plant hire brand
Komatsu
A full-line manufacturer strongest in the mid and heavy excavator classes. Turns up in UK hire mainly through larger fleets and civils contractors rather than local tool-and-plant shops.
Last reviewed 13 September 2026
Built in
Japan
UK availability
Good UK dealer coverage
Established UK dealer support, more common on larger sites than in general hire.
What Komatsu builds
Komatsu model ranges
| Range | What it is |
|---|---|
| PC series | Excavators |
How Komatsu compares
These are the makes buyers actually cross-shop against Komatsu.
Komatsu vs Caterpillar
The global heavyweight. In UK hire it shows up most at the larger end and on long-term contract hire, where dealer support and machine availability across a whole project matter more than day-rate.
Komatsu vs Hitachi
An excavator specialist with a long reputation for hydraulic smoothness. Operators who spend all day in the seat tend to have strong opinions about Zaxis machines, and fleets that serve civils work stock them for that reason.
Komatsu vs JCB
The default British plant make and the one hire customers ask for by name. Fleets buy JCB because operators already know the controls, parts turn up quickly and residual values hold, which matters more to a hire business than any single spec on the sheet.
UK companies hiring and selling Komatsu
No listed company has told us they carry Komatsu yet.
That does not mean nobody near you does - most plant hire firms carry several makes and list none of them. Start with the companies covering your area:
Browse plant hire companiesOther makes
GetBrent is an independent directory of UK hire and sales companies. We are not a Komatsu dealer and have no affiliation with, or endorsement from, Komatsu. The Komatsu name and model names are trademarks of their owner, used here only to identify the products they refer to. Specifications vary by model year and market - always confirm weights, dimensions and towing limits with the supplier before hiring or buying.