Commenting on the deal, Oliver Haarmann, a founding partner of Searchlight, says: "We have been deeply impressed by the leading market positions achieved by Fork Rent and One Call under the leadership of their founders. Together, the companies can leverage their increased scale and strong reputation for providing best-in-class customer service to create a leading equipment rental company in the UK across multiple end-markets and equipment types."

Fork Rent and One Call will together possess a network of equipment depots that spans the United Kingdom.

Based in Ipswich, Fork Rent is a leading provider of telescopic handlers to the housing construction market. Based in Enfield, One Call, a best-in-class service provider to the commercial and infrastructure construction markets, is a specialist in excavators, dumpers and rollers.

Fork Rent was founded in 1972 as Guy’s Hire, building on a truck rental business operated by Percy Nicholls which developed into Trucks R Us and Tippers R Us.  Fork Rent managing director Elaine Miller is expected to stay with the business.

Middlesex-based One Call boasts over 3,000 machines available for hire. These include excavators, heavy-lift telehandlers, access platforms and dumpers with an average age of just 12 months.

Details of the integration plans for the two businesses have not been revealed.