HAMPSHIRE plant hire specialist Selwood has formed a partnership with a major dealer to add Caterpillar machines to its fleet for the first time.

The deal between the Chandler's Ford based firm and Finning UK & Ireland will see the first order placed for four Cat 313FL GC and eight Cat 308 excavators, which will be delivered into Selwood Bristol and Cardiff.

The rest of Selwood’s branch network will receive their machines in due course and, as part of a close working relationship, Finning will be providing equipment training to Selwood engineers and sales staff.

Each machine will be connected through the Cat Product Link system, allowing Selwood to monitor machine performance, utilisation and location.

Finning will also provide service support through its national network and mobile engineering team.

Selwood has also signed up to parts.cat.com, so each individual branch can manage parts orders online.

With Finning looking after machine service, Selwood engineers will be responsible for machine preparation including safety/operational testing and pre-hire inspection.

Richard Bright, chief operating officer at Selwood, said: “Before we made the move to Cat we spoke to our customers to get their views and preferences when it comes to hiring machines. This allowed us to make a much more informed decision with our first ever Cat fleet purchase. For us, this partnership is much more than just the purchase of machines. It is a strategic move to support our ambitious plans for growth, while enhancing the service we offer customers, allowing us to further differentiate our offering in an ever-changing market."