The business, which has provided equipment solutions to customers ranging from multi-national operators to small local businesses from its Glasgow base for over 30 years, established the second operating base with the support of an SME Cashflow finance package from Clydesdale Bank.

Eagle Plant Hire’s modern hire fleet ranges from small power tools and specialist concrete equipment to self-drive excavators and dumpers which is backed up by service and maintenance.

The lending from the Bank will help the business to provide its high level of customer service more effectively and efficiently to clients in the East of Scotland. The enlarged geographic coverage will also open up new customer opportunities for the company, as well as adding a total of four new staff to the business in Edinburgh, bringing the total number of employees at the company to 24, with further additions planned.

Colin Inglis, managing director of Eagle Plant Hire Limited, discussed the timing of the expansion: “Eagle have an extremely strong and loyal customer base which values the complete service we provide that integrates with each customer’s own operating platform. This has resulted in greater volumes of business being transferred to ourselves and to provide the coverage and level of service expected an East coast base was required.”

He added: “The knowledge and experience of the new management team we have brought in to run the new location made Edinburgh the obvious choice. Joining the management team are John Cummings and Iain MacDonald. John has over forty years’ experience at senior management and ownership level in the tool and plant hire industry.

“Iain has over 30 years sales and management experience in the tool and plant hire industry in Scotland. Working with Clydesdale Bank has allowed me to concentrate on establishing the new site after a straightforward process to agree appropriate funding and I look forward to working with the Commercial Banking team in Glasgow going forward.”

Mark Young, director, SME cashflow finance at Clydesdale Bank, said: “For any business pursuing a growth strategy, ensuring appropriate funding is in place for all phases of the growth cycle is essential. With the existing customer demand and introduction of a vastly experienced management team in Edinburgh, this was an ideal scenario for our Bank’s SME Cashflow Finance to assist Eagle with the first stage of their geographic expansion.”

With growth in the existing operation and the new business generation combined, Edinburgh Eagle are forecasting a 60% growth in turnover in the first full 12 months after the new Edinburgh site becomes fully operational.