Executive Hire News › Archives › December 2008 › Executive Report : Added value

Executive Report : Added value

EHN talks to a hire company in the north east of England which demonstrates an award-winning commitment to high standards of service.

Dedication to service and customer satisfaction has helped the independent hirer Addplant to flourish in and around its location at Beverley, East Yorkshire. The single-depot business is also diverse, not only supplying a range of plant, equipment and site accommodation, but also operating a specialist toilet hire activity, under the Addloo name.

The business dates back to 1983. It was founded as a hire subsidiary of a Beverley construction company, Stepney Plant Group. Following a management buyout in 1992, the Addplant name was adopted. The operation employs 30 staff, including Addloo personnel.

“Amongst our most popular fleet items are mini excavators from 0.75-6 tonne, and we have about 30, chiefly comprising Hitachi and Hyundai models,” says Managing Director Mike Barrett. “We also offer Thwaites, Benford and Terex dumpers from 1 tonne upwards, ride-on and pedestrian rollers, mixers and compressors with attachments like breakers. Our site accommodation line-up includes secure offices, toilet/shower blocks and canteens. We have added solar powered welfare cabins made by Elstons, and they are proving very popular with clients wanting to be environmentally friendly.

“Customers include national and local contractors, tradesmen, and small builders. We pride ourselves on offering good service, responding rapidly to any requests and ensuring we can back up equipment in the field quickly. We have a lot of loyal customers.”

The commitment to high standards of service is shared by the Addloo operation, which has a team of 11 personnel and no fewer than nine vehicles for deliveries and servicing. “Staff will start at 5am to be on the road and get work under way well before the main traffic rush,” says Addloo Hire Manager, Lynne Wilkinson. “We serve clients in construction, and have a fleet of approximately 1,000 Shorelink plastic toilets. Although business has slowed since the summer, there are still many builders and tradesmen throughout our area working on extensions and other construction projects.

“We also serve the corporate and social events market with individual portable toilets and showers, as well as luxury modules that we make ourselves, including six and ten-bay units. We have established a good name in this market and event organisers keep coming back to us every year.”

The professionalism shown by Addplant and Addloo led to them being named as the winner of The Hire Network Award for Branch of the Year in 2007, being presented with their trophy at the Executive Hire Show last February. “The unprecedented flooding in the summer of 2007 created massive and urgent demand for portable toilets and equipment while restoration work was being carried out in affected areas in and around Humberside,” says Barry Dean, Managing Director of the Hire Network. “Addplant and Addloo responded incredibly well to all the emergency hire requests we sent them. At really busy times it seemed they were virtually running a 24-hour service, delivering and servicing units on a large scale.”

Lynne Wilkinson recalls “demand was so great that several national hirers supplied considerable numbers of toilets within the region, but found it difficult to service them over the long term. We were able to service many of them regularly on their behalf, having the necessary local knowledge and flexibility. We still have some of our own toilets on hire to long term flooding related projects in and around Hull.”

Barry Dean says that “Addplant and Addloo responded magnificently at the sharp end of the hire process, and their staff kept us fully informed at all stages regarding aspects like delivery and service access. They did what they said they would do, and did it well, which is what good hire business is all about.” •

01482 867227
www.addplant.co.uk