easyToolHire launches in Scotland, expands in Italy

Online rental platform easyToolHire has launched in Scotland and signed a new agreement in Italy.

Martin Plant Hire, which operates seven depots across Scotland, has signed a franchising and licencing agreement that will see the launch of easyToolhire Scotland.

Managed by Rentuu, a cloud-based platform, easyToolHire is designed to simplify ordering for customers and streamline operations for rental businesses, from stock management to order enquiries and automated payments. It is part of the easyGroup of brands, which includes easyJet, and is backed by investment from the group and Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyJet. 

Andy Martin, Managing Director of Martin Plant Hire, said his company, which had been trading for 47 years, “felt that the time was right to invest in our future,” with the move online accelerated by lockdown.

“By collaborating with easyHire and dual branding the business with both the easyToolhire Scotland and Martin Plant Hire brands being visible, we are leading from the front, leveraging the benefits of being associated with a world-leading brand and giving our customers the opportunity to hire tools easier.”

Dennis Helderman, Director of Rentuu and easyHire, told IRN “Our business model is about empowering smaller operators in the rental sector. Most SMEs are not in a position to hire a team of developers and that’s where we are able to help.”

“We works in partnership with the directors of companies that are members of recognised industry associations. Our strategy is to work with one highly credible partner company per geographic region.”

Giuliano Group in Italy has acquired the rights to easyToolhire’s Italian arm easyNoleggio for the Lazio region.

Andrea Guzzoni, CEO and co-founder of Rentuu and easyHire added, “Many rental businesses are experts in their field, but their strengths do not lie in technology or marketing. Partnering with Rentuu and easytoolhire solves this issue.”

Partner businesses are co-branded with easyToolHire alongside their own business name to maintain the continuity of highly recognised local businesses, while leveraging the “easy” brand recognition across depot fitout and staff uniforms, Guzzoni said.

In Italy, Giuliano Group, which has offices throughout the country, has acquired the rights to easyToolhire’s Italian arm easyNoleggio for the Lazio region including Rome.

Enrico De Rosa, CFO at Officine Giuliano, said digitalisation of rental business processes would create “added value”, adding, “it means speed of execution and efficiency, it means improving the rental experience. The complete digitalisation of processes is now more necessary than ever and will help boost competitive advantage.”

Rentuu’s investment from easyGroup and Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou last year enabled Rentuu to create the easyHire franchisor model, which has the rights to the easyEventHire and easyToolHire rental brands, across more than 30 territories, including the EU, Switzerland and Monaco.

For more information, visit www.easytoolhire.com or www.easynoleggio.net.