The right machine
Tell us what you're doing and we'll tell you what fits, and what doesn't. Modern Kubota, Thwaites, Bomag, Snorkel and Niftylift machines, inspected before every hire.
Plant, access & tool hire Colchester & Ipswich
The right machine, on site today.
Independent and local since 1981. Kubota diggers, Thwaites dumpers, cherry pickers and over 200 tools for trade and DIY, delivered on our own lorries across Essex and Suffolk, or ready to collect from Colchester and Ipswich.
- 4.8 Colchester & 4.7 Ipswich on Google
- Same-day delivery on our own lorries
- Trade & DIY welcome
Talk to a hire desk
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5pm
Colchester 01206 844400 Severalls Business Park, CO4 9QS Ipswich 01473 233333 Greenwich Close, off Landseer Road, IP3 0DDTell us the job and we'll match the machine, the delivery and the price. Same-day delivery when stock and location allow.
Or send your job online
What do you need?
Over 200 lines on hire. Start here.
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Plant hire
Diggers from 0.9 to 13 tonnes, Thwaites dumpers, Bomag rollers, telehandlers and compressors.
Diggers · Dumpers · Rollers -
Access hire
Scissor lifts, cherry pickers and booms with working heights from 7.8 to 20.8 metres, LOLER-certified.
Scissors · Cherry pickers · Booms -
Tool hire
Breakers, Husqvarna cut-off saws, mixers, generators, heaters, pumps and towers across 23 categories.
Cut · Drill · Power · Pump -
Site equipment
Heras fencing and hoarding, road crossing plates, track mats, props, fuel and water bowsers.
Fence · Protect · Support -
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Machine matcher
Tell us the job. We'll match the machine.
Two or three taps and we'll pick from our own fleet, with the width, dig depth or working height to show why. Then send the list to a hire desk for a price.
45 years of knowing what fits.
Pick a job on the left and we'll suggest a machine from our own fleet, with the numbers that matter.
- Micro diggers that pull in to 700 mm for side gates
- Access platforms from 7.8 m to 20.8 m working height
- The kit list goes straight into your quote request
Your kit list (0)
Weekend deals
Get the digging done this weekend.
Compact Kubota diggers and dumper packages for weekend projects, trade or DIY. Every machine is checked, fuelled and ready to work when it arrives.
- Tight access
Micro digger
Kubota K008-5, 700 mm wide with tracks in
from£245
Book a weekend - Most versatile
1.5 t mini digger
Kubota KX015-4, digs 2.31 m
from£245
Book a weekend - More power
3 t mini digger
1.5 m wide, digs 2.82 m
from£300
Book a weekend - Package
1.5 t digger + dumper
With a Thwaites 1 t hi-tip skip loader
from£375
Book a weekend - Package
3 t digger + dumper
With a Thwaites 1 t hi-tip skip loader
from£485
Book a weekend
Weekend prices as listed on our weekend offers page. All prices quoted are subject to VAT. Non-account hirers pay a deposit based on the equipment's replacement value. See weekend offers
Why Target
Right machine. Right on time. Since 1981.
We're an independent, East Anglian hire company, not a national chain. That means our own fleet, our own lorries, our own engineers, and people on the phone who know the kit.
Right on time
Our own lorries, not a courier, all fitted with vehicle tracking so we know where your delivery is.
- 32 t and 26 t beavertail plant lorries
- 26 t lorries with Hiab cranes
- 7.5 t lorries with winches, and vans
The right price
A Low Price Guarantee, weekend deals from £245, and trade accounts for regular hirers. You get a detailed quote before you commit.
Right there if it breaks
Our own engineers, a workshop at each branch and mobile fitters for breakdowns. We'll service and repair your own machines too, all makes, on site or in the workshop.
On our fleet
- Kubota
- Thwaites
- JCB
- Bomag
- Snorkel
- Niftylift
- Manitou
- Genie
- Husqvarna
- Altrad Belle
- Timberwolf
- Kärcher
- Atlas Copco
- Hilti
- Makita
- Stihl
How hiring works
One call. On site. Off-hire with another.
Tell us the job
Call a hire desk or send the form. We'll ask about access, ground and what you're digging, lifting or cutting.
Get a clear quote
The rate, delivery and any deposit, before you commit. Trade account customers hire on account.
Delivered or collected
Our driver drops it on site and can talk you through the controls. Or pick it up from Colchester or Ipswich.
Call when you're done
We'll arrange collection, or ask to extend. Paid a deposit? The balance comes back once the hire is closed off.
“Digger was delivered early morning, with delivery driver showing how machine works… machine was collected quickly and final bill provided within 24 hours with the refund of remaining deposit returned.”
Trade or DIY
Built for the trade. Friendly to first-timers.
For contractors & trades
Groundworkers, builders, landscapers, tree surgeons, electricians and event teams across Essex and Suffolk.
- Trade accounts on CPA standard trade terms
- Lorries with Hiab cranes and beavertails for bigger kit
- Mobile fitters for breakdowns, repairs to your own plant
- PPE with your logo, usually ready in 5 working days
For DIY & self-builders
Garden clearances, driveways, extensions, ponds and drainage. Ask us anything, even if you've never hired before.
- Weekend digger deals from £245
- Straight answers on what fits through your gate
- A driver who can show you the controls on delivery
- Consumer hire on CPA standard consumer terms
Reviews
Proper company. Great staff.
“Brilliant & reliable company that look after our multiple companies with care and competence.”
Alan A.Colchester · Google “Mark was incredibly helpful with his knowledge and experience and supported me in hiring the right digger for the job.”
Craig B.Colchester · Google “After shopping around, decided on Target due to the friendly staff and detailed quote as well as all important competitive price.”
JasonIpswich · Google “First time non-commercial renter of a cherry picker… handled a problem I had by quickly replacing the first unit with a second better unit. Provided advice over the phone & customer focussed.”
David R.Colchester · Google “Excellent service great friendly staff and very helpful would recommend to anybody to use this company.”
Andrew G.Ipswich · Google “Machines are good quality and well maintained plus prices competitive.”
Highlighted on GoogleColchester
Sales counter
Everything for the job, not just the machine.
Both branches have a showroom and a service area. Pick up consumables, safety gear and gas with your hire, or call in on its own.
- PPE & workwearJSP, Bollé, Himalayan and Caterpillar, with logo embroidery or printing
- Gas & heatersFlogas propane and butane for heaters, forklifts and barbecues
- Diamond blades & coresPremier Diamond Products stockist, for concrete, asphalt and porcelain
- Haemmerlin wheelbarrowsOfficial stockist, from garden barrows to heavy-duty site pans
- Tools, levels & aggregatesStabila main dealer, Hanson bagged aggregates, Ayton asphalt products
- Ex-hire machinesPlant we've owned from new, for sale when it leaves the fleet
Branches & delivery
Two branches. All of East Anglia.
Colchester Mon to Fri, 7:30am to 5pm
Unit 15 Clough Road, Severalls Business Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 9QS- Phone
- 01206 844400
- sales@targetplant.co.uk
- Hours
- Mon to Fri 7:30am to 5pm. Closed weekends and bank holidays.
Ipswich Mon to Fri, 7:30am to 5pm
Unit 25 Greenwich Close, off Landseer Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0DD- Phone
- 01473 233333
- ipswichsales@targetplant.co.uk
- Hours
- Mon to Fri 7:30am to 5pm. Closed weekends and bank holidays.
Collecting? Both branches have a sales showroom and a service area, so you can pick up blades, PPE and gas with your hire.
Questions
Good to know before you hire.
Do you hire to DIY customers as well as trade?
Yes. Both branches hire to contractors, trades and homeowners. Trade customers hire on CPA standard trade terms and DIY customers on CPA standard consumer terms. If you’ve never hired before, tell us about the job and we’ll make sure you get a machine you’re comfortable with.
Can you deliver today?
Often, yes. We deliver on our own lorries from Colchester and Ipswich, and same-day delivery depends on where you are and what’s available. Call the hire desk as early as you can and we’ll tell you straight away. You can also collect from either branch.
What do I need to hire?
If you don’t have an account with us, we take a deposit based on the replacement value of the equipment. You’re responsible for insuring the equipment while it’s on hire, so check your cover before you book. Regular hirers can apply for a trade account.
Will a digger fit through my side gate?
Measure the narrowest point, including gate posts. Our Kubota K008-5 micro digger is 700 mm wide with its tracks pulled in, and the 1.5 t KX015-4 is 990 mm. For moving spoil, the JCB HTD-5 tracked dumper fits most garden gates and the Thwaites 1 t hi-tip is 982 mm on narrow wheels. The machine matcher on this page does the maths for you.
How much is weekend digger hire?
Weekend deals start from £245 for a micro or 1.5 t mini digger, £300 for a 3 t, and £375 for a 1.5 t digger and dumper package. All prices quoted are subject to VAT. Call the hire desk to book and agree delivery and collection times.
Are your access platforms inspected?
Yes. Every access machine comes with a full LOLER certificate and a pre-hire inspection, and we arrange delivery and collection to suit your schedule.
Can you repair or service my own machines?
Yes. Our engineers service and repair all makes, on site or in our workshops, with fixed-price safety inspections, winter checks and PAT testing. Our lorries can move your machines too.
Which areas do you cover?
Essex and Suffolk from our Colchester and Ipswich branches, and into Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, London and Kent.
When are you open?
Both branches are open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5pm, and closed at weekends and on bank holidays.
Get a quote
Send us the job. We'll send the price.
Tell us what you're doing and when, and the hire desk will come back with the right kit, delivery and price. In a hurry? Call.
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5pm. Closed weekends and bank holidays.