Selling a plant hire business is not like selling an accountancy practice or an online shop. Your value sits in iron, in utilisation, in depot leases and in relationships with contractors who ring you because they know the kit turns up on time. Most brokers do not understand that. We do, because we have lived it.
The Exit Advisor was founded by Andrew Rohrer, who co-owned and grew Tiger Plant in Swindon to a fleet of over 120 machines before exiting. We help plant hire owners across the UK sell businesses valued between £1m and £50m.
When a trade buyer or investor assesses your business, the headline turnover figure is only the start. Expect scrutiny on:
Fleet age, mix and condition. The asset register against original equipment cost, the depreciation policy you have used, and how much life is left in the fleet. A tired fleet means the buyer prices in immediate capex, which comes off your number.
Utilisation. Physical and financial utilisation rates are the heartbeat of a hire business. If you are not measuring them, start now, because every credible buyer will ask.
Hire rates and margin. Are your rates at market level or have you bought turnover with cheap hire? Strong margin on a smaller fleet beats weak margin on a big one.
Customer concentration. If one contractor accounts for a large share of your revenue, buyers will discount for the risk. A spread of accounts, ideally with repeat contract hire rather than pure spot work, supports a stronger multiple.
The yard. Whether your depot is owned or leased, the lease length remaining, and whether the property is staying in the deal or being held back. This single point changes deal structure more often than owners expect.
Compliance and records. LOLER and PUWER inspection records, maintenance history, transport compliance. Clean paperwork shortens due diligence; gaps lengthen it and erode trust.
Management beyond you. If the business cannot trade for a fortnight without you, the buyer is buying a job, not a company. We help you fix this before going to market.
Plant hire sits in an unusual position: it is both a profit story and an asset story. Valuations are typically built on a multiple of adjusted EBITDA, cross-checked against the net asset value of the fleet. Where those two numbers sit relative to each other shapes both the price and the structure of the deal.
Adjustments matter enormously in this sector: owner remuneration, depreciation policy, one-off fleet purchases and disposals all move the EBITDA figure a buyer will accept. Preparing these adjustments properly, with evidence, is a large part of the value we add before your business ever goes to market. You can read more about preparing to sell.
We have sat in your chair. Andrew built, ran and exited his own hire business. He has bought machines, chased debtors, managed fitters and negotiated with the same buyers you will be sitting across from.
We are specialists, not generalists. Plant, tool and access hire is our core focus. We know who is acquiring in the sector right now and what they are paying.
Discretion as standard. Staff, customers and competitors do not find out your business is for sale. NDAs are signed before any information moves.
No fee for the first conversation. An exploratory chat costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Call Andrew directly on 07553 748032.
The questions plant hire owners ask us most often when they start thinking about an exit.
Get in touchIt depends on adjusted EBITDA, fleet value, utilisation, customer spread and how dependent the business is on you. Two businesses with identical turnover can be worth very different amounts. The honest answer requires a conversation and sight of your numbers, which is exactly what our free initial valuation is for.
There is no single right answer. Some owners sell the property with the trade; others retain it and grant a lease, keeping a rental income after exit. We model both routes with you before going to market.
Earlier than you think. Twelve to twenty-four months before your target exit gives time to improve utilisation reporting, tidy the asset register, reduce customer concentration and build a management layer. All of these move the price.
Not from us. The process runs under NDA, buyers are vetted before they learn the identity of the business, and marketing materials are anonymised.