UK renter places €40.5m JCB order

UK rental company Morris Leslie Plant Hire has ordered 555 JCB Loadall telehandlers for its nationwide rental fleet. The order is worth £36 million (€40.5 million).

Morris Leslie is one of the fastest growing rental businesses in the UK. Based near Perth, Scotland, it rents a wide range of construction plant and operates an equipment sales business, including auctions.

From left, Morris Leslie (Executive Chairman, Morris Leslie Group), Yvette Henshall-Bell (JCB Group Managing Director Global Key Accounts), Graham Ogilvie (Managing Director, Morris Leslie Plant Hire), and David Park (Sales Director, Scot JCB). (Photo: JCB)

The JCB deal is for Loadalls ranging from the six metre 525-60 up to the 20 metre 540-200 and was placed through dealer Scot JCB.

All the machines, which will be built at JCB’s headquarters in Rocester, will have the telematics Livelink system.

Graham Ogilvie, Managing Director of Morris Leslie Plant Hire, said; “As the construction market continues to develop, Morris Leslie is experiencing excellent company growth.

“These JCB Loadalls ensure our customers get the best of all worlds – high performing machines with excellent telematic reporting and a great nationwide dealer support network. The sales, service and advice from Scot JCB has also been second to none.”

The company’s founder and Executive Chairman, Morris Leslie, said: “We are delighted to have placed an order of this magnitude with JCB as our relationship continues to grow in line with the expansion of our business.”

Morris Leslie’s growth has included acquisitions. It bought four Hewden Stuart depots in early 2017 when that business went into receivership, and in May last year acquired Chertsey Plant Hire, near London. The plant hire business now generates annual revenues of more than £60 million (€68 million).

In addition to its plant rental and sales operation, Morrie Leslie has a portable accommodation division, selling and hiring temporary accommodation and space units. It also holds regular auctions of classic and modern cars as well as light commercial vehicles.

JCB’s Group Managing Director Global Key Accounts, Yvette Henshall-Bell, said: “Morris Leslie is one of the fastest and largest growing companies in the plant hire industry and we are delighted that they have chosen the JCB Loadall…to further expand their fleet.”