Around 700 new boom and scissor lifts will enter the fleet, mostly replacing older units from its existing range which comprises more than 10,700 units.

The 2014 investment marks the third year of major fleet replenishment, with around £70m invested on more than 3000 new machines since the beginning of 2012.

The largest proportion of the 2014 spend will go towards new diesel boom lifts (16-43 metres) and scissor lifts (8-18.5 metres) from Genie, with some new equipment from MEC and Haulotte also due to enter the fleet before the autumn.

Around £3.5m will also be spent on new units to enhance the business’ Specialist Vehicle division. This will include both truck and van mounted platforms from suppliers Bronto, CTE, Ruthmann and Versalift.

Jeremy Fish, managing director of Nationwide Platforms, said: “At Nationwide Platforms we strive to deliver the industry’s most positive customer experience. Our latest investment further reflects our commitment to providing a leading hire fleet across our 26 UK locations.”