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EXECUTIVE REPORT


Palmaris moved to its current premises in June 2010.


Positive Palmaris


Palmaris Plant Hire recently held an open day at its Aberdeen facility. Alan Guthrie attended.


Think of Aberdeen and one immediately associates it with the North Sea oil industry, which has driven its economy since the 1970s. Another nickname for it is the Granite City, referring to the local stone, and Palmaris Plant Hire has shown a similar resilience.


The fleet includes in-house manufactured site cabins.


The business was established in 1995 when a local building contractor, Hall & Tawse, decided to sell its owned equipment fleet. “We immediately saw an opportunity to


develop a hire business serving the area,” said Palmaris Operations Director Mike Petrie, who was previously Plant Manager for Hall & Tawse. “In 1997 we similarly acquired the machinery fleets of two other contractors in Aberdeen and Elgin (roughly 60 miles to the north west), which expanded the fleet considerably.”


Palmaris was later acquired by Paterson Quarries of Coatbridge, near Glasgow, and it currently operates from depots in Coatbridge and Elgin, as well as the flagship Aberdeen facility, which moved to its present one-acre site on a large industrial estate to the south of the city in June 2010.


Between them the three locations serve contractors and tradesmen across a large area of Scotland. “Elgin can service clients in Inverness and as far afield as Skye and the Western Isles. Customers appreciate being able to source everything from one supplier, from tools to telehandlers. The oil industry continues to drive much of our business in and around Aberdeen, creating demand for housing and related support services and infrastructure work.”


Palmaris’ fleet also encompasses fork lifts, excavators and dumpers, offered with and without operators, and includes site accommodation and welfare units that are manufactured by another Paterson group business. “In addition we have more than 100 portable toilets, and a contractor really can get virtually everything they need from us,” said Mike Petrie.


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The Aberdeen open day enabled customers to see the breadth of the Palmaris offering. “We also invited key suppliers to display their latest products, including ArcGen Hilta generators, Hilti power tools, and Scot JCB who supply us with JCB excavators and telehandlers, as well as Thwaites dumpers.We have developed very close business relationships with companies like these, who provide us with excellent support in areas such as spare parts and training. Their rapid response is particularly valued because of the diverse nature and geographical spread of our customer base.”


Palmaris, which employs a total of approximately 50 staff throughout its operation, remains in positive mood. “Last year was probably the most challenging for us,” said Mike Petrie. “The economic slowdown seemed to reach us later in the north, but in the spring of 2010 there was a noticeable downturn amongst some contractors. However, business has bounced back and we have successfully targeted additional markets, such as local authorities.We are also supplying more items to engineering firms in our area that repair equipment on the mainland before it is shipped back to the oil rigs. In many cases, their clients would previously have agreements with regional or national fabricators, but with rising transport costs they are now using local suppliers.


“Several of the team visit the Executive Hire Show every year, not only to see new kit, but also to gauge the mood of the industry, which was much more upbeat this year. Overall, our future is bright.”


Interestingly, in January 2011,


Aberdeen was named by the Centre for


JCB and Thwaites are among the hirer’s key suppliers.


Cities institute as one of five cities which could help the UK climb out of recession owing to its high levels of employment and its skilled workforce. It was regarded as ‘one to watch’ for the future and so, perhaps, is Palmaris Plant Hire.


www.palmaris-plant.com


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