Executive Hire News › Archives › October 2008 › Market Report - Heating & Lighting : Weather window

Market Report - Heating & Lighting: Weather window

Kicking off our Heating & Lighting Market Report, EHN considers how hirers can benefit from the changes to our climate.

Hirers of climate control equipment could be forgiven for thinking that weather patterns are conspiring against them. Met Office statistics have confirmed that this summer has been the wettest and dullest in Britain since records were first kept back in 1914. This has led to similarly unimpressive demand for air conditioning equipment. Experts also expect our winters to become warmer and wetter, as has been the case in recent years. However, they also suggest that sudden cold snaps will be a feature of the weather, which hirers (and suppliers) hope will create demand for heating products.

“Climate change means that demand for heaters is very difficult to predict,” says Gary McWilliam, Managing Director of The Hire Supply Company (HSC). “This means that few hirers order these products in advance, but as soon as the cold weather bites, then they need a responsive supplier who can get equipment to them quickly. Hirers can also promote the safety features of the latest machines, such as tilt switches on electric heaters that cut off the power if the unit should fall over.”

Hirers can also profit by exploring new markets, according to Dave Matthews, Director of the Climate Hire and Sales Division of Hire Station, which in April absorbed the Arcotherm (UK) hire and sales business. “Event hire, for example, is a segment that is less vulnerable to fluctuations in the weather. People organising a wedding reception or a similar function in a marquee will generally realise they need to include adequate heating. They want the occasion to be remembered for the right reasons, not the cold conditions guests had to endure.

“It is difficult for smaller independents to stock larger heaters that are not in constant demand by their mainstream customer base, so we are planning to create a ‘wholesale heat for hire’ type operation. This would enable companies to crosshire equipment from our comprehensive, specialist ranges, and compete more effectively, particularly for business on larger projects. This is relevant to other industries, such as construction, and we have recently invested in new skid mounted Scudo site heaters. We will be promoting our range at the Showman’s Show in Newbury on 23 and 24 October.”

Environmentally friendly lighting

Regardless of changes in climate, the nights still get longer in autumn and winter, and tradesmen need to hire equipment that avoids any shortening of their working day. HSC’s Gary McWilliam reports that demand this year has already been steady in the run-up to autumn, perhaps being driven by interest in new, environmentally friendly products. “There is considerable interest in work lights using low-energy fluorescent lamps rather than tungsten halogen bulbs that can get extremely hot. Being cooler, fluorescent lights are also safer and give a better working environment in confined spaces. Again, pro-active hirers can promote these benefits.”

Similarly, Speedy Hire has added GenSet’s Solar Powered Tower Light to its fleet, to enable customers to achieve significant savings on fuel costs, as well as a reduction of energy emissions on-site. Powered by a combination of solar panels and batteries, it can run for approximately six days on a single charge, and has a lighting coverage of approximately 50m2.

Andy Connor, Speedy’s Senior Supply Chain Manager, says “Our customers are increasingly keen to learn of any new solutions to the market that offer safety benefits, cost-savings or are more energy efficient. This year has seen a significant rise in the demand for energy efficient lighting.” •