my systems work, we’re diversifying and I’m very happy with what I’ve got
‘‘ R
I’ve got control here, ’’
oadworks seem to be everywhere at the moment. On a soggy day east of
Manchester, Lady Satnav apparently steers me into every one of them. Finally arriving at Northern Tool Hire behind schedule – something I always try to avoid – the first concern of Steve’s daughter, Stephanie, is
Northern Tool Hire Managing Director, Stephen Jones. THE ROOSTER Stephen Jones from Northern Tool Hire splits his time between
Ashton-under-Lyne and the blissful island of Lanzarote. However, his thriving business is always left in capable hands.
that I get a brew inside me as quickly as possible. Unconcerned by my tardiness, Steve turns out to be a bit of a raconteur. I was certainly keen to hear how he manages a plant & tool hire company while he’s sunning himself in Lanzarote for much of the year, but also how his military background comes to bear on the way he prefers to operate. We begin, of course, with a whistle-stop history of the company.
“We established Northern Tool Hire in 1995, but I actually began my hire career at HSS – which I’m very thankful for because they had the best training ever. I started out sweeping the floors, but I worked my way up the ladder to regional director, and every step of the way I learned a bit more about the hire business. I was then headhunted by Kendrick Hire, before Speedy took them over,” he begins.
The company also offers access equipment.
“I had a lot of responsibility and worked all over the country for these companies, but my wife eventually suggested that I should start earning money for myself. I already had the contacts and the knowledge, so we raised £10,000 and re-mortgaged the house
in order to set up Northern Tool Hire. It was a big risk, but I knew that it would succeed.”
27 years later, and counting, it plainly has, but how was it at the outset and how was trading through the pandemic to the present?
“I started out with the equipment I knew would be in demand around here, and our first cheque was for £500 – I’ve framed it. Since then, we have been self-financing, we’ve never been overdrawn and we always have cash in reserve.”
“We’re dealers for Stihl, Husqvarna and Mountfield equipment, and we invested heavily in this equipment when we saw the pandemic coming. The British like to keep busy, and sales shot through the roof during this period. We work with the NHS and the local council, so we didn’t close and we didn’t have to furlough anybody. This year, we’re looking at a turnover of around £900,000. We’ve grown because we’ve diversified – the Stihl dealership is an example, and the next thing for us will be to focus more on groundscare machinery.”
38 Executive Hire News - June 2022
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