Flannery Plant Hire Invests £22 Million in New JCB Fleet

Flannery Plant Hire, one of the UK’s leading family-owned equipment hire companies, has made a landmark investment of over £22 million in 220 brand-new JCB machines.

Supplied by long-standing dealer Greenshields JCB, the order includes a wide range of equipment: Loadall Telescopic Handlers, X Series Tracked Excavators, Site Dumpers, Mini Excavators, and 3CX Backhoe Loaders. These machines will be delivered throughout 2025 to support major national infrastructure projects.

This milestone continues a partnership that began in 1972, when founder Pat Flannery launched the business with a single JCB 3C backhoe loader. Today, the company—now led by sons Martin, Patrick Jnr, and Paul—operates a fleet of over 6,500 machines across 13 depots in the UK and Ireland, employing 2,200 operators.

Patrick Flannery, Managing Director of Flannery Plant Hire, said:
“Our customers continue to be delighted with the JCB range, and we’re committed to investing in the most innovative, high-quality equipment available. We’re especially excited about JCB’s hydrogen-powered developments and plan to take delivery of the first hydrogen 3CX.”

Steve Fox, JCB Global Major Accounts MD, added:
“We’re proud of our long-standing partnership with Flannery Plant Hire. It’s inspiring to see how far the business has come since Pat Snr’s first JCB 3C.”

James Richardson, MD of Greenshields JCB, commented:
“Our 30-year relationship with Flannery means we understand their customers’ needs and can provide the aftersales support essential to keeping their fleet running smoothly.”

All new machines will be equipped with JCB LiveLink, offering real-time data on machine usage, CO₂ emissions, and safety performance. The X Series excavators will also feature cutting-edge safety tech, including Human Form Recognition (HFR) and X-Watch slew and height limiters.