Acquisition and Disposal

Speedy Hire PLC
09 February 2005



                                                                9 February 2005



                                Speedy Hire Plc
                         ('Speedy Hire' or the 'Group')

                       Acquisition of Tool Hire Business
                                       &
                          Disposal of Toilet Hire UK



Speedy Hire Plc, the UK number one tool and equipment hirer today announced that
it has acquired the business and certain assets of D.A.D. Hire Services Limited
('D.A.D.') for a cash consideration of £0.3m.



D.A.D. is an established and well-respected tool hire business operating from a
single depot in Northwich, Cheshire, and will be integrated into the existing
Speedy Hire network in the North West of England. The reported turnover of D.A.D
for the year ended 31 March 2003 was £0.3m.



Speedy Hire also announces that it has disposed of in full the trade and assets
of Toilet Hire UK to a management buy-in team backed by the Bank of Scotland.
Total consideration is £1.1m, £0.6m of the consideration is deferred
consideration, payable in equal instalments over three years.



Toilet Hire UK is a small division of Speedy Space and its disposal represents
the exit of Speedy Hire from stand alone toilet hire, a small market with
limited growth opportunities.  Speedy Hire did not consider the product provided
the ability to leverage its national network or brand in a highly fragmented
market. Toilet Hire UK was formed in 2002 following the acquisition of the
Jewson stand alone hire depots.



Toilet Hire UK's 2004 turnover was £5.2m and its net assets at March 2004 were
£2.6m but it only made a £0.1m contribution to group operating profits.  Toilet
Hire UK generated below average operating margin and return on capital.



Speedy's preliminary results for the year ended 31 March 2005, to be announced
in June 2005, will include an exceptional charge in respect to the loss on
disposal of Toilet Hire UK of £0.6 million relating to fees and asset write
offs.



Commenting on the transactions, John Brown, Chief Executive said:



'It makes sense for Speedy Hire to switch out of low return sectors and
concentrate on our core businesses in tool and equipment hire.  The acquisition
of D.A.D. allows us to further extend Speedy Hire's geographic coverage in an
area previously identified for greenfield expansion'.


-ends-


www.speedyhire.plc.uk

Speedy Hire Plc                                            gcg hudson sandler
John Brown (Chief Executive)                       Nick Lyon / James Benjamin
Neil O'Brien (Group Finance Director)                      Tel: [phone]
Tel: [phone]


Note to editors:

Speedy Hire is the number one provider of equipment hire services in the UK,
operating from over 300 depots throughout the country.  The Group is focused
primarily on tool hire, with complementary businesses specialising in portable
accommodation, lifting equipment, surveying and measurement instruments and
compressed air and power generating equipment.




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange