Tool rental company HSS Hire plans to cut around 300 jobs as it closes more than 134 sites across the country, it said on Thursday.
The business said that the Covid-19 pandemic had showed it is ready to accelerate a strategy to invest in technological solutions, meaning that it needs to run fewer physical sites.
During the pandemic, HSS has pushed its new, online platforms hard - launching a click and collect service and brining homeworking in for staff.
HSS Hire employs more than 2,000 people across the UK and runs a couple of hundred branches.
Chief executive Steve Ashmore said: "These investments will allow us to reduce our physical footprint which, whilst regrettably resulting in the loss of around 300 roles, allows us to become a more agile, technology-driven business which is essential in our markets, as well as reducing costs and enhancing shareholder value."
And the move to remote working and digital services means physical sites - and some of the jobs that come with them - are no longer needed.
The company said that despite 145 branches closed, it's now operating operating at better than 90% of its levels last year.
The Group said it is working with property restructuring advisors to finalise this site reduction, while 300 employees have been put into consultation.
Ashmore said: "Whilst Covid-19 had a significant impact on our performance in the first six months, I am encouraged by the resilience of HSS during a very challenging period.
"Our recent investment in technology has proved critical, allowing us to support our customers during lockdown, our digital channels and Click-and-Collect service providing low-contact alternatives to branches.
"As a result, we have now seen revenue return to above 90% of 2019 levels with profitability back to pre-Covid-19 levels."
