Executive Hire Show Review:

“Delighted to be here”

EHN talks to some of the many passionate hirers who visited the Ricoh Arena and thoroughly enjoyed their Show experience.

Alan Thorpe and Gary Richards, Directors of Watford-based Rapid Tool Hire on the Hire Supply Company stand with its Sales Director Dan Musson

"This was our first visit to Coventry and it was very worthwhile. Most of the industry’s main suppliers were exhibiting and we also bumped into a number of familiar hire faces that we have not seen for a while. More or less everything we went along to find out about was there. We are looking for a new 2.5-3 tonne digger and saw Indespension’s new trailer, which can carry up to 2.8 tonne. As a result, we will buy this new trailer and a digger to go with it. We were particularly pleased to also see Flex at the Show, as we were having a problem sourcing spares for our existing units. As a result of our visit, we will replace our older machines with new models.

The venue was very easy to get to, as the trip from Watford took only an hour and a half. We were pleased to see that the first car park was full, even though it meant we had to walk further. We had a good day out and will go again next year and bring along our depot managers because it will be good for them to meet the suppliers they regularly deal with. Since the Show, we have also had good follow-up from the exhibitors that we left enquiries with."

Charles Wilson Engineers’ MD, David Gallagher

"There were more of our team at the Executive Hire Show than at our company’s last Christmas Lunch! More seriously, the Show was again a great success and offered a good opportunity for us to get several of our valued team together and let them see for themselves all the latest developments in our industry."

MD Colin Tall and General Manager, Paul Saunders, Hire4Lower, London, with Matthew Hill, MD of Obart Pumps

"We have placed orders with a total value of approximately £100,000 at the Show this year. As in 2007, the exhibition has a lot of products on display that are relevant to us. The major suppliers that we would want to see are all here, as well as some other new names, with some very innovative products. It is good to see the Show so well attended, and it really sets the industry benchmark."

Peter Howes, Director, Fakenham Tool Centre, Norfolk

"The Show is great and there is a wonderful mix of suppliers exhibiting - something for every hirer. All the major power tool suppliers we wanted to see are here, and we have been looking at welding equipment for our fleet. We have done a lot of business, including buying a Cormidi 80 tracked dumper to complement our Takeuchi 108 minis. We saw the machine on the stand, asked some technical questions about it and we had no hesitation in ordering one. It only took us 2 1/2 hours from Fakenham to get here, and we have had a fantastic day."

Richard Bull, Operations Manager, TP Hire with Steve Sutton of Macgen

"The Show looks great, with the hall really full. It is an ideal opportunity not just to see all the latest products, but also to meet ‘old’ faces, and you can catch up on things in a more relaxed environment. In the morning of the first day, we held a meeting of all TP Hire’s Operations Managers in one of the rooms here at the Ricoh Arena, and then we all visited the exhibition. It’s been fantastic."

Ben Jones, Area Manager, hirecentres.com, Northants, current holder, HAE Employee of the Year Award

"I came to the Show last year, so I knew it would be a great opportunity to keep in touch with our key suppliers and to network with other hirers and contacts. I have found it invaluable to see all the new products on display, and in particular the latest equipment for controlling workplace dust, which is a major Health & Safety issue for hirers and their customers."

Gareth Hayward, MD of Alide Plant, Bristol and Bath, with Alide’s Sales Director Carolyn Howell and Financial Director Shaun Thompson, and Multiquip Sales Director Kevin Cassell

"We had a full day, seeing lots of suppliers and catching up with familiar faces. We placed an order for 13 Thwaites 1-tonne dumpers and we booked a demonstration of a 1.5-tonne Ammann mini which took place the week after the Show, following which we have now bought six. We buy a lot of concreting equipment, mostly from Multiquip, and we were very interested in Parker Merchanting’s Liquid Hammer cleaning product, which could be a quick and environmentally friendly way of removing cement from equipment when it is off-hired.

The Executive Hire Party was even better than last year, and we really enjoyed talking to other independents on our table during the evening, and discussing developments in our industry. That was just one of many highlights of our visit."

Andy Parker, Managing Director, YHC Hire Services, Yeovil

"We feel the Executive Hire Show is a great showcase for the industry. It is a fantastic opportunity for the young talent in the hire business to get a broader picture of the industry they are involved in. I remember quite excitedly attending my first hire shows at Wembley at the age of 16 and finding the experience rewarding. We especially wanted our younger employees to have the opportunity to experience the Show this year, and we sent ten employees, comprising senior staff and young trainees, over the two-day period.

The Health & Safety seminars gave them an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of key issues shaping our industry and, in turn, enable them to provide an even better service to our customers. They also had the opportunity to see more specialised products and to network with suppliers in a way that can be difficult to achieve in a working environment."

Manager Tony White and Assistant Manager John Rogers, Central Tool Hire Ltd, St Albans

Tony White and John Rogers attended the Show for the first time and even returned on the second day to take advantage of attractive Show deals. Tony says "We went with the floor plan already marked up with the list of target exhibitors that we wanted to visit. We were especially pleased to have done Show deals with Obart Pumps and bought a rough terrain pallet truck that we had been trying to find for some time from Tacklestore. Generally, we were able to take a close look at a number of new products and services that we may well add to the fleet.

We spent time with Hire Supply Company’s Dave Manning (right), who runs HSC’s London operation. We are pleased to have met up with Dave and we did some deals with him at the Show. He has subsequently visited us and we have bought more equipment since.

The Show was really good. The journey was straightforward and the Ricoh Arena was easy to find. We will definitely go again next year."

Ian Leonard, Transport Director, Speedy Hire with Paul Turner of Gordons Ford

"Transportation is key for all hirers, big and small. We all need to get kit from one place to another safely and in good condition, while considering issues like manual handling. That is why it was great to see an exhibitor like the vehicle dealer, Gordons Ford, showing that the organisers are involving suppliers relevant to wider, operational issues. We were able to see their latest prototype designed for hirers and ready just in time for the Show.

The whole transportation issue, and particularly environmental friendliness, is something all hirers need to address. Speedy is among several companies adopting vehicles powered by alternative fuels – it would be great to see some suppliers like that at next year’s Show."

Jason Leeney and David Green, Directors, Hirelink, West Midlands

"We founded Hirelink in Birmingham in 2005. We opened a second depot in West Bromwich at about the same time as the Show last year, with a branch in Solihull scheduled for this May. It is important for us to visit this exhibition and keep track of all that is new.

We recently purchased two additional Terex HD1000 site dumpers and they are hardly ever in the yard - customers request them by name. We are looking to expand our offering up to 3 tonne, and it was good to see Terex at the Show, which has been brilliant. And you always find something new, like the Rippa blade from DTAS for cutting wood, plastic, metal and, even, railway sleepers, which could make it a safer alternative to a chainsaw. It might seem strange to get excited about a blade, but that is the wonderful thing about our industry: you always have to consider what your customers might need, and gear your fleet accordingly with the latest solutions."

Iain Anderson, Joint Managing Director, GAP Group

"At the Executive Hire Show you have the chance to meet a lot of key suppliers in one place and in a short space of time.

By talking to manufacturers and other hirers, you get a real feel for what is happening in our industry - and you get to hear all the latest rumours!"

Paul and Jaime Munkenbeck, Directors, M+S Hire Power, Twickenham, with Dan McKenna, Higher Concept Software

"We were delighted at how easy it was for us to get to the Show - it only took two hours. We have seen many great new products, including items of sub 1-tonne compact plant to complement our existing fleet from 1.5-10 tonne, as well as tools and equipment. We called in to the Higher Concept Software stand, saw the new Syrinx Web Solution module, and ordered it there and then. We deal with a lot of larger contractors who often need copy invoices and details of equipment on hire, and if they can obtain them over the Internet it saves both us and them a lot of time. Overall, we are delighted we came."


One that got away!

Steve Jones, Managing Director, Northern Tool Hire, Ashton-under-Lyne

"I, along with three other members of my team, pre-registered for the Show and we were really looking forward to attending. In addition, they had budget allocated to spend on various products required for our hire fleet. Sadly, however, we could not attend due to quite unprecedented work commitments. The day before the Show, we received an exceptionally large scaffolding hire order from a major customer: the order was such that it required meticulous attention to detail and we all had to get stuck in to ensure we gave our customer the levels of service and support that they expect from us.

We are all genuinely sorry to have missed the Show, as it provides a great opportunity to look for new equipment and to catch up with existing suppliers. Obviously, the customer must come first, but we are absolutely determined to get to next year’s event!"

Executive Hire News › Archives › March 2008 › Executive Hire Show Review › “Delighted to be here”

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