We have advised KDM Hire, a leading player in the equipment hire sector in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, on its sale to the Kiloutou Group (Kiloutou), Europe’s third-largest rental company.
KDM Hire offers a diverse range of over 10,000 items of equipment, with recognised expertise in modular construction (site accommodation), power generation, lifting and material handling. The company relies on a network of seven strategically located branches, including in Belfast, Dublin and Cork, to serve a diverse client base ranging from major construction contractors to the pharmaceutical industry and event organisers.
Founded in 1990 and based in Cookstown, KDM Hire has established itself as the market leader in Northern Ireland and is experiencing rapid growth in the Republic of Ireland. With a turnover of around £36m (approximately €42m) and a team of 250 experienced staff, the business has demonstrated a unique ability to deliver excellent customer service and operational availability recognised across the market.
Having recently established itself in Denmark and Portugal in 2022, the Kiloutou Group, which operates in seven countries, is continuing its international diversification strategy with the acquisition of a leading multi-specialist player in its territory.
This acquisition enables Kiloutou to establish a foothold in the Irish market, driven by massive public investment plans in infrastructure (notably the National Development Plan ‘Project Ireland 2040’) and growing demand in the energy and data centre sectors. Kiloutou will draw on the expertise of the KDM Hire teams to accelerate the company’s development, notably through the opening of new branches, the expansion of the product range and investments in low-carbon equipment.
The management team, currently led by Michael Donnelly, will continue to steer the company through this new phase of growth.
More about the process
Our M&A team worked closely with the shareholders and management of KDM Hire from the outset to shape a transaction that balanced strategic ambition with cultural fit. A key priority for the management team was to secure a partner aligned with the business’s values, service-led culture and long-standing reputation for operational excellence, whilst also providing the scale and expertise to support the next phase of growth.
Following a targeted and competitive process, Kiloutou emerged as the ideal partner, demonstrating strong alignment with KDM Hire’s culture and growth aspirations. Our team successfully negotiated a compelling outcome for all stakeholders, delivering a high-quality international partner for management.
