000739 - Tool Hire Top Ten 23/1/09 19:12 Page 4
TOOL HIRE
TOP TEN 2009 continued
HSS HIRE SERVICE GROUP LTD BRANDON HIRE PLC
Chief Executive Chris Davies Managing Director Tim Smith
Head Office 25 Willow Lane, Mitcham, CR4 4TS Head Office 72-75 Feeder Road, St.Philips, Bristol, BS2 0TQ
Telephone Number 020 8260 3100 Telephone Number 01179 719 119
Website www.hss.com Website www.brandonhire.co.uk
Hire activities General tool and equipment hire, sales, training Hire activities Tool Hire, Lifting Equipment, Pipe Hire, Loo Hire
and service, together with specialist activities Geographical coverage National
such as lifting, safety and survey, welding Status Subsidiary of Wolseley plc.
Geographical coverage UK, Ireland. International franchises
Status Private company with private equity funding
COMMENT
COMMENT
Tim Smith says that the hirer will only play a limited part in Wolseley
HSS has undergone considerable re-organisation in the last two
UK’s announced restructuring plans. In 2008, up until the end of
years as the company has moved away from its traditional high street
July, Brandon had opened 15 new large sites and closed two small
locations and re-aligned its customer base. Chris Davies believes that
outlets, giving it a net increase in capacity of 85,000ft
2
. It has since
this has led to an increasing emphasis on larger locations and a
opened two more large branches. Most of its new locations are in
wider range of equipment and services. “This has given HSS a much
the north of the UK, as Brandon continues to correct its historical
stronger position in which to meet the challenges of the downturn.
southern bias, although the company has also continued to improve
HSS is well prepared and will trade through the difficulties, helped by
its branch network in the south. A large site has opened in Stratford,
our continuing strategy of developing our network.”
east London, and the company is also co-locating with other parts of
Wolseley; for example it has opened on Plumb sites in Penzance
Since Chris Davies’ arrival at HSS, the hirer has put an increasing
and on Jersey.
emphasis on its role as a logistic and technical partner for customers.
This is encouraging the further development of HSS specialist
Tim Smith points out that Brandon is less affected by construction
activities such as lifting, rail and facilities management. Amongst
than most of the rest of Wolseley. He believes that Brandon’s
recent initiatives are HSS Pit Stop which provides a management
continuing focus on customer service will prove beneficial. On pricing
service for tools and equipment and HSS Resource which supplies
he says the company has not changed since last year, but it is
fully trained operatives for tools and equipment.
apparent that the duration of hires is becoming shorter.
Unsurprisingly, he is concerned that 2009 will see a steep rise in bad
HSS is still opening larger centres, it now has 63 Premium and Super
debt as customers’ cash flow is squeezed.
Centres; Chris Davies says it is maintaining an aggressive search for
suitable properties. He remains positive about its continuation and
Tim Smith believes that Brandon is in a much stronger position than
says that any closures of HSS branches are likely to be only in
as an independent company. He believes that, in tough times, it is
association with the opening of bigger centres.
better to be a part of a national organisation. As customers look to
drive down administrative costs, the objective of reducing the
HSS has undertaken a big capital expenditure programme over the
number of suppliers will continue to play an important part, giving
last two years with the result that its fleet is 25% larger than three
Brandon, which is closely linked to suppliers of building products,
years ago. This gives it the ability to reduce capital expenditure this
an advantage.
year; it has also tightened up on its repair procedures with the aim of
getting equipment back in service faster. There has been a significant
JEWSON HIRE
improvement in equipment availability as a result, which, in turn,
reduces the need for capital expenditure.
Director of Tool Hire Richard Pedersen
Head Office Merchant House, Binley Business Park,
Coventry, CV3 2TT
Telephone Number 02476 438400
Website www.jewson.co.uk
Hire activities Tools and equipment
Geographical coverage National
Status Division of Jewson, a subsidiary of Groupe
Saint-Gobain, a public company listed on the
Paris Bourse
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