The UK and Ireland division of Atlas Copco Rental has strengthened its senior leadership as it looks to accelerate new market growth

The company has appointed a new Operations Manager and promoted a long-standing employee to role of Sales and Business Development Manager as it looks to further develop its business lines and implement a divisional strategy to systematically grow its rental division.

Byrone Thorne, who joined Atlas Copco in 2000, has held a number of roles within the business. His wealth of experience includes sales and marketing roles with both Atlas Copco Rental and Rand-Air, a brand under the Atlas Copco Rental division in South Africa. He moved from South Africa to Boom, Belgium in 2023 to take up the role of Sales Manager for Rental Europe before being appointed to his current role of Sales and Business Development Manager for the UK and Ireland.

David Walker joins Atlas Copco Rental as Operations Manager UK and Ireland. In his role he will oversee all operational aspects of the rental business with a focus on operational improvement and identifying areas of growth, whilst strengthening internal relationships and processes to drive continued success.

With more than 25 years’ experience within the specialist hire industry, holding senior positions across both sales and operational management, David’s background spans the industrial, commercial, and construction sectors, particularly within utilities and power generation.

Byrone and David’s appointments, alongside that of Geoff Careless to Business Line Manager UK and Ireland last year, further bolsters the company’s ambitions to expand its offerings across air, power, steam, nitrogen and cooling. As well as further enhancing its planned rentals with a focus on meeting the diverse needs of customers.

In addition to its rental assets, Atlas Copco Rental provides a host of supporting services including freight and logistics; installation, commissioning and decommissioning; fuel management and energy management; on-site operators; training, supervision, and specialist technicians.

Byrone Thorne, commented on his promotion: “I’m delighted to be working with such a fantastic sales team that is already well established across the UK and Ireland.

“Together, we will put in to practice further frameworks to ensure the successful delivery of tailored solutions to our customers across air, power (incl. energy storage), heating and cooling.”

David Walker added: “Atlas Copco Rental has a rich history, strong structure and a positive culture. This, alongside the growth opportunities within the business were key factors in attracting me to the role.

“With a history in sales before moving into operational leadership, I look forward to harnessing my experience to develop and enhance the already exceptional capabilities and expertise within the UK and Ireland team.”

In response to the energy transition, electrification and decommissioning of assets, Atlas Copco Rental is looking to new markets, investing in new technologies and developing more sustainable and efficient rental solutions to support the requirements of its customers in industrial and offshore markets.


For more information, visit www.atlascopcorental.com

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