EXECUTIVE HIRE SHOW REVIEW
Zenith believes hirers can gain business from supplying survey equipment.
Pinpoint a niche
Laser measurement and surveying equipment could represent a relatively untapped hire market, according to several suppliers who exhibited at the Show.
Surveying equipment, laser measuring devices and the like have often been regarded as the domain of specialist users and hirers. However, several suppliers of these products were exhibiting at the Executive Hire Show, keen to promote the qualities of the equipment and the business opportunities that hirers could achieve with them.
The Leica Geosystems stand certainly had a
Leica Geosystems launched its iCON products at the Show.
considerable amount of sophisticated equipment on display, such as the 3D Disto (a finalist
in the Innovation Zone at the Show), which is designed to allow one person to measure, lay out and inspect building elements accurately, using a combination of a laser beam and an integral digital camera. “This is obviously sophisticated technology, but the software operating it is designed to be very easy for the non-specialist to use, and this approach will be evident on more equipment in the future,” said Jonn Hicks, Sales Manager for Construction.
“At the Show we also demonstrated our new iCON (intelligent construction) product portfolio, which has been developed to enable all total stations, GPS positioning equipment, sensors and machine controllers throughout a site to be managed by just one software interface, giving much easier operation.” However, he also adds that there is a growing market for humbler measuring and surveying equipment. “Leica Geosystems offers a comprehensive range of optical levels, hand-held distance meters, pipe lasers and the like, which are simple to operate and give users the accuracy and reliability they need.”
This view was echoed by Andy Woodings, National Trade Sales Manager with Zenith Survey Equipment, which promoted its Datum range of products. “There are, of course, specialist equipment companies and some national hirers that have divisions serving this market, but there are many opportunities overall, including laser levels, distance meters and theodolites, as well as cable detectors
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and confined space testing equipment. Some hirers are put off by the word ‘survey’ because they perceive it as being outside their normal operations, but many products are not as difficult to grasp as they might think.
“A hirer’s customers may hire a compaction plate and a mixer, and they might also require a laser level to make certain tasks easier, so it makes sense to have this available as well, rather than letting people go elsewhere. More tradesmen are familiar with using products like our DPL5 Plus automatic spot line laser for both interior and exterior work, or our DPL1 Plus fixed beam pulse laser, because they are accurate, easy to use and fit into a toolbox. These are straightforward, reliable solutions that more hirers can get good business from.”
Another supplier that sees considerable potential in this market is Opti-cal Survey Equipment, an accredited Leica Geosystems distributor that offers products for sale, hire and re-hire. “Products like rotating lasers are often among the first items on a construction site and are used throughout a project, giving long term hire opportunities,” said Account Manager David Mainwaring. “Popular products include the TS15 total station with a hand-held controller for efficient one-person surveying. This reduces the amount of labour needed on a site, and gives greater reliability than traditional two-man methods.
“However, there is also demand for lower end
products such as hand-held Disto distance meters and laser levels, owing to their simple, fast operation and accuracy, which tradesmen appreciated. Overall, we are certainly very busy at the moment.We are supplying a great deal of equipment for work involved with the Crossrail project throughout the south east of England, and the construction work associated with the High Speed Two (HS2) London to West Midlands railway will bring further opportunities.”
Opti-cal Survey Equipment expects demand to remain strong for products in this market.
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