EXECUTIVE REPORT
The heavy-duty flail mower is a popular Avant attachment.
Direct results
Alan Guthrie visits a recently established hirer in north Wales, which is serving customers over a surprisingly large area.
Since opening for business in April 2014, Direct Plant & Tools has grown quickly, serving a diverse customer base in and around its rural location in Ruthin, Denbighshire. “It proves there was a genuine gap in the market,” said Director Gareth Turner, who also runs a family-owned construction company based in the town. “Over the years, many people had enquired about hiring our equipment, but we are in a close-knit community and we did not want to cause friction with any other hirers, so we resisted. However, the number of requests kept increasing and it was obvious there was strong local demand.
that offers the compact machines throughout the country. “We now have three models, a 520, a 528 and a 750, plus a growing range of attachments, and customers love them,” said Iwan Salisbury. “Being articulated, they do not damage turf surfaces, tyre damage is minimised and they are very fuel-efficient. They can access the rear of houses and are incredibly versatile. A tarmac contractor told us it does the work of several labourers, and a customer 60 miles away on Anglesey came to hire a machine with a heavy-duty flail mower, as he could not source anything like it for cutting expanses of undergrowth up to 2m high. Last July we also added a compact Leguan four-wheel drive access platform from Avant, which is proving popular with building contractors and tree surgeons, and, being tracked, it can reach virtually any site.
The depot is located on a busy trading estate.
“What ultimately prompted the decision was when a tenant vacated a unit on a business park that we developed ourselves ten years ago. Instead of letting it, we chose to use it to establish a separate hire operation. We were also able to recruit Iwan Salisbury as Depot Manager, who had worked for a garden machinery supplier which offered some hire equipment, and this was an area he wanted to expand into. He is well-known locally, and having had equipment repaired by him in the past, we knew he was ideally suited.
“We assembled a basic fleet from scratch to suit a typical customer base of tradesmen, farmers, landscapers and homeowners, and we have kept expanding, offering equipment up to 3.5 tonnes that can be towed behind a pickup or Land Rover, such as Takeuchi minis. We attended the 2014 Executive Hire Show just before we officially opened, and it proved invaluable for making contacts and gathering information. We came back with bags full of literature. As a result we made strong links with suppliers like Altrad Belle, for which we are now a dealer, as well as Stihl and Makita for power tools and garden machinery.”
Another valuable contact made was with Avant, and Direct Plant & Tools quickly signed up as a member of the Avant Hire network
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“We are steadily expanding our operation. As well as hiring trailers, we also service them for customers, and we can fit low-energy LED light conversion kits. Basically, we never say no, because local people depend on us. We open between 8am and 4pm on Saturdays, so that they can come to us for a spare part or to hire a replacement machine for a weekend task if their one breaks down. Everything is driven by service.”
A wide retail range is offered to meet local people’s needs.
With demand continuing to grow, Direct Plant & Tools may eventually need larger premises. However, with land possibly becoming available to further expand the business park where it is located, that should not pose problems.
• 01824 704501
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