Executive Hire News › Archives › August 2009 › Executive Report : Miniquip's fair share
Executive Report : Miniquip's fair share
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Miniquip Tool Hire of Garstang is looking ahead with confidence. Alan Guthrie paid a visit.
On entering Garstang, signs inform you that the Lancashire market town, lying midway between Preston and Lancaster, was the world’s first Freetrade town. In April 2000, local people pledged to buy, where possible, products identified as giving a better deal to Third World producers of goods. Something of a similar spirit of service and value prevails at Miniquip Tool Hire, which in January celebrated its 30th anniversary, and has built up a loyal customer base over the years.
“We offer the right products at reasonable rates, backed by good service,” says MD Andy Johnson, whose father bought the company with a business partner in 1983. Andy joined the staff in 1992, four years before his father retired, and he bought the business in April this year following the other partner’s retirement.
“We have a solid business and some clients have been dealing with us for more than 20 years. The customer base is diverse, chiefly comprising homeowners, tradesmen and farmers. Garstang itself is an affluent town within commuting distance of Manchester and there are many big houses here with large gardens. Farmers are converting barns and outbuildings into dwellings, and some local builders are telling us they have orders for extensions, conservatories and garden makeovers that will take them into 2010.
”Customers often say they prefer dealing with an independent hirer because they deal with people who know their local area and can recommend the right product for a particular task. I aim to offer the same high standard of service that I expect when I go into a shop. We also gain passing trade because we are located next to a busy builders’ merchant.”
Situated in a predominantly rural area, Miniquip supplies customers within a relatively large radius. “We generally cover an area bounded by Lancaster, Preston and Blackpool, but will go further when necessary. Some people may only hire from us a few times a year for certain projects, and this sort of business might not interest national hirers, but taken as a whole it adds up to valuable revenue for us in addition to our more regular hire business.”
As its name implies, Miniquip concentrates on hiring small tools and equipment. “Over the years, we have considered adding diggers and dumpers, but many local farmers have such machines and some hire them out, so we concentrate on what we do best, crosshiring larger items as needed.” Popular items include JCB hydraulic power packs, Bosch breakers and power tools, Stihl cut-off saws, Fairport concrete screeds and gardening equipment such as Camon rotavators and Birchwood Products turf cutters.
The company has Hilti equipment in its fleet and is impressed by the manufacturer’s Lifetime Service initiative, which offers an initial
two-year no-cost repair arrangement and, after that period, a repair cost limit over the life of the tool. “Hilti collects the product for repair or servicing, and the next morning its Glasgow service centre will ring to advise of any work that is required,” said Andy Johnson. “The next day, it is back with us and in the fleet.
“Business is certainly good at the moment. Having bought Miniquip in April, I am planning a year of consolidation before I consider expanding. I visited the Executive Hire Show and looked at several software systems because we might install one in the future. I was also impressed by equipment from Camon, JCB and Midland Power Machinery. The event was very well organised and I bumped into a lot of people I hadn’t seen for a long time.
“In the current economic climate, we remain cautious but we are still adding to the fleet as we need to, perhaps buying in smaller quantities. Overall, hire is a great industry to be in and I am looking ahead with confidence.” •
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