MARKET REPORT POWER GENERATION continued
hirers, who obviously have less sizeable fleets, has been more subdued, but is nevertheless steady. I think this pattern could be the norm for several years ahead, with even growth in demand as the economic recovery strengthens, rather than the ‘boom and bust’ of the past.”
However, some suppliers believe there are opportunities for hirers to target certain niche markets outside the construction industry. “We have been successfully focusing on activities such as events, film production and motor racing team management,” said Steve Brown, MD of Brownpower, the specialist supplier of engines and generators, which is part of the Seddons Group. “There should also be increasing demand for highly compact inverter generators, like Honda’s EU1 range, which can provide consistent, spike-free electricity for powering a wide range of equipment, including sensitive electronic devices, and which are designed for low noise and clean running.”
heating and lighting circuits, omitting other items, and this does away with the need for installing a much larger machine based on a ‘worst case’ scenario.
GenSet believes that suppliers must be flexible in meeting hirers’ needs.
“Although designed for permanent installation, it can quite easily be used on a ‘plug and play’ basis for longer term, but temporary use. When we displayed the HSU125 at the Executive Hire Show, several hirers expressed keen interest, seeing it as something they could offer alongside their more conventional power generation equipment. They can also earn revenue from supplying the LPG.”
Another supplier that detects increasing demand from hirers is Shindaiwa Ltd, which specialises in welder generators. “August has been our busiest month since we established our operation just over a year ago,” Director Andy Munford told EHN. “We noticed a mood of cautious optimism amongst hirers who visited our stand at the Executive Hire Show, and that positive outlook has been strengthening since the event.
Compact inverter generators could represent a profitable hire niche.
One hirer that has successfully added these generators to its fleet is Plantool, which has six depots in the Midlands. “We have six EU20i units, and they have proved popular in the summer for use at events," Director Ben Jones told EHN. “They are also hired by people who need to power equipment like televisions and computers while on camping and caravanning holidays.We have found the generators are economical to run, and are very reliable.”
Safeguarding electricity supplies
Harrington Generators International (HGI) reports that concerns about the National Grid’s ability to cope with peak demands are making more homeowners consider additional measures to safeguard electricity supplies. “This, in turn, is attracting interest from hire companies,” said Marketing Manager, Dan Clay. “We are the sole importer and distributor of the HSU125 generator, made by Briggs & Stratton, which is an LPG driven standby unit designed to automatically start on detection of a power cut. The 12.5kW generator immediately prioritises power to essential systems, such as
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“Demand is particularly strong from larger hirers serving clients who have won contracts in industries like petrochemicals and the utilities market. One national hirer recently bought 20 more of our ECO 300/UK 300A machine, having already purchased 30 in June, and Glasgow-based Martin Plant Hire has been buying steadily from us, including our 165, 200 and 300A models.
“It is the specialist, industrial markets that seem to be strongest at the moment, with relatively less activity amongst smaller contractors and consumers. Nevertheless, we are noticing that smaller independents are now replacing more equipment and refreshing their fleets, and overall we believe these are promising, and positive, signs.”
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HGI expects more homeowners to seek equipment for reliable backup power.
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