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EXECUTIVE REPORT


“We don’t overcomplicate hire”


Following the opening of its Exeter depot, South West Hire & Sales now operates four outlets in the south west of England. Robert Aplin reports.


It was back in 2008 that I first met Andy Webber, following his formation of Plymouth Tool Hire Ltd in March that year. At that point Andy had already chalked up 26 years hire experience in the city with a number of well-known hirers, including the legendary Torex Hire, in whose orange colours Andy decked out his original 2,000ft2


opened a larger, 4,000ft2


of Torex - trading as Torbay Tool Hire and serving the English Riviera towns.


Meeting up again with Andy, he updated me on the company’s continued development and introduced me to Director Mark Williams, who bought into the business in October 2010. Mark first set out in hire as an apprentice mechanic in 1985 with Torex - that name again - going on to serve as a Regional Manager at Speedy and Branch Manager at both Torex and Brandon.


The opening of a third outlet in Newquay in July 2012 saw the introduction of the South West Hire & Sales Ltd name. The following month, the Plymouth depot was re-located on the same estate into premises three times the original size. Within 12 months of its opening, the Newquay branch was also re-located to larger premises. According to Andy Webber, “we traded from the initial facility on a rolling contract until the first choice 3,000ft2 premises with a large storage compound became available. The depot is performing very well in an expanding town with lots of new house building and we are serving Cornwall, as far as Penzance.


“We had considered opening another outlet further into Cornwall, but settled on Exeter as the base for our next operation. Our Torquay branch had become stretched, delivering more and more kit into the Exeter area. We were mindful of the competition on Marsh Barton, as just about every national and one respected independent hirer has a branch on this huge industrial estate. However, we decided not to worry about others, as we are confident in our own abilities. We have certainly thrown the cat amongst the pigeons in Exeter.”


Opened in July last year, the 6,500ft2 premises had been occupied by Hewden Tool Hire and, following its acquisition, 33 www.southwesthireandsales.co.uk


premises. In September 2009, Andy Webber outlet in Torquay - the original hometown


by Speedy for well over 15 years. “Location is the key, as we have moved into a bespoke hire depot, including a showroom to highlight our consumable sales like blades, drill bits and PPE. Whilst our main workshop is based in Plymouth, ‘test and run’ facilities and minor repairs are carried out in Exeter, as they are at each location.


South West Hire & Sales is also investing up to £500,000 on new equipment and vehicles. Typical fleet additions include Takeuchi 1.5 tonne minis, Thwaites 1 tonne Hi-Tip dumpers, Belle compaction plates and mixers, Husqvarna diamond products, Hire Supply Co. lights and Barreto trenchers, as well as Lyte towers, Makita cordless tools and Bosch breakers. The company has also purchased its first Advanced KFS Plant & Go low floor vehicles.


According to Andy Webber, “we have bought quality kit throughout. The Plant & Go trucks are a particularly popular fleet addition. They are ideal for our younger, less experienced drivers to operate as they are not covered by tachograph rules, and we don’t need to tow equipment on trailers. They are ideal for restricted access roads around Torquay and Newquay.”


The Exeter branch is managed by Lee Wood, who has also managed the Torquay operation since its opening. He has been in hire since 1987 when he joined - you’ve guessed it - Torex. According to the Directors, “we have been able to cherry pick some of the best and most experienced hire men in the area. Having done that, the key is not to shackle them.


“We let our managers’ manage their customers and their depot, without burdening them with reporting responsibilities. We believe the customer is the be-all and end-all of everything we do. The team has bought into our ethos, which was the original Torex ethos. We don’t overcomplicate hire. In our first year, we had a turnover of £234,000. In calendar year 2015, we will achieve £2.3m. Looking to the future, we want to operate a network of six depots. We may head up the M5, or, with Newquay bursting at the seams, a second Cornwall outlet would ease that pressure.”





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