AER Rents buys lifting specialist

The newly opened West Drayton depot of Hudson Lifting. (Photo: AER Rents)

AER Rents has announced the acquisition of Hudson Lifting, a UK-based rental company that specialises in lifting and height safety equipment.

Since being founded in 2018, Hudson has grown with the opening of two depots in West Drayton and Dartford, alongside its base in East Tilbury, to allow it to serve the London lifting market.

It employs 23 staff and also sells lifting equipment and accessories from the likes of Tractel, Genie and Modulift and provides bespoke, designed lifting gear solutions for one-off requirements.

The acquisition of the company will see AER Rents carry out a five-year growth plan which will help Hudson establish a UK-wide network of 12 depots.

Jeff Hudson, director, Hudson Lifting, said, “This is a huge opportunity to take Hudson Lifting to the next level and truly become the UK’s most significant provider of lifting equipment to hire, purchase or repair throughout the UK.’’

According to AER Rents, which is owned by O’Flaherty Holdings, the acquisition “significantly strengthens” its UK specialist services alongside Welfare 4 Hire having acquired the company in 2021, allowing the group to offer a widened range of products and services to its customers in tandem with the general rental offerings from its previous acquisitions of Mr Plant Hire, Drogheda Hire & Sales, Mainline and Chippindale Hire & Sales.

AER Rents says it will continue to expand its presence in the plant hire market through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic growth.