Table of Contents

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

2. INTRODUCTION 4
2.1 Definitions 5
2.2 Methodology 6
2.3 Abbreviations 6
2.4 Market Positioning 7
2.5 UK Economy 7
2.6 Market Factors 13

3. MARKET SIZE AND TRENDS 16
3.1 Chapter Summary 17
3.2 Market Size 17
3.3 Market Segmentation 18
3.4 Market Trends 20
3.5 Seasonality of Sales 24
3.6 Regional Sales 31

4. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE 39
4.1 Chapter Summary 40
4.2 Industry Development 40
4.3 Structure by Employment 41
4.4 Structure by Turnover 42
4.5 Company Profiles 44
4.5.1 Carillion Asset Management 44
4.5.2 Ashtead Group 45
4.5.3 Barloworld Fleet Rentals 47
4.5.4 Gap Group 48
4.5.5 Hewden Stuart 49
4.5.6 HSS Hire Service Group 51
4.5.7 Finning (UK) 53
4.5.8 Selwood Group 55
4.5.9 Speedy Hire 56
4.5.10 Mining Services 59
4.5.11 Short Bros (Plant) 61

5. DEMAND STRUCTURE 63
5.1 Chapter Summary 64
5.2 Plant Hire 65
5.3 Tool Hire 65
5.4 Civil Engineering 65
5.5 Building & Construction 69
5.5.1 House Building 70
5.5.2 Industrial Building 81
5.6 DIY 83

6. FORECAST 85
6.1 Chapter Summary 86
6.2 Market Size 86
6.3 Market Segmentation 114
6.4 Industry 115

7. FURTHER SOURCES & CONTACTS 117
7.1 Trade Associations 118
7.2 Trade Magazines 119
7.3 Other Publications 122
7.4 Trade Exhibitions 125

List of Tables

1: UK Market for Plant and Tool Hire, 2003-2007 18
2: Segmentation of the UK Market for Plant and Tool Hire, by Sector, 2003-2007 18
3: Average Daily Crane Rental Rates, 2007 22
4: Average Weekly Rental Rates -Powered Access Platform, 2007 23
5: Seasonality of Private Industrial Construction Output, 2003-2007 24
6: Seasonality of Private Commercial Construction Output, 2003-2007 24
7: Seasonality of Private Housing Output, 2003-2007 25
8: Seasonality of Public Housing Output, 2003-2007 25
9: Seasonality of Public Non-residential Construction Output, 2003-2007 26
10: Seasonality of Public Housing Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 26
11: Seasonality of Private Housing Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 27
12: Seasonality of Public Non-residential Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 27
13: Seasonality of Private Non-residential Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 28
14: Seasonality of Civil Engineering, 2003-2007 28
15: Seasonality of Civil Engineering Output in the Electricity Sector, 2003-2007 29
16: Seasonality of Civil Engineering Output in the Gas, Communications and Air Sector, 2003-2007 29
17: Seasonality of Civil Engineering Output in the Harbours Sector, 2003-2007 30
18: Seasonality of Civil Engineering Output in the Roads Sector, 2003-2007 30
19: Seasonality of Civil Engineering Output in the Sewerage Sector, 2003-2007 31
20: Seasonality of Civil Engineering Output in the Water Sector, 2003-2007 31
21: Regional Value of Total New Construction Output, 2003-2007 32
22: Regional Private Industrial Construction Output, 2003-2007 32
23: Regional Private Commercial Construction Output, 2003-2007 33
24: Regional Private Housing Construction Output, 2003-2007 34
25: Regional Public Housing Construction Output, 2003-2007 34
26: Regional Public Non-residential Construction Output, 2003-2007 35
27: Regional Housing Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 36
28: Regional Public Non-residential Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 36
29: Regional Private Non-residential Repair & Maintenance Output, 2003-2007 37
30: Analysis of Civil Engineering Output By Area, 2003-2007 38
31: Analysis of the Changes in the Structure of the Agricultural Plant Hire Sector,
2003-2007 41
32: Analysis of the Changes in the Structure of the Construction and Civil Engineering Plant
Hire Sector, 2003-2007 41
33: Analysis of the Employment Structure of the Agricultural Plant Hire Sector, 2006 and 2007 42
34: Analysis of the Employment Structure of the Construction and Civil Engineering Plant Hire Sector, 2006 and 2007 42
35: Analysis of the Financial Structure of the Agricultural Plant Hire Sector, 2006 and 2007 43
36: Analysis of the Financial Structure of the Construction and Civil Engineering Plant Hire Sector, 2006 and 2007 43
37: Financial Analysis of Carillion Asset Management, 2002-2006 44
38: Key Financial Ratios for Carillion Asset Management, 2002-2006 45
39: Financial Analysis of Ashtead Group, 2003-2007 46
40: Key Financial Ratios for Ashtead Group, 2003-2007 47
41: Financial Analysis of Barloworld Fleet Rentals, 2003-2007 47
42: Key Financial Ratios for Barloworld Fleet Rentals, 2003-2007 48
43: Financial Analysis of Gap Group, 2003-2007 48
44: Key Financial Ratios for Gap Group, 2003-2007 49
45: Financial Analysis of Hewden Stuart, 2003-2007 50
46: Key Financial Ratios for Hewden Stuart, 2003-2007 51
47: Financial Analysis of HSS Hire Service Group, 2002-2006 52
48: Key Financial Ratios for HSS Hire Service Group, 2002-2006 53
49: Financial Analysis of Finning (UK), 2003-2007 54
50: Key Financial Ratios for Finning (UK), 2003-2007 54
51: Financial Analysis of Selwood Group, 2003-2007 55
52: Key Financial Ratios for Selwood Group, 2003-2007 56
53: Financial Analysis of Speedy Hire, 2004-2008 58
54: Key Financial Ratios for Speedy Hire, 2004-2008 59
55: Financial Analysis of Mining Services, 2003-2007 60
56: Key Financial Ratios for Mining Services, 2003-2007 60
57: Financial Analysis of Short Bros (Plant), 2002-2006 61
59: Civil Engineering Construction Output in Great Britain, 2003-2007 66
60: Public and Private Civil Engineering Construction Output in Great Britain, 2003-2007 66
61: Government Support to the Rail Industry in Great Britain, 2002/03-2006/07 67
62: Rail Infrastructure in Great Britain, 2002/03-2006/07 69
63: Construction Output in Great Britain, by Type, 2003-2007 69
64: Analysis of the Allocation of the Sustainable Communities £22 Billion Resources,
2003-2006 74
65: Analysis of Private Housing Construction Output in Great Britain, 2003-2007 78
66: Private New Housing Starts and Completions in Great Britain, 2003-2007 78
67: Analysis of New Public Housing Construction Output in Great Britain, 2003-2007 80
68: Public Housing Starts and Completions in Great Britain, 2003-2007 81
69: Analysis of Private Industrial Construction Output in Great Britain, 2003-2007 82
70: Analysis of Private Industrial New Construction Work in Great Britain, By Sector
2003-2007 82
71: DIY Retail Sales in the UK, 2003-2007 83
72: DIY Spending in the UK, 2003-2007 84
73: Forecast Civil Engineering Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 88
74: Forecast Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 89
75: Forecast Private Industrial Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 90
76: Developments under Construction, by Region, July 2007 91
77: Forecast of Private Industrial New Construction Work in Great Britain, By Sector
2008-2012 91
78: Forecast Private Commercial Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 95
79: Forecast of Private Commercial Construction in Great Britain, by Sector, 2008-2012 96
80: Forecast Private Housing Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 101
81: Forecast Public Housing Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 102
82: Forecast Public Non-residential Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 104
83: Forecast of Public Non-residential Construction in Great Britain, by Type, 2008-2012 105
84: Forecast Repair & Maintenance Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 106
85: Forecast Repair & Maintenance Construction Output in Great Britain, by Type,
2008-2012 106
86: Forecast Repair & Maintenance Output in the Private Housing Sector in Great Britain, 2008-2012 108
87: Forecast Repair & Maintenance Output in the Public Housing Sector in Great Britain, 2008-2012 109
88: Forecast Repair & Maintenance Output in the Private Non-residential Sector in Great Britain, 2008-2012 109
89: Forecast Public Non-residential Construction Output in Great Britain, 2008-2012 112
90: Forecast of Public Non-residential Construction in Great Britain, by Type, 2008-2012 112
91: Forecast UK Market for Plant and Tool Hire, 2008-2012 114
92: Forecast Segmentation of the UK Market for Plant and Tool Hire, by Sector,
2008-2012 115