Kennards Hire - Hire or Rent Equipment, Tools & Supplies

    OUR TIMELINE

    Timeline


    • Victor Harbour Branch, SA opens on 27 November following the acquisition of A1 Hire
    • Ballarat Branch, VIC opens 20 November
    • Morwell Branch, VIC officially takes the title of Kennards Hire’s 200th branch
    • Wonthaggi, Sale and Morwell, VIC open on 9 October following the acquisitions of ProRent and CanDo Hire
    • Albany Branch, WA opens on 9 October following the acquisition of Bertola Hire
    • Taupo Branch, New Zealand opens on 2 October following the acquisition of Taupo Hire
    • Inverell Branch, NSW opens on 28 August following the acquisition of McNeil’s Hire
    • Bendigo Branch, VIC opens on 10 July following the acquisition of Bendigo Hire
    • On 5 April, Kennards Hire celebrates 75 years as a family-owned business

    • Geraldton Branch, WA opens on 14 March following the acquisition of Redi Hire Solutions 
    • Rangiora Branch, New Zealand opens on 4 July following the acquisition of Rangiora Hire
    • Belfast Branch, New Zealand opens on 3 October following the acquisition of Smiths Hire
    • Margie Haseltine - Kennards Hire Board Director (2022 - current)
    • Kennards Hire Access, NT opens on 31 October following the acquisition of Top End Access Hire

    • Smeaton Grange Branch, NSW opens 20 January
    • Katherine Branch, NT opens 3 August
    • Kennards Hire Dunedin Branch wins HIANZ ‘Gold Award’ 
    • Lismore Branch, NSW opens on 27 September following the acquisition of Northern Rivers Hire
    • Parkes Branch, NSW opens on 27 September
    • Griffith Branch, NSW opens on 25 October following the acquisition of Griffith City Hire

    • Mornington Branch, VIC opens on 2 January
    • Bill Whitehouse appointed as CEO (March 2020 – current)
    • Mount Maunganui Branch, New Zealand opens 8 June
    • Rory Kennard – Kennards Hire Board Director (2020 - current)

    • Heatherbrae Branch, NSW opens on 2 January following the acquisition of Nielsen Hire 
    • Westgate Branch, New Zealand opens 5 March 
    • Victorian Branch network expansion – Airport West, Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and Abbotsford (new and upgraded branches) 
    • Roxby Downs Branch, SA opens on 12 August 
    • Angus Kennard awarded National Sustained Excellence Award at the 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards™ 
    • Kalgoorlie Branch, WA opens on 4 November

    • Opened new branches in QLD (Toowoomba, Caloundra, Morayfield), VIC (Ravenhall, North Geelong), NSW (Byron Bay, Tamworth), NZ (Lower Hutt, Queenstown, Invercargill, Hornby, Ashburton)
    • Kennards Hire celebrates 70 years in business
    • Third Supplier Awards night held. JLG Industries awarded Australian ‘Supplier of the Year’, Hilti New Zealand awarded NZ ‘Supplier of the Year’
    • Kennards Hire Foundation launches with inaugural $7million gift to children’s and environmental charities
    • 7th Place in Australia’s Best Place to Work Awards (over 1,000 employees)
    • AS/NZS 4801 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems certification (all 170+ branches)
    • Andy Kennard inducted as Life Member into FBA Hall of Fame
    • Acquired Power Distribution Rentals

    • Almost 170 branches and 1,500 employees across Australia and New Zealand
    • Kennards Hire Hamilton Branch wins HIANZ ‘Gold Award’ 

    • New Chairman Brendan Fleiter appointed
    • Kennards Hire website activates online hire bookings
    • Angus Kennard appointed as CEO (October 2016 – March 2020)

    • Kennards Hire Albany Branch wins HIANZ Hire Company of the Year Award
    • Second Supplier Awards night held. Hilti Australia again awarded ‘Supplier of the Year’

    • The Kennards Hire 'Why' Safety program rolled out
    • Kennards Hire awarded Hire and Rental Industry Association (HRIA) Company of the Year award
    • Peter Lancken awarded ARA Distinguished Service Award in 2014
    • Specialist businesses now trade and are unified under the Kennards Hire brand
    • 1,000 employees
    • 150 branches and 1,100 employees
    • Kennards Hire receives distinguished Family Business of the Year award from the FBA
    • Kennards Hire inducted into the Family Business Association (FBA) Hall of Fame
    • Acquired GI Hire in Panmure (North Island) and three Christchurch branches as part of the City Hire acquisition (South Island) in New Zealand

    • New QR Code technology introduced for all equipment, allowing access to detailed product information in the field
    • Rail division commenced in Australia and Concrete Care and Lift & Shift are introduced into New Zealand
    • Test and Measure division commenced and Customer Call Centre rolled out
    • First Supplier Awards night held. Hilti Australia awarded ‘Supplier of the Year’

    • Kennards Hire acquires Concrete Care
    • Allen Besseling is appointed CEO (2012- 2015)
    • Neville Kennard passes away
    • Acquired McEntee Hire adding Auckland City, Albany, Silverdale, Henderson, Manukau, Papakura, Onehunga, Pukekohe and East Tamaki to the New Zealand network

    • Peter Lancken appointed Chairman (2011 – 2016)
    • Kirsty Kovacs (nee Kennard) – Kennards Hire Board Director (2011 – 2021)

    • Kennards Hire acquires Lift & Shift
    • Pump & Power division commences in Queensland

    • John Tolmie commences as CEO (2009 -2012)
    • Traffic division commenced
    • Branches open in both Western Australia and Northern Territory
    • 100 branches and 900 employees

    • Kennards Hire awarded ARA James Keenan Commemorative Award
    • Kennards Hire awarded HRIA Hire Company of the Year

    • Peter Lancken awarded ‘Meritorious Service Award’ by American Rental Association (ARA) 
    • 800 employees
    • Andy Kennard retires from the board

    • Angus Kennard – Kennards Hire Board Director (2005 – 2020)
    • 700 employees

    • Concrete Care division commenced in partnership with Angus Kennard
    • Kennards Hire major logo change and rollout

    • Andy Kennard inducted into the American Rental Hall of Fame and a Life Member of the HRIA
    • Lift & Shift division commenced in partnership with Allen Besseling 
    • 600 employees

    • Kennards Hire awarded inaugural HRIA National Hire Company of the Year

    • 50 branches in 50 years & 500 employees
    • Kennards Hire Equity Participation Programme (KHEPP) commenced

    • Angus Kennard starts at Kennards Hire 

    • Peter Lancken appointed CEO (1995 – 2009) and Executive Director (current)

    • Kennards Hire acquires GKN2 (seven NSW branches / three ACT branches) & Peter Lancken starts with Kennards Hire

    • Kennards Hire acquires GKN1 (five NSW branches / three QLD branches)

    • Neville and Andy Kennard separate their business interests (Andy retains Kennards Hire and Neville moves over to what later becomes Kennards Self-Storage)

    • Kennards Hire logo is updated and "Make Your Job Easy" slogan introduced

    • Kennards Mini Storage changes name to Easi Stor

    • Andy Kennard becomes president of the Hire Association of NSW (1976 - 1979)

    • Kennards pioneered mechanical access equipment in Australia with 2 Get Smart 15' scissor lifts

    • Neville Kennard becomes the inaugural president of the Hire Association Australia
    • Kennards Hire logo updated

    • Quality Control Checks commenced

    • Neville Kennard becomes founding president of the Hire Association of NSW (1967 - 1970)

    • First Kennards Hire logo introduced

    • Andy Kennard joins the business
    • Truck rental introduced - Falcon utes and Ford F350 vans

    • Neville Kennard joins the business 

    • Wally and the family move to Sydney and trade out of the family garage under W. Kennard Agencies

    • Wally Kennard starts hiring from 142 Russell Street, Bathurst, NSW under W. Kennard & Company