Watkins Hire celebrates 150th birthday with new depots

UK heating and cooling specialist, Watkins Hire, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and continues its recent expansion by opening three new depots during the year.

The company, which rents a wide range of temperature control equipment including industrial steam boilers, heating boilers, chillers, portable air conditioners, evaporative coolers, portable heaters and space, will have new depots in Falkirk, Lydney and Skelmersdale opened during 2010.

The company has expanded rapidly over the past 12 years, growing its rental fleet from 70 to 7000 pieces of equipment. The company rents equipment throughout the UK as well as in continental Europe.

Watkins' managing director, Mark Hills, said; "The hire sector is awash with companies claiming to be the biggest, most successful or fastest growing but only Watkins Hire can claim to be 150 years old.

"We've been an innovator throughout that 150-year history and we continue to drive innovation today, introducing groundbreaking developments, such as our GSM telemetry fuel management, fault reporting and temperature monitoring systems, to ensure we provide our customers with great service and reliable, technically advanced equipment. The continuing expansion of our depot is the perfect way to celebrate our anniversary".

Founded in 1860, Watkins Hire remains an independent family-owned business today. It was originally established as an iron ore mining company, and originated the concept of steam and heating boiler hire and rented mobile steam boilers to the British military throughout the 20th century.