Komatsu - General - UK, One Call Invests for the Future

Date: 09 Nov 2006

One Call Hire, the Enfield-based general plant and civils tool hire business currently supplies contractors in the South and Midlands via a strategically placed network of 5 super depots. Following a period of rapid growth and expansion, the business has announced its intention of becoming a nationwide supplier within in the next five years. One Call plan to open 1-2 depots a year until a UK-wide hire network has been established.

One Call claims that no plant is more than 18 months old and to support this they have just signed a significant purchase agreement with Marubeni-Komatsu Ltd to supply 140 Komatsu excavators of various configurations and specifications for delivery in the next 6 months. Included in the order are PC138US-2 Short Tail Swing Crawler Excavators; PC130-7 Excavators (widely regarded as the UK's favourite excavator), PC78MR-6 Midi Excavators and PC50MR Mini Excavators. This order follows a previous delivery of thirty-one PC78MR-6 earlier this year.

On site security and the potential vulnerability of unattended plant is an ever-increasing problem, not least because of the impact that this can have on productivity. To address this important issue all One Call plant under 13 tonne is fitted with Meck Lock security devices, which cut out important hydraulic circuits with the use of a special key, without which the equipment is rendered inoperable.

One Call Director Martin Fitzpatrick commented; "The Komatsu pedigree is very important to us. We need plant that is robust, reliable, is easy to maintain and commands a good residual value. The PC78's that we already operate have proved to be very popular with customers who often ask for the machine by manufacturer name and so when we decided to increase our fleet, the Komatsu was the logical choice"

The acquisition of the new excavators marks yet another step in an ongoing expansion programme by the One Call Group, which recently invested more than £15 million in plant and equipment over the last 18 months.

One Call Hire has ordered 140 Komatsu excavators, including the PC138us Short Tail Swing Crawler Excavator as shown.

Where do I go now?: » View the latest news items » View the news archive » Subscribe to Weekly Construction Newsletter » Submit news