Ardent Invests over £50million to lead the material handling and lifting equipment market

Ardent Hire Solutions has announced more than £50million of new investment as the company changes focus to become the leading material handling and lifting equipment provider in the UK.

The investment will see more than 750 new machines joining the Ardent fleet in 2025. This includes a substantial order of telehandlers from JCB and over 100 telehandlers and roto telehandlers from Manitou, putting Ardent well on the way to a fleet of 200 roto telehandlers.

This unrivalled fleet is supported by a £7million investment in HGV delivery vehicles, making Ardent the most reliable and responsive lifting and material handling equipment supplier in the sector.

A new direction for Ardent

The impressive new investment marks a significant change of direction for Ardent Hire Solutions, moving away from earthmoving equipment to focus on material handling and lifting solutions.

“The transition secures the future for both Ardent and for our customers,” explained Ardent CFO, Julian O’Neill. “With a laser focus on this specific sector, backed by a multi-million-pound investment, Ardent will be able to provide equipment and service that are second to none, setting new standards for material handling and lifting hire.”

The same exceptional standards

The focus may be new, but the business will still be run on the same impressive principles and cutting-edge technology that have made Ardent such a success for the last decade.

This includes maintaining one of the youngest fleets in the hire industry, conveniently located at six depots across the UK. Ardent customers can count on the very latest technology, unrivalled reliability and exceptional fuel-efficiency from leading manufacturers.

The new fleet will also be backed by Ardent’s state-of-the-art digital solutions which have transformed the hire industry. The Ardent Digital Platform provides transparency on an unprecedented scale to improve site planning and reduce costs, while the Fuel-IT system is the most advanced fuel tank in the UK providing precise fuel tracking and accountability.

Innovation and ambition

Ardent’s transition to a specialist equipment supplier is the result of ongoing and detailed industry analysis. Ardent are allocating investment capital to their best performing assets in a bold move away from the ever-decreasing returns of the earthmoving sector.

“We’re investing heavily in Ardent to create an exceptional hire sector specialist,” says Julian. “We’ve never settled for second best, and we’re not about to start now. We’re building on our unrivalled reputation to deliver the very best equipment and exceptional levels of service and digital support, to make Ardent the first and only choice for material handling and lifting equipment.”

Ardent’s latest investment-backed strategy has impressed the industry. “Congratulations to Ardent Hire Solutions in this next stage of growth for the business,” posted Watling JCB National Accounts Manager, Daniel Lodge. “It’s a fantastic achievement that Watling JCB & JCB are extremely proud to support!”

“New Year. New Fleet. New Business,” says Julian. “Welcome to Ardent 2.0”