Rentool has a hire fleet of more than 150 excavators, 130 site dumpers, telescopic handlers, compaction equipment and a wide range of power tools.
The company was formed in 1982 by Bill Collings and Mike Jackson. In 2019 their sons Ben Collings and Toby Jackson took over. Head office is in Chandlers Ford in Hampshire and it has a second depot in Poole, Dorset.
Though initially more of a tool hire business, the power tool side has become secondary to the main plant hire business as the fleet has expanded. All equipment is supplied on a non-operated basis and Rentool covers the central south of England, from Brighton to Bridport. The customer base ranges from civil engineering contractors to DIY-ers.
The company’s excavator fleet includes models from a sub-1 tonne micro, through to 13-tonne crawlers. Almost all of the mini and midi excavators are Kubota models, supplied by local dealer Lister Wilder. Site dumpers range from 1-9 tonnes and that line-up also includes Kubota’s 3-tonne tracked machines, alongside traditional wheeled models. Rentool also offers compaction equipment, fuel cubes and bowsers.
And while mini excavators have been offered with breakers for many years, Rentool now also has augers, grabs and other attachments available, with rotate function hydraulic lines installed on larger excavator models.
“Every excavator 2.7-tonnes and above is specified with a hydraulic quickhitch and auxiliary hydraulics,” says Ben Collings.
Latest additions to the Rentool fleet include three Kubota KX085-5 excavators.
The KX085-5 is currently Kubota’s largest compact excavator, weighing in at 8.4-tonnes with a monoboom, or 9.0-tonnes with a two-piece articulating boom. Powered by a 46.5kW (63.2hp) Stage V diesel engine, the machine uses a load-sensing two-pump hydraulic system to ensure smooth operation and consistent productivity.
The KX085-5 delivers up to 7.33 metres of forward reach and a maximum digging depth of 4.6 metres. Equipped as standard with the Kubota tracking system, operators can remotely access operational performance in real-time, to plan maintenance, diagnose faults and ensure maximum on-site security.
The KX085-5 has become an increasingly popular option for Rentool’s customers and the latest additions to the fleet complete more than £1m of investment in new equipment during 2025. As the company looks to the new year ahead, additional equipment and a relocation are on the agenda.
“We’ve increased the fleet a lot over the last five years,” Collings says. “We are now on the hunt for larger premises, so that we can expand further.”
