Coates buys general rentals fleet from Force

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16 August 2013

Coates Hire has acquired the general rentals business assets of Force Group in Townsville, Queensland and Darwin, Northern Territory.

IRN understands that the deal means Force Group has largely exited the general rental business to focus on aerial platform rental, where it is second only to Coates with a fleet of more than 4500 units.

The acquisition with Coates does not include the aerial platform assets, which will continue to be operated by Force under the Force Access name.

Last year, Force told IRN that its two general rental sites represented less than 10% of its revenues and that the business was unlikely to be expanded as it invested in its specialist access services.

Coates will take on the Force site in Townsville, but not in Darwin, where Coates will add the newly acquired equipment to its existing Darwin branch at Winnellie.

Adrian Manning, Coates Hire executive general manager – North, said the acquisition would strengthen its fleet in Townsville and Darwin, with a particular focus in the trade markets for equipment such as demolition saws, small earthmoving machines and compressors.

Coates Hire, owned by Seven Group and Carlyle, is Australia’s largest equipment rental company, with more than 230 locations. It was recently the subject of a strategic review by its owners who decided in the end to retain the business.

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