Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK is buying rival SHB Hire, a move with the potential to create one of the UK's largest commercial vehicle (CV) rental companies.
Romsey-based, family-owned SHB Hire will operate under the Enterprise Flex-E-Rent brand - Enterprise's CV business that has 23 sites nationally - and the company said the purchase would allow it to deliver increased value and choice to customers.
The agreement came after SHB Hire’s owners sought a buyer to take the company to the next stage of development.
SHB operates from 16 locations nationwide and offers more than 18,500 vehicles including light commercial vehicles, HGVs, 4x4s, HGV tippers and specialist HGVs.
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Mike Street, SHB Hire chairman, said: “We needed to find the right partner to acquire the SHB Hire business.
“The fact that we are both family-owned and run has enabled us to take a long-term view. The acquisition secures the future of the business and will provide customers with a greater diversity of product lines, as well as access to industry leading technologies and infrastructure.”
Khaled Shahbo, MD at Enterprise Holdings, the US based parent company of Enterprise UK, said it aimed to make the combined business the first choice for customers, no matter what vehicle or for however long they need it.
In 2014, Enterprise bought commercial vehicle hire firm Burnt Tree. It was fully integrated into Enterprise Flex-E-Rent the following year.