COVER FEATURE Hire and higher
THE Hire Supply Company (HSC) was established in July 2001 primarily to supply the hire industry and associated markets such as power tool resellers, hardware retailers, electrical wholesalers, engineering merchants and welding equipment distributors.
Over the years its range of products has grown and now includes specialist equipment and innovative products which have been designed specifi cally to suit customer requirements.
HSC started trading from a 4,500sq ft unit in Long Eaton, supplying the hire industry with core site electrical and lighting equipment along with heaters and probably the best value for money rotovator which was (and still is) sourced from America: the Barreto range of hydraulic gardening and landscaping equipment. It was soon apparent that bigger premises were necessary to hold suffi cient stocks to keep up with demand – the price of popularity stemming from HSC’s next day service promise and after sales support.
This fi rst relocation came in 2002 to much larger (21,000sq ft) premises on the opposite side of Long Eaton. This venue acted as the head offi ce and central distribution site until February 2019 when the business moved to its current premises in Attenborough. During this time, HSC’s reputation for service, quality and after sales support
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drew the attention of manufacturers from around the world looking for a UK distributor for their products. Over the years HSC has won distributor agreements with manufacturers such as Barreto, Active, Dosko, Master Climate Solutions, Bon Tools, Etramo, Exin Light, Roger Mondelin, Weber MT, and Simpson whilst also developing its own quality brand, Elite. The new head offi ce and central distribution has provided additional space and logistic effi ciencies, increasing fl oor space to 31,000sq ft and increasing the height that pallets can be stacked.
The new group headquarters also gives signifi cant operational benefi ts. “We had simply run out of space at Long Eaton due to our on-going expansion,” said MD Gary McWilliam. “We had to lease another unit nearby and had off -site pallet storage at another location to accommodate the vast range of products we off er. At the new premises all products, including non-seasonal items, will now be stored under one roof, which will help us maintain our next working-day delivery promise and improve overall stock management. Being so close to Long Eaton means we have retained all the 24 personnel who are based here and it has excellent transport links.”
Much work has been undertaken in fi tting out the new building, which was
previously just being used by a steel fabricator to store raw materials and was somewhat functional in nature. “Most signifi cantly, we have added an upper fl oor with open-plan offi ce space that benefi ts from natural light, together with views across a lake that is part of a nature reserve,” said Gary. “We have also included a product showroom, a canteen area and a boardroom that can be used as a training area. We have also installed a modern air conditioning system that brings fresh air into the building, so it is a much more pleasant working environment.”
The move to the new
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