HSS says online marketplace ‘biggest in Europe’

UK rental company HSS Hire said it will continue to expand the services and products it offers on its HSS ProService online marketplace and is rolling out the offer to its largest clients.

The platform, launched in the middle of last year, allows customers to buy a wide range of rental services as well as building materials and tools. Soon to be added to the platform will be fuel, waste, personal protective equipment (PPE) and training.

The HSS PreService website.

Its first major customer started using the site in October and HSS said “this has been a great success and we now have a pipeline of customers lined up to adopt this technology.” HSS added that its largest customer, Amey, was due to migrate to the platform as part of its recent contract extension.

HSS claimed the platform is the largest marketplace for building-related services in Europe, with more than 700 selling partners serving more than 22,000 business-to-business customers. It said the average customer spend last year was £12,000.

The company now operates two legally distinct divisions: HSS Operations for services, operational efficiency and safety, and ProService, which targets customer acquisition and technology development.

Revenues for the full year rose by 10.7% to £332.8 million, with adjusted EBITDA profirts of £71.6 million. Profit before tax was £18.9 million.

Steve Ashmore, HSS CEO, said: “The business has been restored to full health, supported by motivated and engaged colleagues who are fully embracing our innovative customer-offering.

“We continue to deploy new technologies across both HSS ProService and HSS Operations with all these initiatives remaining on track or ahead of plan. In ProService, our digital self-serve portal – HSS Pro – is delivering stronger than anticipated results.

“Our growing pipeline of customers waiting to be onboarded to the portal reflects the significant need and demand that exists for our evolving marketplace proposition and differentiates HSS in the fragmented building services market.”