OUR HISTORY

1977 - 1983

Liam Lynch founded L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage over 40 years ago, with just one machine but plenty of ambition.

Our unofficial beginnings in 1977 saw Liam Lynch buying his first machine (a Drott International 125 with Backhoe), in Cricklewood, London. Liam officially started trading as L Lynch Plant Hire in 1980, realising his dream of building a company that he and his family work together for, and in 1982, Liam set up Lynch HQ in Dollis Hill. In 1983, after the birth of his youngest son, Darren, Liam managed a fleet of 18 operated JCB 3CXs, complemented by several self-drive machines. As he aimed to expand his business further, the need for additional yard space became apparent. He established a temporary yard in Cricklewood, a solution which endured for a year or two before Liam secured a more suitable and permanent location in Queensbury, London.

1986 - 1988

In 1986, Celia Lynch began working in the office, managing all of the invoicing and payments for the business. Liam innovated and grew the company and in 1987, we were one of the first plant hire companies to purchase a fleet of Mini-Diggers. These were a massive success for the company: brand new and popular with customers. Liam needed more good-quality operators, and used the construction section of the Evening Standard to recruit operators. In 1988, Liam started the Haulage business. He expanded our services by introducing three F-reg Iveco Tipper Lorries to our ever-growing offering. 1988 was also the year that Liam Lynch’s sons began helping out in the business. Rob and Merrill helped in the yard cleaning, greasing and fuelling machines on the weekends and school holidays.

1989 - 1994

In 1989, we relocated to a new headquarters in Wembley, with a complete fleet of Tipper Lorries. Liam responded to growing demand by expanding our offerings, and in the early 90s, he introduced Telehandlers, Dumpers, and Compressors, amongst other varied plant machinery, for our customers to hire operated or self-drive. The year 1993 marked a significant milestone for Lynch as work began on the Jubilee Line extension project, an exciting endeavour. The excitement continued into 1994 as Heathrow Airport launched its expansion project. Liam rose to the challenge of round-the-clock work, providing operated machines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for over a year.

1995 - 2000

Merrill Lynch played an integral part in conceptualising and designing a new logo, whilst he was still at school, and in 1995, the iconic L Lynch Logo was unveiled. It's been an integral part of our identity ever since. In 1999, we helped our customers to build the Millenium Dome - a famous London landmark. Our commitment to being the best continued and in 2000, we first achieved ISO 9001 accreditation.

2001 - 2008

2001 was an exciting year for the business as Rob and Merrill Lynch began working full-time, both becoming heavily involved across all aspects of the family business. This was also the year we opened a Depot to cover Northampton and beyond, facilitating our nationwide growth. The East London Line Project, another great project for Lynch kicked off in 2006, and in 2007 to meet the ever-growing demand from our customers nationwide, we launched our Direct Solutions department. This growth only continued and in 2008, our headquarters moved again, from Wembley to Stanmore. 2008 also saw the start of the famous Olympic Park Project, gearing up for London 2012

2010 - 2018

Rob Lynch pioneered the now widely known 'Thumbs Up to Stay Safe' initiative in 2010, and since then it has been universally adopted by our entire industry. A simple yet effective way to keep everyone safe. In 2013, we started work on Crossrail, helping our customers to build the Elizabeth Line across the heart of London. In 2014, we set up the first excavated spoil-by-rail operation in NW London. This is now the HS2 logistics hub. More flagship projects were to come; In 2015 we began work on Hinkley Point, in 2016, Thames Tideway, in 2017, the award-winning A14 project and in 2018, HS2, the biggest infrastructure project seen in a generation.

2018 - 2019

Our state-of-the-art head office opened in 2018, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and in 2019 we built our brand new Rushden office, servicing the Midlands and North. 2019 was an exciting year for innovation, with the creation of our very own Eco Operator training programme and the introduction of the first fully electric machine to the Lynch fleet.

2020

In 2020, amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we celebrated 40 years of service, a true testament to our remarkable team. Throughout that year, we stood together, keeping everyone safe whilst continuing to provide exceptional customer service. Additionally, 2020 marked the launch of our new Machine Control Division with dedicated in-house GPS engineers to drive on-site digital transformation.

2020

In 2021 we expanded our Tipper fleet, introducing a brand new Birmingham hub helping us service the heart of HS2. This was also the year we began work on the Dawlish Sea Wall Defence, demonstrating our expertise in critical infrastructure projects. 2021 also saw us commit to reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2040, supported by our ongoing fleet renewal program and investment in sustainable ways of working. We also expanded our impact by growing the UK's largest fleet of Hybrid Komatsu Excavators. We introduced the first Electric Road Sweeper to our fleet in 2022.

2022

In 2022, we became the first-ever plant hire company to receive Gold Accredited CSR Accreditation, showcasing our dedication to corporate social responsibility. Our accomplishments were further cemented by our wins in both the Digital Construction and London Construction Awards. We also embraced technological advancements by introducing QR codes and streamlining operations for our valued customers.

2023 - TODAY

As we move through 2023, our journey continues. Our groundbreaking Autonomous Braking system won a Digital Construction Award, and we also aspire to win the CN Specialist and London Construction Awards, reflecting our ongoing dedication to excellence in training and marketing efforts. Our Eco Operator Training program has been accredited by NOCN, and we have introduced Europe's first-ever Autonomous Braking system on ADTs, Telehandlers and Rollers on our fleet.