Portakabin invests €30 million in fleet

Temporary accommodation rental company Portakabin Hire has invested £22 million (€30 million) in new modular buildings for its rental fleet.

The UK-based company said it was expanding its fleet in response to rising demand for accommodation for interim use in both the commercial and public sectors. It added that the investment would make its hire fleet among the newest in the UK and provide shorter lead times.

Portakabin said the £10 million (€14 million) first phase of the investment had already been completed, and included £3 million (€4 million) for new double classrooms for schools. The second phase of new modular buildings will be manufactured and in stock before the end of this year, according to the company.

Portakabin Hire director and general manager Robert Snook said, “We have ambitious plans to grow the business and our continued investment in new buildings is central to that and will help us meet the increased demand for interim accommodation solutions across the UK.”

“This latest investment will enable us to offer an even better quality hire fleet that is the most modern in the UK. Our customers will also benefit from faster lead times for buildings for short-term use and with no front loading of costs to pay for manufacturing. We offer a flat rate hire cost so our customers have no capital outlay, allowing buildings to be funded cost effectively out of revenue budgets.”

The company said it was also investing in its network, including establishing a new Hire Centre in Coventry, the relocation of its Crawley Hire Centre to a much larger site at Lingfield, as well as new covered workshops and stores buildings in Merseyside and in Oldham.