EXECUTIVE NEWS continued


Hire Network Award nominees announced


The Hire Network has announced the final shortlist for its annual Award, which recognises excellent performance at individual depot level. Already Hire’s Slough location and Toolhirexpress of Bedford have been named as the two other candidates. The Birmingham depot of Hireforce, which was nominated at the end of last year, completes the line-up.


JCB marks mini milestone


JCB recently celebrated the production of its 100,000th mini excavator. The very first machine, an 801 model weighing 1.4 tonnes, was made in 1989, in a year when just over 450 units were manufactured. By 1992, there were four models in the range and annual production rates had risen to 1,000.


The landmark machine, a 10-tonne 100C-1 model, is one of 22 models in the current range, which spans from one to 10 tonnes. All are manufactured at the JCB Compact Products factory in Cheadle. CEO Graeme Macdonald said, “To have produced 100,000 compact excavators really is something for the whole JCB team to celebrate and, with more additions to the range due this year, we can look forward to more growth in this important sector of the market.”


Gem opens new Banbury building


Gem Tool Hire & Sales recently held an open day to mark the opening of the new building for its flagship


Banbury depot. Its original premises were destroyed by a fire in December 2013, which spread from a neighbouring property. “The fire destroyed 50% of the hire fleet and the entire contents of our sales shop, with the building a write-off,” said MD Steve Moore. “We moved into a temporary facility nearby and were open for business six days after the fire, after moving equipment from our Bicester and Rugby depots. “Construction work on the new building started in late December 2014. It incorporates new technology in the form of underfloor heating, powered by air source heat pumps, with extra insulation in the walls and roof, and low-energy lighting.”


11 OBITUARY


In the issue in which we report on the company (see page 23), it is our sad duty to inform you of the death of Neville Griffiths, a Director of CEH Plant Sales and Direct Plant & Tools in Ruthin. He was killed in a car crash on 4 December, aged 48. “Nev was always interested in plant and machinery, and formed CEH Plant Sales in 2005,” said his business partner, Gareth Thomas. “He started off with a couple of small items of plant that were hired out locally, and the business rapidly took off. He secured a Takeuchi dealership in 2008 and then concentrated most of his energies into supplying new machines, eventually adding a dealership for dumper manufacturer, NC Engineering. “It was through his local knowledge, and increasing


requests to hire construction equipment, that Nev and I decided to form Direct Plant & Tools in April 2014. He will be sorely missed.”


“Already’s Slough


depot comes up trumps week in, week out,


serving customers in and around Heathrow and west London,” said Hire Network MD Barry Dean. “It provides reliable service throughout a very busy and challenging area. Toolhirexpress also gives consistently good service over a wide radius from its base in Great Barford, close to the A1.” The Award winner will be announced at the Executive Hire Show.


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