FAST MOTION SHOW
If you thought that, having Celebrated Show 10 last year, we would ease up ahead of the 2017 Show, please think again. Constantly gaining momentum has been one of the keys to the Executive Hire Show’s continued success and planning for next month’s annual event has been in fast motion for many months now. At last year’s Show, there were 183 exhibitors. We physically couldn’t accommodate any more, and, of those that did exhibit, many wanted additional stand space.
Significant extra exhibition space for next month’s Show has been created by the exciting addition of the new Hire Show Hall. This new Hall connects directly with the Main Hall and Atrium, and has attracted brands like Niftylift and Caterpillar to return to the Show and exhibit in the Hire Show Hall. Other exhibitors have re-located into this new Hall in order to better showcase their product range on larger stands.
As this issue goes to press, the Show has 186 confirmed exhibitors - not surprisingly breaking last year’s record total. There will certainly be yet more exhibitors for you to visit, as we are still receiving stand enquiries on a daily basis. Of that record number, 52 are new, or returning, exhibitors. As you can read on our extensive editorial preview, commencing on page 53, we feature a staggering 126 new products being launched at the Show.
Whatever item of equipment you are looking to add to your fleet this year, you will find it at the Show. To aid your search, our experienced judges have selected 10 Finalists on the Innovation Trail that you can follow around the Show. These are products of particular interest, based on their considered ‘hireability.’ These Finalists are also featured on page 35.
In short, next month’s event will be bigger and better than ever - with the new Hire Show Hall providing more exhibition space, there will be more exhibitors highlighting more new products. The Executive Hire Show is undoubtedly the industry’s annual event Where Passionate Hirers Meet Innovative Suppliers. See you there.
SLOW MOTION A CCIDENT
In turning attention to major hirer issues, our Market Watch on page 15 kicks off the New Year with a positive update on Speedy, A-Plant and Vp. Our financial analyst also considers that the Government’s early January announcements on the housing market - funding for ‘garden villages’ and the Starter Fund for first time buyers - are good news for our hire industry.
What is certainly not good news is the demise of Hewden Stuart. Our Special Report, commencing on page 17, charts the 20 year decline of this once-great hirer, culminating in its fall into administration last November. What is apparent is the poor decision- making of a succession of senior management teams over these two decades. The strategy of each was seemingly to overhaul the previous team’s plans and carry out yet another internal review. Hewden’s demise was like an accident unfolding in slow motion.
5
So Hewden Stuart is now in pieces. Five hirers have now picked up 13 of the saleable depots. A-Plant deserves praise for, having acquired the Hewden brand - as well as equipment fleets and ‘on-site’ depots - it is now re-branding its enlarged industrial operation as Hewden Industrial, so the name lives on. That is something to be thankful for.
Having failed to attract further buyers, the administrators have appointed auctioneers to handle a major fire sale of Hewden’s 140 machine crane fleet and thousands of other items of construction plant.
The thought of dozens of eager buyers picking over the carcass of this former mighty beast is not a pleasant image to leave you with. Such a situation must not happen again.
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