BIGGLESWADE, U.K. — Earthmoving, material handling and crane manufacturer Liebherr is establishing a rental operation in the United Kingdom, the company said recently.

Liebherr already has a strong materials-handling and earthmoving operation in continental Europe, especially Germany. Liebherr Rental Limited was incorporated earlier this year, modeled on the principles of working co-operatively with the equipment sales operations, offering existing and new customers options for short- and long-term rentals of Liebherr equipment. The company will be based in Liebherr's Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, headquarters. The company has begun recruiting for experienced management and plant hire personnel.

The rental operation “broadens the products and services already on offer to customers,” Liebherr officials said. The company said it is launching its fleet with a $7 million pound investment (about U.S. $13.5 million), enough for a fleet of 55 earthmoving, quarrying, demolition and material-handling machines.

In addition to the U.K. fleet, Liebherr Rental will have access to a pool of more than 3,000 additional machines available through Lieberr Mietpartner in continental Europe, including equipment for tunneling and other specialized applications.

Liebherr Rental Ltd. plans to be operational throughout England, Scotland and Wales by the third quarter.

Liebherr Mietpartner offers more than 2,500 Liebherr earthmoving machines for rental in Germany, plus more than 600 units in France, its website says. It offers a variety of mobile excavators, crawler excavators, crawler tractors, wheel loaders and more, as well as demolition equipment, industrial-handling equipment and large excavators with service weights of up to 120 metric tons. Liebherr also has rental divisions operating in Italy, Spain and Portugal.