Acquisitions and Disposal

Ashtead Group PLC
11 August 2005





                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                           Acquisitions and disposal

Ashtead Group plc, the equipment rental group serving the US and UK
construction, industrial and homeowner market, announces that its US subsidiary
Sunbelt Rentals has further progressed development of its clustered markets
strategy through the following recent transactions:

   • the acquisition from Brookstone Equipment & Services Inc of three stores
     located in Orange and San Diego, California and Las Vegas, Nevada
   • following the acquisition of five stores from HSS RentX in Southern
     Florida announced on 18 May 2005, Sunbelt has now acquired a further store
     in Knoxville, Tennessee from HSS RentX
   • the acquisition of a store in Nokomis, Florida

In total the stores acquired this year have annual revenues of approximately $22
million and were acquired for a total consideration of approximately $23
million. These acquisitions were financed entirely from existing credit
facilities.

Additionally Sunbelt has recently completed the disposal of its 12 specialist
scaffold depots on the West Coast and in Texas to one of the largest scaffold
service providers in North America, Safway Services, Inc. The estimated proceeds
of $24 million are being reinvested in developing our general tool operations on
the West Coast, including the Brookstone acquisition discussed above.

Sunbelt also continues its organic opening programme and has already opened new
stores in Miami, Phoenix and Houston this year.

George Burnett, Chief Executive said:
' This is in line with our strategy to focus our businesses on growth markets
and based on the last 12 months performance the net effect of these transactions
is EBITDA positive. The acquisitions strengthen Sunbelt's presence by further
developing clusters of stores from which we can better serve our key markets in
the US and continue to take advantage of the strong market conditions and the
structural shift from ownership to rental'.

Contacts:

Cob Stenham Non-executive chairman             020 7299 5562
George Burnett Chief executive )
Ian Robson Finance director    )               01372 362300

Maitland
Brian Hudspith                                 020 7379 5151



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