PROFILE HIREBASE
Hirebase brand expansion
The hire outlets within Lincoln-based builders’ merchant Jackson Building Centres have been re-branded as operations within sister company, Hirebase, which continues to expand its national activities. Alan Guthrie reports.
Hirebase, which is the hire activity of builders’ merchant Buildbase, and Jacksons, are both owned by Dublin-based Grafton Group plc, and have long enjoyed a close working relationship. Buildbase opened its first Hirebase tool hire operation in 1998. Jacksons itself dates back to 1946, originally as independent builders’ merchant Jackson Shipley of Lincoln. Tool hire was introduced in 1983, originally under the Jakhire brand. However, 13 years later the builders’ merchant adopted the name Jackson Building Centres, with the hire operation becoming Jackson Hire Centres. Eventually, hire had a presence within 14 of the 26 builders’ merchant locations, principally throughout the east Midlands and northern England.
The Hirebase brand now has a bold presence within former Jackson hire outlets.
Grafton Group, which also owns Sam Hire and the Chadwicks builders’ merchant chain in Ireland, acquired Jacksons in 2003. “Since then, Hirebase and Jacksons Hire Centres have always worked closely together,” said Mark Shepherd, Jacksons Group Hire Manager. “We shared the same challenges of operating standalone hire activities within builders’ merchant outlets.”
Adrian Watts, Hire Director of Hirebase, adds that “for the past six years, Mark and I have also had product management responsibilities for our respective Hirebase, Buildbase and Jacksons hire and
merchant activities, and we have always maintained a broad perspective to identify new opportunities. Increasingly, we realised the sense in re-branding Jacksons Hire Centres as Hirebase, a brand that has been becoming steadily stronger and explains better what we do, especially as we expand our national coverage.” Jacksons Building Centres, however, remains as a separate brand for the merchant operation.
Re-designed and improved
The 14 Jacksons hire outlets have been re-branded under a rolling programme since last summer, beginning with its Alford depot near the Lincolnshire coast, and ending with the Grimsby location in January. Several sites were also re-designed and improved as part of the process.
“The whole operation went very smoothly and all branches kept trading throughout,” said Mark Shepherd. “Our computer and software systems have been upgraded so that all the former Jacksons locations are now fully integrated with Hirebase. They now have easier access to a larger fleet with better availability, and staff feel that the business has been enhanced. They say they are enthusiastic about being part of a bigger, more recognisable, national operation.”
The re-branding of Jackson Hire Centres was completed in January. 21
Adrian Watts adds that “existing Hirebase customers throughout the country can now trade with the brand they know and trust whenever
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