Executive Hire News › Archives › August 2009 › Market Report : Solid base
Market Report : Solid base
Landscapers and smaller contractors represent a high proportion of the customers using the Hirebase branch in Worcester. Alan Guthrie reports.
Although part of a national hire group that currently has 54 depots throughout England and Scotland, the Worcester branch of Hirebase has a distinctly ‘local’ quality, as it has adapted its operation to reflect the specific needs of customers within its area.
The Worcester location is situated on an industrial estate towards the south of the city on the edge of the River Severn. It came into being when the builders’ merchant Buildbase, whose hire activity is Hirebase, acquired a family-owned builders’ merchant there in 2000. Many of its customers comprised small builders and landscapers, and this has proved to be the case for the Hirebase operation, which was opened on the site in January 2006.
“For about 18 months now, this market segment has been very strong indeed,” said Worcester Hirebase Hire Manager, Andy Portman.
“In the current economic climate, fewer people are moving house and many are improving their existing properties by adding extensions and conservatories, and enhancing their gardens with features like patios that require decking and block paving. A lot of our customers say they have full order books for the rest of this year. Many come to Buildbase for their timber, aggregates and other materials, and then visit the Hirebase facility for machines like mini excavators and compact dumpers for work in areas with restricted access such as back gardens, plus tools like breakers and nail guns.”
Andy, who joined Hirebase in March 2006, has considerable hire experience, having previously worked for a family owned tool and plant hire business based in Worcester, and has worked as an organiser of conferences and events, sourcing and installing AV and other equipment. “I wanted to get back into tool hire and was delighted to join Hirebase. We have worked hard to make this depot a success. We are different from many other locations within the group because we occupy a separate building from the Buildbase facility. I make time to walk over and meet Buildbase customers, telling them about Hirebase’s services, and this personal approach works well.”
Andy is supported by Technician Chris Potter who, as well as servicing and maintaining equipment, makes deliveries over a 30-mile radius. “Chris also effectively acts as a salesman, talking to customers when he visits a site and finding out what else they might need. However, we are very flexible and at busy times we will share the tasks. Hirebase actively encourages us to attend training courses on equipment and operations, and so we can tackle many jobs between us.”
Hirebase offers an extensive selection of equipment under the Landscaping & Garden Care category in its catalogue. “Compact plant is particularly in demand here,” said Andy. “We currently have seven Takeuchi mini excavators, comprising 0.75, 1.5 and 3 tonne models, and customers like them for their ease of use and smooth operation. We also have Thwaites and Ausa dumpers up to 3 tonne. Our Kanga Kid mini loader, bought through distributor Red Band UK, is very popular because it can be used with so many attachments, including buckets, a rotavator, a post hole borer and a trenching tool. Also in demand are Dosko stump grinders from The Hire Supply Company, Camon rotavators, Timberwolf chippers, Bomag rollers, Birchwood turf cutters, Husqvarna two-stroke tools like brushcutters and hedge trimmers, and Mace Industries’ Bumpa conveyors.
“We recently won a substantial contract to supply tools and machinery for a long term National Lottery-funded project being undertaken by Worcester City Council, reinstating pathways and building footbridges along a significant stretch of the Severn. We already supply equipment to the Council’s Operational Services Unit, which takes a wide range of items for work such as maintaining community housing that might involve electrical services, plastering, plumbing and the like.”
This year has seen the hire group adding Hirebase Plus, which provides equipment beyond the normal fleet offering, crosshired through appointed specialists supplying powered access machinery, site accommodation, generators, heavier plant, concrete crushers, skips and lifting equipment. The Worcester site is flourishing. “We show that you can make hire work in a builders’ merchant environment. It is based on having the right attitude and a willingness to serve the customer, with appropriate products and prompt delivery. Chris and I will deliver to site at 6am and pick up equipment at 7pm if that is what the client needs. We are genuinely enthusiastic about hire, and we get a real buzz when new customers come in after being recommended by existing Hirebase users.
“The branch is now very well established. 2008 was very successful for us and this year is proving even better. With the exception of January, which seems to have been challenging for virtually all hirers, we have achieved or exceeded our monthly targets. May and June were our best months to date, and we are confident we will surpass them, too.” •
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