National plant hire firm Speedy Hire, which has its HQ in Liverpool city region, sends 287 mobile generators to Ukraine, funded by the UK Government. Tony McDonough reports
Merseyside plant hire business Speedy Hire is shipping 287 mobile generators to Ukraine to help maintain power for essential services.
Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year on the order of President Vladimir Putin. This was a major escalation of his campaign of aggression against Ukraine which began when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
Ukrainian forces have successfully thwarted many Russian advances. However, the country remains under siege from Russian forces. There has been major damage to a number of cities and a significant loss of life.
Speedy Hire, which is based in Newton-le-Willows, was approached by the UK’s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. The BEIS has paid for the units to donate as part of the Government’s contribution to the Ukrainian war effort.
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The generators, which produce the equivalent energy needed to power 8,000 homes, will be used for vital services. These include hospitals, relief centres, phone masts and water pumping stations.
Speedy sourced the generators from manufacturer Pramac. Units were shipped from its bases in the UK, Italy, France, Spain and China. More than 200 have already reached Ukraine. The remaining units are in transit from Pramac’s international bases.
The 287 units make-up a third of the UK Government’s total generator shipments to Ukraine since the beginning of the war. They were requested by Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko. He welcomed previous shipments by saying “the light will always win over darkness”.
Speedy Hire is the UK’s market leader in tools, equipment and plant hire. It operates from more than 200 locations around the country and generates annual revenues of more than £380m.
Chief executive Russell Down, said: “We’re proud to play our part in helping the government’s efforts to support the Ukrainian people in these desperate times. Supply chain constraints and the recovery of the events and construction industries post-COVID have created availability challenges across the world.
“By leveraging the strong relationship we have with Pramac, we were able to secure the quantity of generators required in a short time frame. This has allowed the Government to provide quick and effective support for communities in Ukraine.”