Smiths expands again

4 May 2021

Reflecting the current strength of the market, Smiths Equipment Hire has opened yet another depot. The latest is in Castleford and brings the company's network to 15 locations, as well as its Blackpool headquarters. 

The award-winning hirer says the new facility will complement its outlet in Leeds, which was opened in 2017. 

“We had been looking for a bigger site in Leeds for some time. It’s 6,600 sq ft in size but we’ve virtually outgrown it,” joint managing director David Smith tells me. “Then we found the Castleford location which is ideal. It is 10,000 sq ft and was previously a tyre and exhaust service centre. 

“It was basically ready to move straight into with offices and a workshop already in place and ample storage space.”

Fellow managing director Thomas Smith adds that, “With the growth in the DIY and home improvement market driven via our online activity and website throughout lockdowns, the demand in tool hire has increased rapidly, with people looking to rent their tools, rather than buy, use once and put in the shed. 

“With this significant increase in demand, the additional space will allow us to display more of the larger trade machines like cherry pickers, diggers and dumpers and provide a tool hire service to the smaller tradesperson and DIY community,” says Thomas. 

The Castleford depot is close to the M62 motorway and has created ten new jobs, taking the Smiths employee count to more than 170. 

The company’s network is set to grow further with the imminent opening of a depot in Morecambe to serve a large area around Lancaster. 

● Smiths recently added significantly to its excavator fleet, as reported on the blog here.