000683 - Saltex Hirers 25/9/08 16:41 Page 1
Growth opportunities
Alan Guthrie caught up with some of the hirers attending Saltex last month, to gain
their insights into the grounds care market.
Stuart Couzens, Events Manager, Morris Leslie Steven McInroy, Managing Director, SGM (UK)
Group, Hemel Hempstead We have had an excellent
“
We are as busy as we have ever
year so far
“
, extending our local
been, hiring utility vehicles to the event
authority contractors customer
hire industry. The number of shows
base, as well as increasing our
and functions being held continues to
short-term spot hire business
grow, and tighter Health & Safety
from our nine locations
regulations mean that alternative
throughout Britain. We have
methods to manually lifting and
bought equipment worth more
moving equipment on site have to be
than £2m this year to meet the
sought. We are also supplying the film
demand for out-front rotary
industry with vehicles for use on
mowers, triples, tractors,
location, with some going as far afield
chippers and hand-held power
as Europe and, even, Morocco.
tools like brushcutters. Business
We now have a fleet of 80 vehicles,
has been won from large
including JCB 6x4 and 4x4
contractors such as Kier,
Groundhogs, and John Deere HPX
Glendale and Veolia.
Gator units. Some larger, national
The recent demise of Swan
hirers have such vehicles in their fleets,
Plant could be seen as a black
but we believe we have an advantage
mark against grounds care hire
by being a specialist with highly
generally, but such
experienced staff offering a dedicated
developments do not dampen
and reliable service.
our enthusiasm. There are great opportunities out there. The economics of
”
the grounds care industry continue to change. Councils and contractors have
fewer resources, yet they need equipment. This is particularly true when
existing long-term lease arrangements come to an end and they need to hire
equipment as a stopgap measure. They also require machines to quickly
Paul Errington, Managing Director, replace broken down or stolen items.”
County Hire, Tadley
”
Since June, the hire market generally has been somewhat
subdued. However
“
, this is not a disaster. Things are just quieter.
Homeowners are perhaps delaying projects like house
Richard Robertson (right), MD of Akro Multihire, Livingston,
extensions, but they will go ahead eventually. People are over-
pictured with Hugh Ramsay, Area Sales Manager,
reacting to the general doom and gloom in the popular press,
and the confused
Double A Trading, Fife
statements from Akro Multihire has actively targeted the grounds care hire market for the last two years,
government ministers. in addition to our main tools and equipment hire business. It represents an excellent
At the moment, the “opportunity because grass, plants and trees will always keep growing and have to be
smaller builders and maintained.
tradesmen we serve Our fleet includes items like Timberwolf chippers and John Deere walk-behind rotary
are busy enough. mowers, supplied by our local dealer Double A Trading. We also have Dosko stump
The grounds care grinders from the Hire Supply Company and Niftylift tracked access platforms. In addition,
hire element of our we do well with Gianni Ferrari ride-on mowers. Double A has sold these extensively to local
business is affected to authorities and contractors in Scotland, and we can hire them as backup machines when
the same extent as necessary, particularly at peak periods.
any other. There are We have re-launched our web site, which now includes video clips taken by ourselves,
always people with showing how to
projects to do, who operate the machines,
will hire equipment like together with details of
the TurfTeq range of features and
power rakes, edgers dimensions. The more
and cultivators offered information we can
by our separate provide, the more it
Groundscare Products helps our customers.
operation, which save We are currently
time and effort. supplying specialist
There is still business equipment as far
to be won out there: afield as Dundee,
hirers just need to stay Dumbarton and South
calm.
””
Lanarkshire.
19
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