09 December 2010 – New Zealand equipment solutions leader, Hirepool Limited, has strengthened its hold on the North Island portable sanitation market with the acquisition of the McEntee Hire Waikato Portable Sanitation assets.

The business, previously the ‘Dunny Company’, which was acquired by McEntee Hire approximately six years ago, includes more than 400 additional hire assets, which include 300 flushing and standard portable toilets, shower blocks and trailerised luxury event units. The purchase by Hirepool includes the McEntee Event site located in Lincoln Rd, Hamilton.

This is the first acquisition made by Hirepool in almost two years, and according to Chief Executive Mark Powell can be seen as a sign that after a period of consolidation, Hirepool “is again moving into a growth phase and on the lookout for strategic acquisitions that complement Hirepool’s product offering.” These include Hirepool General Hire, Access, Energy and Events, Henderson Rentals, Rhodes Rentals, Castles, Barricading Solutions and Port-A-Loo.

“We see it as a very strategic and valuable acquisition as the Lincoln Rd site has a long history as a hire location dating back a number of years. It is very well known to commercial hire users,” says Mr Powell.

The McEntee sanitation business confirms Port-A-Loo’s position as the country’s premier supplier of transportable toilets. The portable sanitation market is estimated to be a $20-25 million business that has shown strong growth in recent years. As well as providing clean and hygienic portable sanitation on construction and commercial sites, Port-A-Loos are increasingly in demand in a variety of horticultural, sporting, entertainment and cultural events that attract thousands of visitors as well as emergency – as in the Christchurch earthquake.

Hirepool already operated a Port-A-Loo branch in the Waikato, but Mr Powell says with increasing demand across the region at major sporting and trade events (World Rowing Championships), National Field Days (Mystery Creek) and the V8 street racing in Hamilton, “it now enables us to provide event organisers with the full package, marquees, portable barricading, generators, commercial vehicles and Port-A-Loos.”

Hirepool, which made its first portable sanitation acquisition with the purchase of Port-A-Loo Auckland in July 2004, now has 12 specialised locations nationwide with a total in excess of 4000 units. At the height of the Christchurch earthquake in September, when the city’s water and sewerage systems were severely affected, Hirepool had more than 600 Port-A-Loos on streets across the devastated region.

“Even now we still have about 400 units in some of the worst hit areas, with a number expected to remain on-site for another few months,” says Mr Powell. Port-A-Loo products and service can be sourced at any of the Hirepool branches nationwide.

This latest acquisition takes to 51, the number of general hire branches and other specialist businesses Hirepool has nationwide, from Whangarei to Invercargill.

ENDS

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