DATATAG’S RAPID SHORTLISTED FOR HIRE INDUSTRY PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AT HAE EHA AWARDS

Datatag has been shortlisted in the Hire Industry Product of the Year category at this year’s Hire Association Europe and Event Hire Association (HAE EHA) Awards - one of the most competitive categories recognising innovation and real-world impact across the hire sector.

The nomination is for RAPID, Datatag’s web-enabled search application, officially launched in October 2024 and developed to support the CEA's (Construction Equipment Association), CESAR Scheme and law enforcement agencies in tackling the growing issue of plant and agricultural machinery theft - a persistent challenge for hire companies affecting availability, costs and customer service.

RAPID was developed as a single, web-based platform to provide police officers and enforcement teams with immediate access to CESAR and Datatag-protected asset information in the field. In its first year, the system has consolidated data on over 1.5 million assets - including plant and machinery, agricultural equipment, and motorcycles - and is accessible to all 142,000 UK police officers, as well as to users internationally.

From Southend to South Africa, a RAPID check can confirm a machine’s identity in seconds via a smartphone, including access to PNC data, helping officers to quickly establish ownership and status.

The application represents a year of focused development by Datatag’s technical team, led by Adam Plaskitt, Lead Developer, alongside Vince Lane, Police Liaison Officer, whose frontline experience has helped shape the system into a practical and effective operational tool. The result is a platform already supporting faster recovery of stolen equipment, acting as a deterrent to organised crime, and reducing costly downtime for contractors and hire companies.

Kevin Howells, Managing Director of Datatag, said:

“Being shortlisted in what is a highly competitive category is a strong endorsement of the work that has gone into RAPID over the past year. The aim from the outset was simple - to give police officers a straightforward, reliable tool they can use in real time to identify equipment and support recovery.

For the hire sector, theft has a direct impact on operations, from lost revenue through to project delays. Giving law enforcement the ability to act quickly and with confidence makes a real difference.”

Winners will be announced on Saturday, 18 April 2026, at Grosvenor House, London.

Fingers crossed for the result - watch this space.

Date Created: 17/04/2026