MARKET REPORT HEATING & LIGHTING


Last year’s harsh winter created strong demand for heating products.


Brighter prospects


EHN assesses the opportunities open to hirers supplying heating and lighting equipment to various market segments.


Manufacturers have steadily continued to develop lighting equipment with technological innovations for better performance and more efficient operation, and according to suppliers that EHN spoke to for our Market Report, end users are showing increasing interest in them and the benefits they can give.


“We are very optimistic about the coming season, because more contractors are aware of the need to address concerns like environmental issues and fuel usage,” said Paul Hay, International Sales Manager with TowerLight UK Ltd. “They are showing much more interest in, and placing orders for, our VT-1+eco lighting tower, for example, which has an ambient light detection system to enable automatic starting and stopping, meaning that fewer site visits will be necessary. This must, in turn, generate business for hirers who add the machine to their fleets.


Health & Safety obligations


“There are also many other hire opportunities outside construction, such as the events market. Organisers are obliged to meet Health & Safety regulations and to ensure that areas such as car parks, access points and pathways are adequately illuminated. As a result, more lighting equipment will be needed at any given event than, say, a few years ago.”


John Bungay, Business Development Director with the Youngman Group, agrees that more end users are now appreciating the advantages of the latest lighting technology. As EHN reported in March, Youngman has entered into a joint venture agreement with Taylor Construction Products (TCP) to market the Ecolite range of environmentally friendly lighting towers. “We are now able to promote the benefits of this


equipment to a wider range of


More users are appreciating the benefits of modern, environmentally friendly lighting towers.


people. Even though the economic difficulties have meant the market has


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been depressed for products across the board, there is growing interest in, and a quest for, advantages in terms of environmental benefits, fuel savings, and the quality of light emitted.


“A significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions are produced by construction and related activities, and major contractors now have environmental policies in place to drive down their on-site emissions. Youngman has conducted trials and demonstrations of Ecolite machines with many such organisations, and to date all have been positive. This interest will eventually create demand that hirers can supply - indeed, some hirers are already stocking the products to gain a competitive edge.”


Mark Hodgkins, Chief Executive of ArcGen Hilta, which in June acquired the Lincolnshire-based lighting equipment manufacturer Sandhurst Manufacturing Ltd (SMC), also highlights the role that legislation has played in increasing the need for better and more efficient products. “Site managers and event organisers have to meet Health & Safety obligations, and manufacturers in the UK have been at the forefront of developing appropriate solutions, as well as addressing environmental issues.


Manufacturing expertise


“Another key consideration is the cost of labour, which is facing increasing upward pressure now in overseas markets, as well as at home. One of the reasons for ArcGen Hilta’s acquisition of SMC is that we now have manufacturing expertise and a brand that will allow us to develop and offer product solutions for worldwide markets. Equipment like lighting towers that can switch themselves on and off automatically will save labour costs, as well as reducing fuel usage.


“End users are becoming more aware of their environmental responsibilities, as are hirers - especially the larger, national organisations, several of which are implementing initiatives to reduce their own, and their customers’, carbon footprints. In the current economic climate, many companies’ purchasing decisions are being influenced by price considerations.


“However, we can again help by offering re-manufactured equipment. Manufacturers can be even greener by providing machines that are not only efficient and long lasting, but which can be refurbished and re-sold with sensible warranties. This maximises the use of precious natural resources, as well as providing economic benefits for certain customers.”


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