Executive Hire News › Archives › June 2009 › Executive Report : Absolute conviction
Executive Report : Absolute conviction
Absolute Power Tools is a new independent tool outlet in Melksham offering repairs, sales and hire. Robert Aplin checks it out.
It is always good news to hear about a new family-owned and managed tool business that has set about establishing itself in our industry - especially in this economic climate. It is even better when this company has the confidence in its own abilities to tell us about the set-up and invite us to check them out. It is better still to learn that this new outlet is no more than 10 miles away from our offices!
Two couples - Philip and Tracey Curtis and Andrew and Rebekah Veal - are at the heart of Absolute Power Tools Ltd, which is based on the busy Bowerhill Industrial Estate in Melksham, Wiltshire. Phil Curtis provides the essential hire industry experience, having spent 12 years as a partner in Trowbridge Power Tools (TPT). “I was looking for a change and, having worked briefly for Makita after leaving TPT, I decided that, if I could sell for Makita, I could sell and repair again for myself. I was also greatly motivated by a TPT customer, who encouraged me to go back into the hire industry, telling me that my skills were needed.”
Andy Veal has spent 22 years as a self-employed building contractor and has seen tool hire from the other side of the fence. Andy got to know Phil Curtis as he was a regular customer of TPT. Tracey Curtis and Rebekah Veal had also previously worked together and, when both men were looking for a new career, the four of them decided to establish their own business.
According to Phil, “we looked everywhere for suitable premises and it took us some time. We didn’t wanted to be too close to Trowbridge, but equally, we didn’t want to be too far away. We eventually found this unit on Bowerhill and spent two months converting it from a 1,200ft2 empty shell. We built our own workshops, showroom and shop and, with the existing yard space at the rear and car park at the front, it is tailor made for tools.”
The team estimate that it invested about £10,000 in developing the unit, most of which was spent on making the premises more secure by installing roller shutter doors and an alarm system.
Power tool sales represents the highest percentage of Absolute’s turnover and its showroom features ranges of Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Sealey, Trend, Toolbank and Silverline, as well as Snickers clothing, safety footwear, personal protective equipment, and fixings, abrasives, diamond products and a selection of hand tools. The company even offers customers the privacy of a changing facility to try on clothing. According to Andy Veal, “Sealey, Trend and Silverline have been particularly supportive of us by enabling us to open accounts without any hassle and by providing stock and display stands. Everything you can see in the showroom has been bought and paid for.”Absolute has invested over £30,000 in its sales stock and hire fleet. Typical fleet equipment comprises Youngman Boss towers, Bosch breakers, Makita disc cutters, Hilbor diamond core drills and blades and a Yanmar 750kg mini excavator. However, according to Tracey Curtis, “the best item - and the biggest investment - we have made is in the Syrinx computer system from Higher Concept Software. We wanted to be fully computerised immediately. It is a brilliant management tool and we know at the push of a button how much each item has earned and how much it has cost us in repairs.”
With Phil Curtis’ workshop experience, Absolute’s mechanical and electrical repair service is a key ingredient in the business. Clearly, if you can offer a value added service like repair, it helps to set you apart from other hirers. “I like a challenge and can fix almost anything. We offer a full repair service turnaround within a week and the tool will operate like a new machine. We also offer a sharpening service, as well as PAT testing. I find it rewarding when a customer comes in with a problem to solve, that no-one else can work out. Just recently, a customer was struggling to get a Makita drill fixed and we had it sorted after 10 minutes in the workshop. The service we offer is second to none.”
Having opened for business last October, the Directors are “thrilled with the way it has gone in the first six months. We are offering local customers and the community a friendly and reliable service which is supported by excellent product knowledge. Through our web site, we are supplying power tools as far afield as France, Scotland and Ireland. Hire enquiries continue to grow and we see more customers coming through the door each day.” •
www.absolutepowertools.co.uk
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