John F Hunt sells temporary power division to Finning in £50m-plus deal

Demolition contractor John F Hunt Group has sold its temporary power division to Finning in a deal understood to be worth more than £50m.

The sale covers John F Hunt Power Group and its sister company Morris Machinery. Around 145 John F Hunt Power Group employees will join Finning as part of the transaction.

John Hall, Chairman of the John F Hunt Group and founder of John F Hunt Power, traced the business back to the company's core demolition work. "John F Hunt Power was born out of a practical challenge. During demolition projects throughout the 1980s and 1990s, we recognised the need for reliable temporary power solutions to support crane operations," he said.

"What started as an in-house capability grew into a nationally recognised business serving a diverse range of sectors across the UK, a journey of which I am immensely proud," Hall added. He credited the company's market position to its technical focus: "Innovation has always been at the heart of our success. Our commitment to delivering dependable, efficient and forward-thinking power solutions has established John F Hunt Power as a market leader and trusted partner for customers nationwide."

On the rationale for the sale, Hall said: "This partnership with Finning represents a natural next step in the growth of both John F Hunt Power and Morris Machinery. By combining our expertise, resources and shared values, we are creating a strong platform for sustainable growth, continued innovation and an unwavering focus on customer success."

Existing contracts, pricing agreements, account management teams and day-to-day contacts will remain unchanged following the transfer. The business will continue to operate under the name John F Hunt Power Group, A Finning Company.

David Hunt, Managing Director of John F Hunt Power, framed the deal as an opening for the division rather than an ending. "Joining Finning marks an important new chapter for John F Hunt Power and creates exciting opportunities for our customers, employees and partners," he said.

For Finning, the acquisition expands its electric power offering in the UK and Ireland. Mark Albiston, Director of Electric Power & Engineering at Finning UK & Ireland, said: "John F Hunt Power Group has built an outstanding reputation for engineering excellence, specialist expertise and first-class customer service, making it a natural fit for Finning."

"By bringing our organisations together, we are expanding the breadth and depth of solutions available to customers across the UK and Ireland. Our combined capabilities will enable us to better support evolving power requirements while continuing to deliver the reliability, responsiveness and technical knowledge for which both businesses are recognised," Albiston said.

He added: "We are delighted to welcome the talented team from John F Hunt Power Group and look forward to creating new opportunities for growth and innovation across the markets we serve."

The deal concentrates the temporary power specialist's engineering capacity within Finning's wider UK and Ireland operations, while John F Hunt Group retains its core demolition business.