UK renter Hewden to close 22 depots

Hewden Plant Hire in the UK will close 22 of its current 102 depots by the end of March 2009. It will also cut 213 from its current staff total of 1750.

The company, part of Canada's Finning group, said in November that it would reduce its depot network. It has also moved to a three-region structure and eliminated the specialist equipment divisions, such as powered access and accommodation. The changes follow a 10% revenue fall in the latest quarter.

Hewden's executive director Doug Sprout said, "Everyone is aware of the rapid and unprecedented decline in the construction market which is hurting every plant hire company. Our first concern is for our staff who will all be affected by these changes, but we are also determined to maintain the best possible customer service during this restructuring."

Hewden said it will close 12 depots in Barrow in Furness, Cambridge, Elgin, Heathrow, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Melksham, Redditch, Chester, Shrewsbury, Thatcham and Yeovil.

It will close a further 10 depots and merge them with nearby locations. Its Motherwell, Mount Vernon and Newarthill depots will transfer to Glasgow Queenslie; Bathgate to Edinburgh; Rotherham to Barnsley; and Warrington Great Sankey to Warrington Appleton Thorn. It is also merging Abergele into Bangor; Cardiff into Cardiff Docks; Olney into Bedford; and Truro into Redruth.