Brandon receives further approaches

Takeover talk surrounded tool rental company Brandon Hire today after it revealed it had received a number of approaches.

Interest in the Bristol-based firm, which has 143 outlets under the Brandon Toolhire and Brandon Loadtite brands, came after it gave its own management team permission to explore the possibility of a buyout late last year.

Brandon, which today unveiled a 4% rise in pre-tax profits to £5m (€7.3m) for 2005, said acquisitions and new branches meant it now had coverage across mainland Britain.

It said it did not know if the new approaches or the management buyout consideration would lead to offers for the company.