For a company that has spent decades serving London's construction sector, GGH Hire is entering an exciting new chapter.

The long-established plant and tool hire specialist recently completed its acquisition by Herts Tool Hire, unlocking fresh investment and helping position the business for further growth. Among the latest developments is a major order for Hilti DSH600-X petrol saws – still prevalent within the hire sector, as well as enduringly popular with GGH customers.

According to GGH Hire Plant Director David Shallow, however, the move was driven by practical business considerations rather than industry trends.

"For decades we've always bought petrol saws from the same manufacturer," he begins. "They’d always been a good product, but in terms of resources for us, we have such a large fleet — just shy of 300 saws – and we literally had one man rebuilding saws all day long."

When GGH reviewed the costs associated with maintaining such a large fleet, the figures became difficult to ignore. "You get to the end of the year and look at the resource put into the spares and the labour. There was just no margin in it," he adds.

The switch to Hilti offered a different model. Through Hilti's Fleet Management programme, servicing and repairs are covered at a fixed cost, giving GGH greater certainty over operating expenses, while reducing the amount of workshop resource tied up maintaining the fleet.

"It was about marrying up the quality of the Hilti saw with the fleet deal where Hilti takes care of the repairs," says David. "We can gauge our margin much better because we know what the fixed cost is."

The decision was also influenced by the saws themselves. Having put the machines through their paces and received feedback from customers, David believes the Hilti products offer tangible benefits on site.

"It is a better saw," he says. "The feedback has been nothing but positive. The quality is there, it's more user-friendly and there are lots of little improvements that make a difference to operators."

The order forms part of a wider investment programme that has gathered momentum since Herts Tool Hire acquired GGH in 2025. Although GGH continues to operate independently, the acquisition has provided the capital needed to modernise and expand the fleet. "What GGH needed was the next phase of investment," says David. "The lads have supplied that."

The company has also taken delivery of significant numbers of new excavators this year, and David says the results of that and the new Hilti saws has helped produce some impressive results.

"In the first quarter of this year we've seen real growth," he says. "Where we've put investment into new products and we've seen growth within the current client base. That's not necessarily new customers – it's growth from customers we already have."

That philosophy is shaping future investment decisions across the fleet.

"We're just trying to marry that process along as we go – identifying the areas that need reinvestment and then putting the money into them."

GGH's story stretches back much further than its recent acquisitions. The business has operated under the GGH name for around 30 years and remains well known within London's construction community.

GGH’s heritage is reflected in the shamrock logo and in the company's longstanding connections with contractors operating in the capital. While based in London, the company has built a reputation as a trusted supplier to many of the city's leading construction businesses.

David himself arrived in London from Ireland 16 years ago. "I came here as a teenager and started with GGH as a plant mechanic, and I've worked my way through the business," he says.

That journey culminated in his appointment to a senior leadership role under former owner Gerry Gardiner, before continuing to oversee the Enfield operation following the Herts Tool Hire acquisition.

"From the bottom all the way up," David says. "Now I run the entire business for the new owners."

The acquisition itself followed a lengthy due diligence process and, according to David, was built on a strong relationship between the two businesses.

"We built up a very strong relationship through that process," he says. "When it did eventually go through, we kind of hit the ground running. We knew what we were trying to achieve, what we wanted to do and where the investment needed to happen."

The relationship is already creating opportunities for both companies. While GGH remains heavily focused on large construction contractors and major projects across Greater London and beyond, Herts Tool Hire serves a broader customer base that includes corporate clients, airports, golf courses and smaller contractors.

Together, the businesses are able to share expertise, improve utilisation and identify new opportunities for growth.
As well as the new petrol saws, GGH offers a broad fleet of construction and hire-focused equipment.

The company has already invested heavily in Hilti cordless tools and is actively trialling battery-powered equipment. However, David believes petrol-powered machinery still has an important role to play, particularly in demanding site environments where runtime and productivity remain critical.

"While a portion of our customer base operates in the London area, where the push is heading towards electric equipment, an equal share of our customers are working in surrounding counties. where petrol is still the number one option," he says.

For now, demand remains strongest for traditional equipment, particularly among contractors focused on productivity and reliability. Indeed, GGH's saw fleet regularly achieves utilisation rates approaching 90 per cent, underlining the continuing demand for petrol-powered cutting equipment across the capital.

Looking ahead, David sees significant opportunities to grow the business by introducing additional product categories to an already loyal customer base.

"We have a huge client base and there are a lot of products we can move into very easily that we don't currently offer.

Among the areas under consideration are telehandlers, larger excavators and additional specialist equipment.
With fresh investment, a modernising fleet and a clear strategy for expansion, GGH Hire appears well positioned for its next phase.

While cordless tools remain a key part of the GGH business, there’s plenty of customer demand – and profitability – in a well-designed petrol saw.

"The quality is there, it's more user-friendly and ultimately we can make more margin from it," he says. "That's what it comes down to at the end of the day."

As GGH continues to invest in newer equipment and broaden its offering, having a manufacturer that can support the business with reliable products, fixed-cost fleet management and a growing range of petrol and battery-powered solutions will be increasingly important.

With demand remaining strong and ideas taking shape, David sees Hilti as a key part of GGH's development plans going forward.

https://www.gghhire.com