(above) The Clyde Tool Hire team - Elaine and Robert Ward, fitter Paul McIntyre and Jack Ward - as featured in the Greenock Telegraph
There’s a new chapter unfolding at Clyde Tool Hire, where a purpose-built depot in the heart of Greenock has given the family business room to grow.
There’s something rather satisfying about revisiting a hire business and discovering just how much has changed since your last visit. In the case of Clyde Tool Hire, however, the transformation is particularly impressive.
The last time I called on Directors Robert and Elaine Ward, their business was operating from a relatively modest depot tucked away in a Greenock housing estate. It was certainly unusual, although the surrounding neighbours provided a useful extra pair of eyes when it came to security.
Fast-forward to today and Clyde Tool Hire has a rather different address. The company now occupies an attractive, purpose-built facility in a more central location, complete with a considerably improved showroom, dedicated offices, better staff amenities and more room for equipment.
And, rather appropriately, it still enjoys views across the River Clyde.
The new Clyde Tool Hire depot looks great from the street.
For Elaine, the move was about much more than simply finding somewhere bigger.
“We wanted to be able to have more stock, provide a better service to our customers and provide nicer surroundings,” she explains. “And we wanted to own our own place as well.”
That last point is particularly significant. Clyde Tool Hire previously rented its premises, whereas the new depot and its site belong to the business outright.
There was also another important consideration. Robert and Elaine's son, Jack, had joined the company, bringing a new generation into the family enterprise.
“I think it changed things in the sense that there's another generation here now,” says Elaine. “We were all keen to move because the facilities we had were not great. Everything's better here.”
From wasteland to workplace
Finding a suitable site wasn't straightforward. Clyde Tool Hire wanted to remain accessible to its existing customers, rather than disappear onto an industrial estate somewhere outside town.
The eventual solution was an overgrown, triangular plot that had stood unused for many years. Previously occupied by a Salvation Army halfway house, the land offered an opportunity to create something entirely new.
Here's how the site looked before Clyde Tool Hire moved in!
“I remember coming here when we first bought it and thinking, what on earth are we going to do with this?” Elaine recalls.
The land was acquired in 2024, with the design and planning process following. Architect Marco Rebecchi, who had worked with the family previously, was brought in to translate their ideas into reality.
“When you're building, you can get exactly what you want,” says Elaine. “There just wasn't anything else available. We had a really good architect and building team, so we were confident they would give us what we needed.”
Robert already had a clear idea of the layout, meaning the original plans required relatively few alterations.
Nevertheless, transforming the site into a working hire depot involved considerable groundwork, drainage, foundations and the inevitable challenges associated with a new development.
Robert remembers the construction period particularly well. “There was a lot of drainage and investigation work going on for a few months,” he explains. “But when it really kicked off, it was probably about five months.”
The main construction activity began around June, with the project gathering pace during the summer. Getting everything completed and the business relocated was demanding, particularly with normal trading continuing alongside the building work. “It was quite stressful, to be fair,” admits Robert.
There were also the inevitable teething troubles, including difficulties getting the new address and postcode recognised correctly, which initially resulted in customers arriving at the former premises.
Those problems are now largely behind them, and the Wards can appreciate what they've achieved.
Room to grow
The immediate benefits are obvious. Where Robert and Elaine once shared a cramped office, the new building offers proper working accommodation, separate areas for different activities and considerably better facilities for employees.
The showroom has also received substantial attention, with more products available for customers to inspect and purchase.
“We've invested quite a bit in the showroom,” says Robert. “People can buy more things at the desk because there's more of a range of stuff that we've restocked, because we've got the space to keep it.”
DeWalt accessories have proved particularly successful, with Robert reporting strong sales of diamond blades and other consumables. Supplier-supported displays and consignment stock have helped expand the retail offering without unnecessarily tying up capital.
The additional space has also enabled Clyde Tool Hire to strengthen its rental fleet.
Clyde Tool Hire now has much more space to display the range.
Elaine points to larger generators and lighting towers among the equipment that the company previously struggled to accommodate.
Robert confirms that the business has invested in a generator capable of providing 240V and 110V supplies simultaneously, while a lighting tower has already enjoyed extended periods on hire.
The compact excavator fleet has expanded too.
“I've got three micro diggers from SANY now,” says Robert. “We only had one before.”
Scaffold towers represent another particularly promising area. Demand has been sufficiently strong to encourage further investment in equipment from UK manufacturer UTS.
“We just can't keep up with the demand,” says Robert. “We've invested in UTS, and they're a really good company to deal with.”
Clyde Tool Hire does well with UTS scaffold towers.
The new depot has made it easier to stock additional equipment, although Robert is quick to point out that the company isn't planning to become an enormous generalist hirer.
Instead, the emphasis remains on expanding and improving its established product categories, while selectively introducing equipment that customers genuinely need.
Customers come first
The improved surroundings are also making a difference to the customer experience.
Clyde Tool Hire serves a mixture of trade and DIY customers, operating across Inverclyde and reaching towards Glasgow and Ayrshire. Its more prominent location, combined with an established local reputation, is helping attract new faces.
“Our customer base has grown,” says Elaine. “I think people know about us more now. They know our name, and they know where to come and find us.”
Interestingly, the company hasn't needed an extensive advertising campaign to publicise its relocation. Existing customers were informed directly, while local interest in the building project generated awareness of its own.
Robert believes the new premises create a stronger first impression, particularly for occasional hirers.
“Most certainly, customers are getting a better experience coming to us,” he says. “Somebody coming in for the first time will get a better impression of the business.”
He also believes independent hirers have an advantage when it comes to personal service.
“We try and make it as easy as possible for customers to deal with us,” he explains.
That includes taking time to understand what customers actually need, rather than simply processing an order. It's especially important for DIY users who may be unfamiliar with the equipment.
Meanwhile, the shortage of available tradespeople is encouraging more householders to tackle projects themselves, creating additional opportunities for hire businesses prepared to offer practical advice.
And the new depot is supporting a healthy trading performance.
“Business is good for the level of business we do,” says Robert. “We find ourselves busy most days.”
The company has also recruited a part-time driver, Gordon - formerly with HSS - to help manage deliveries and collections.
The next generation
Perhaps the most important long-term benefit of the move is the opportunity it provides for Jack Ward.
Now 27, Jack is increasingly involved in the day-to-day business and has developed his own customer relationships.
Paul, Robert and Jack have much more space within the new depot.
Robert is keen to encourage that progression without rushing the process.“He likes the industry, and he likes networking with people,” says Robert. “He's got his own group of customers he deals with now.”
Responsibilities are being transferred gradually, allowing Jack to develop his knowledge while benefiting from his parents' experience.
For Robert, the intention is to future-proof the company, rather than disappear into retirement.
“I'll always be there,” he says. “I like interacting with the customers, dealing with the guys and dealing with the equipment.”
More investment ahead
My visit coincided with the Executive Hire Scotland Roadshow, held later that afternoon at the Westerwood Hotel near Cumbernauld.
Robert was already considering several potential purchases, including heating, lighting and additional battery-powered equipment.
“We're probably looking at some heating and lighting, and some more battery products from Belle,” he says.
Dehumidifiers are another particularly important fleet category, with Scotland's notoriously wet weather helping maintain demand from householders and commercial customers alike.
Robert also values the opportunity to meet established suppliers face-to-face, stressing that dependable service and backup support are often more important than the lowest purchase price. “It's the service, the ability and the backup service first,” he says. “The relationships are important to us.”
Indeed, continued investment remains central to his business philosophy.
“The day that you stop investing is really when you're going to have problems,” he says.
Nevertheless, don't expect Clyde Tool Hire to embark on another major building project anytime soon.
Robert is perfectly content to concentrate on the business he knows, serving its established markets and gradually improving the equipment and service it provides.
“We're quite settled on where we are and what we've done,” he concludes. “What we're trying to do is offer the best service and deal with the customer base we've got.”
For a family business that has invested so heavily in its future, that sounds like a sensible ambition. And judging by the transformation in Greenock, the Wards have given themselves an excellent platform from which to achieve it.
Like father, like son - Jack and Robert Ward on the new hire desk.
