£50m deal will see around 150 staff move to UK arm of £5bn turnover Canadian business
John F Hunt has sold its generator hire business to plant dealer Finning in a deal thought to be worth around £50m.
The sale will see 145 staff, based out of six depots, move across to of Finning UK & Ireland which is part of the Canadian equipment dealer that specialises in Caterpillar machines and last year had a turnover of £5.6bn.
The deal also includes Hunt’s Morris Machinery business which manufactures and distributes specialist site equipment and employs around 10 people.
In its last set of accounts filed at Companies House, John F Hunt Power saw turnover up 13% to £54m in the year to March 2025. But pre-tax profit was down 52% to £1.6m.
The power business was set up in 1998 to provide power for tower cranes John F Hunt was hiring at the time.
John F Hunt chairman John Hall said: “The business simply grew out of the necessity to provide temporary power for the tower cranes we were hiring back in the 1990s. Since those early years, the business has evolved and now offers a nationwide service with six strategically placed depots serving a broad spectrum of UK industries.”
He added: “I am confident that this partnership represents a natural next step in the evolution of both John F Hunt Power and Morris Machinery. By bringing together the expertise, resources and shared values of both organisations, we are creating a framework for sustainable growth, innovation and an unwavering commitment to our customers.”
The power business will retain the John F Hunt name although will now feature Finning branding.
Mark Albiston, director of Electric Power & Engineering at Finning UK & Ireland, said: “John F Hunt Power Group has earned an outstanding reputation for industry-leading engineering, specialist expertise and gold standard customer service, making it a natural fit for Finning.”
The deal means the remaining part of John F Hunt, which specialises in demolition, civils work and regeneration, is expected to have a turnover of around £140m when it files it next set of accounts for the year to March 2026.
No comments yet