Two business within UK rental group Hirepro Holdings have ceased trading and are reportedly due to enter administration which provides protection from creditors, in a similar manner to Chapter 11 in the US. However it appears that no one on the ground knows what is happening.
The letters sent to customers simply says that the companies have ceased trading as of yesterday and that all equipment will be off hired as of tomorrow, ready for collection next week. The letters, which are identical, are written in the first person but do not include a name, so we are not sure who I is.
The two letters
Hirepro acquired the two business over the past two years buying Liftright Access from Gary and Caroline Fleckney in May 2022 and acquiring Upward Powered Access from Tim Ward and Paul Johnson last July.
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Hirepro itself was incorporated in 2021, seemingly to acquire Surrey Hire and Sales from Marc Prince and Stephen Dormer, who had established the business in 2004. It is owned and managed by Roland Llewellin and Matthew ‘Matt’ Williams.
Hirepro comprises three companies
As far as we can ascertain Surrey Hire is unaffected by these developments. We have made efforts to contact the principles but have so far failed to reach them. We understand that not all of the previous owners of the two business affected have been fully paid out yet.
We will update this item as soon as we hear from anyone involved with Hirepro.
Vinnie Rourke
Frazer Drive......... Don't be afraid to put your real name, why don't you give me a call and we can have a chat about things? You seem to have a lot to say and a bit of a weird obsession with me!
Frazer Drive
Think you will be right TRay. Its only last August that Aspire ran out of cash after crashing hire rates, and the new company that was created 'X Hire' is doing the same thing. Hardly a suprise as the person running it is the failed entreprenuer Vinny Rourke.
TRay
Not the first and it won’t be the last this year. This industry will never learn that hire rates need to go up in line with capital costs.
The race to the bottom, and please don’t believe that anyone is any different to the other. Even those that comment every two minutes it’s the others driving the rate down! I’ve seen the evidence
Longstaff retired
You've got to really "special" to screw-up two perfectly good businesses that fast!
To not even have the balls to put your name to these letters to your customers shows an astounding lack of professionalism and accountability!
Bulldog Spirit
I don't understand it.
Have they busted Upward & Liftright to avoid paying the previous owners out?
One rumour is that Horizon stopped using them for cross hire and that finished them off.
Shan Dee
I think a lot of people would be obsessed with anyone if they knocked them for millions of pounds.
Frazer Drive
No obsession, just printing the facts. truth hurts?
Vinnie Rourke
Frazer Drive......... Don't be afraid to put your real name, why don't you give me a call and we can have a chat about things? You seem to have a lot to say and a bit of a weird obsession with me!
Frazer Drive
Think you will be right TRay. Its only last August that Aspire ran out of cash after crashing hire rates, and the new company that was created 'X Hire' is doing the same thing. Hardly a suprise as the person running it is the failed entreprenuer Vinny Rourke.
TRay
Not the first and it won’t be the last this year. This industry will never learn that hire rates need to go up in line with capital costs.
The race to the bottom, and please don’t believe that anyone is any different to the other. Even those that comment every two minutes it’s the others driving the rate down! I’ve seen the evidence
fowlermonkey
How Hirepro have single-handedly managed to destroy two perfectly good businesses in such a short space of time is baffling.
Longstaff retired
You've got to really "special" to screw-up two perfectly good businesses that fast!
To not even have the balls to put your name to these letters to your customers shows an astounding lack of professionalism and accountability!
Bulldog Spirit
I don't understand it.
Have they busted Upward & Liftright to avoid paying the previous owners out?
One rumour is that Horizon stopped using them for cross hire and that finished them off.