Company history

Sometimes the best ideas are the ones right in front of us.

Beginnings

Before there was Height for Hire, Harry McArdle ran a sludge disposaland water jetting business. It was hard, unpredictablework. Anything could happen.And one day it did.

While visitinga local industrial plantin Drogheda, Premier Periclase, on a particularly tough day back in the early eighties, he saw his first truck-mounted platform.

It stopped him in his tracks. He saw how the yput down the outriggers to steady the machine. He watched how quickly and easily the menwere able to carry out their work on the chimneys. He saw how safely they came down and moved to their next location. And he noticed something else. It wasn’t just about reaching acertain height. Coming back down again,safely, was just as important. We all want to get home to our families after a day’s work.

That day Harry left with two things:
a sore neck from looking up and a new business idea.

1978 - One is fun

We are the largest supplier of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) in Ireland today. However it started in Drogheda, Co. Louth with one 40ft vehicle-mounted machine in 1978.

1980 - Step by step

In 1980, the company secured its first contract, which saw its fleet grow to 6 access platform machines, including JLGs and a Coles Starlift.

Company founder, Harry McArdle takes delivery of the first JLG in Limerick

1983 - The Vikings have landed

Building on its early success, the company expanded its fleet three years later with the purchase of 10 Denka trailer-mounts imported from Denmark. Meanwhile, the company was also supplying vehicle-mounted hoists.

1986 - Reaching new heights

As its reputation grew, a second office opened in Limerick in 1986 to meet the needs of customers across the country. In 1993 Height for Hire moved its head office from Drogheda to Dublin.

Work being carried out in Dublin City Centre with a Denka lift

1996 - Climbing higher

In 1996 Height for Hire opened a third office, Easi UpLifts in Belfast. Two years later in 1998, it launched its operation in Glasgow. The fleet now comprised of an impressive 500 access platform machines.

UK Expansion

In last decade Height for Hire has been focusing on its UK expansion and has opened depots in the Midlands, Newcastle, London and Manchester.

Grove articulated booms carry out steel work in Hewlett Packard, Leixlip

2005 - Eastern Europe

SCS started with two machines in mid 2005 sourcing most of its access platforms from Easi UpLifts. Two years later, SCS expanded its fleet to almost 100 machines

2008

During first half of 2008, SCS joined forces with the Easi UpLifts, focusing on meeting demands in the rental and sales market in Eastern Europe. In 2012, SCS was fully incorporated into the Height for Hire Brand.

2010

Easi Uplifts Hungária Kft. opened up its first depot in Kecskemét in 2010, quickly securing a contract to work at the Daimler Benz plant. Following from its early success, it then opened up a depot in Győr in 2011 where the Audi plant ranks among its top customers. Easi UpLifts continues to grow its rental and sales fleet for large and specialised machines at its Hungarian depots as part of its expansion plans in Eastern Europe.

The Future

We evolved, but we are still looking up to find safer and easier ways for our customers to work at heights and get home safe.

The machines and technology have become more sophisticated. But the basic idea remains the same. Providing local access to safe and easy solutions when you need to work at height.

That is why we keep looking up...
it helps us to look ahead!

What access solution do you need?

We are not just an access hire company. We are an access solutions provider, and have often consulted on bespoke jobs for customers where our team has become part of theirs, building partnerships of trust.
We’re happy to help!

Call our hire desk:
ROI Freephone: 1800 43 44 48   UK Lo Call: 0330 822 1182
or

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