Kelling Group - Specialist Support BF150

KELLING GROUP

SPECIALIST SUPPORT

KELLING GROUP

SPECIALIST SUPPORT FROM FIBRE ROLLOUTS TO UTILITIES, KELLING GROUP KEEPS CRITICAL PROJECTS MOVING.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: LISA POBEREZHNIUK

Kelling Group has spent the last two decades supporting the essential projects that keep the UK running. From vehicle-mounted access platforms and welfare units to specialist fleet solutions, the company has established itself as a trusted partner to contractors working in fields such as rail, highways, power, water, and fibre.

W

e are a specialist equipment hire and leasing provider to infrastructure clients in the UK,” begins CEO Stephen Moore.

“Today, we operate across three complementary business areas – Access Hire, Welfare Hire, and Fleet Solutions – each serving infrastructure sectors where specialist expertise matters.”

The largest of Kelling’s divisions is Access Hire. The company is the UK’s leading provider of vehicle-mounted access platforms, often referred to as cherry pickers or MEWPs, which allow engineers and technicians to work safely at height.

These assets support a wide range of activities, from fibre broadband installation to street lighting upgrades and electricity network improvements.

“We supply the specialist assets that clients need to fulfil their contracts,” Stephen affirms.

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FULL-SERVICE WRAPPER

Scale has become a major strength for Kelling. The Access Hire fleet now includes almost 2,000 assets operating across the country, with customers ranging from major tier-one contractors to mid-sized infrastructure businesses working on long-term projects.

However, providing equipment is only part of the service. Reliability is equally important.

“The assets we offer endure hard use and when they break down, the downtime can be very expensive for our clients,” Stephen explains. “To address this challenge, we have invested heavily in operational support, engineering expertise, and maintenance capabilities.

“It’s important to have a fullservice wrapper. We’ve got one of the biggest service centres and teams in the UK to help us keep assets running 24/7 and, in turn, keep our clients moving.”

Kelling’s second core division, Welfare Hire, follows a similar philosophy while serving a different need. Infrastructure projects often require mobile welfare facilities for workers operating in remote or temporary locations. Kelling supplies highly efficient mobile workstations equipped with canteens, offices, drying rooms, freshwater systems and toilet facilities.

The environmental performance of these units has become a key differentiator. Many incorporate solar power, lithium battery technology, rainwater harvesting, and advanced telemetry systems that provide customers with detailed operational data.

“We can demonstrably show clients fuel and CO2 savings over a period of time using these assets,” Stephen states. “The approach has helped us become the UK’s largest provider of eco-efficient welfare units, with approximately 2,250 assets currently in operation. Our customers now include organisations involved in rail, highways, utilities and major infrastructure developments across the country.”

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BESPOKE SOLUTIONS

Kelling’s third and final business area, with over 500 assets and growing strongly, is Fleet Solutions. Focusing on specialist converted vehicles, the division builds on Kelling’s experience in welfare vans, while expanding into bespoke solutions such as occupational health vehicles, splicing vans, tippers, and electric welfare vehicles.

Specialisation sits at the centre of the company’s strategy. Rather than chasing every opportunity, Kelling deliberately focuses on a limited number of sectors where it believes expertise, service and operational support can create genuine value.

“We don’t want to do lots of things averagely,” Stephen asserts. “We want to do a small number of things really, really well.”

This mindset influences investment decisions, fleet development, and customer relationships.

The business continuously invests in newer equipment, supported by strong financial backing and a long-term growth strategy. It also operates from strategically located super depots and employs specialist teams who understand the equipment in detail.

“We make sure we’ve got the youngest equipment,” Stephen reports. “At the same time, we’ve got an operational support team and specialist engineers here who know the assets, so they know how to fix them quickly, or know where to get them fixed.”

The formula has delivered impressive results. Since its formation, Kelling has achieved double-digit annual growth, averaging around 15 percent compound growth over two decades. That performance has continued through periods that proved challenging for many businesses.

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Proud partners to Kelling Group since 2022 We would like to thank Stephen Moore and Natalie Corcoran and all the staff for their commitment to us as a key partner in supplying their batteries, inverters, solar power products and chargers

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“We grew during the Great Recession, we grew during COVID, we grew during minibudget issues, and we’ve grown despite the war in Ukraine and current macro challenges,” Stephen says. “Several factors underpin that consistency, but none is more influential than our team.

“We’ve got a really good senior team and wider workforce – people who’ve been here a long time. We make sure our people have got the ability to take on new challenges and help drive change and efficiencies as the business grows.”

Long-standing customer relationships have also played a significant role.

Some partnerships extend back nearly twenty years, creating a foundation of repeat business and mutual trust.

Supportive investors have further strengthened growth ambitions.

Infrastructure investor Astatine invested in the business in 2018 and has provided backing for expansion and continuing growth.

A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY

Looking ahead, market conditions remain highly favourable.

Notably, Kelling operates across seven core sectors, including telecoms, power, street lighting, rail, highways, utilities, and water – all of which are expected to benefit from more than £250 billion of infrastructure investment during the coming decade.

Telecommunications remains a major opportunity as fibre networks continue expanding into rural communities.

Power infrastructure is another significant growth area as electricity demand increases and networks require modernisation to support wider EV adoption.

Meanwhile, water is expected to become particularly important.

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“We think water will be a vital part of our work,” Stephen predicts. “There’s £100 billion of funding going into upgrading the water network in the UK over the next 5 years.”

Alongside growth in its established divisions, Kelling is also expanding geographically.

The business recently entered the Irish market through its Access division and sees strong potential for further development there.

“Ireland is experiencing similar trends to the UK, where there’s an opportunity for better assets, better service, and an improved offering,” Stephen points out.

“Acquisitions also remain firmly on the agenda, although any future opportunities will need to align with our specialist approach.”

For a company built on supporting infrastructure, Kelling’s own foundations appear equally strong. A clear strategy, focused expertise, and long-term investment continue to drive growth in markets where demand remains substantial.

“There is no reason we can’t be looking to double the business again over the next six or seven years,” Stephen concludes.

“We’ve got investment, we’ve got a good team, and we are present in strong growth sectors in the UK.”

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