SHC Hire Centres

SHC Hire Centres: plant and tool hire from a Skipton base

SHC Hire Centres trades as Skipton Hire Centre Ltd, a plant and tool hire supplier founded in 1981. The company presents itself as an established hire business built around the quality of its equipment, competitive hire rates and service, and it operates through a network of depots rather than a single outlet.

Its catalogue is aimed at construction work, DIY projects and events, and the company also runs a trade account scheme for professional customers. A downloadable brochure and a newsletter sign-up are offered on the site.

Hire ranges listed in the catalogue

The equipment on offer is organised into broad families covering the main stages of a building or maintenance job:

• Access and support equipment, including powered access
• Breakers and drills
• Cleaning equipment
• Concrete and preparation machinery
• Cutting and grinding tools
• Decorating equipment
• General site equipment and welfare units
• Gardening and landscaping tools
• Heaters, dryers and air conditioning
• Lifting and handling equipment
• Plumbing and welding kit
• Pumps
• Lighting and generators
• Signs and barriers
• Trailers, trolleys and jacks
• Woodworking machinery

Contractors' plant hire appears as a distinct line within the range, alongside the smaller tools and site accessories.

Training, servicing and repairs

Beyond equipment rental, the company lists training among its activities, as well as a service and repairs department. These two areas sit alongside the hire operation in the site's main navigation, indicating that customers can combine equipment supply with maintenance support and instruction.

Safety accreditation and awards

SHC states that it was among the first companies to receive the Hire Association Europe's 'Safe Hire' accreditation, awarded in 2001, and it displays this credential as a point of pride. The company also reports having received a 'Hire Company of the Year' award, the HAE's 'Excellence in Customer Care' recognition and an 'Excellence in Training' award. These distinctions are presented as the company's own account of its record.

Community sponsorship

The business describes a long history of supporting the communities it serves, with a particular focus on grass-roots sport. It states that it sponsors local clubs, without specifying in the available material which clubs or competitions are involved.

Depot network

SHC operates from multiple depots. The locations named in the company's own list are Skipton, Ilkley, Ripon, Northallerton, Morecambe, Carnforth, Kendal, Windermere and Kelbrook. Skipton, where the business was founded, is the reference point for the company name. The depots span North Yorkshire and neighbouring parts of the north of England, and the site's call-back form asks customers to indicate which depot is closest to them.

All depots close on Sundays and on bank holiday Mondays.

Environmental reporting

The site includes a carbon reduction plan among its published documents, listed alongside insurance, FAQs, privacy policy and terms and conditions.