cover story 18 PLANT & CIVIL ENGINEER Celebrating 40 Years in Business Norman Hutchinson <strong>CP</strong> <strong>Hire</strong> feature 9pgs (inc SP 1-2 <strong>ad</strong>).<strong>indd</strong> 18 08/08/2011 11:42
Celebrating 40 Years in Business stock up to date with all the latest technologies and innovations; it is what customers want, and if you can’t keep your customers happy, you’ll not have a business.” More Investment It’s a strategy that has seen this company grow into what it is today, a strategy that has enabled it to survive the last terrible few years of gloom and doom. Indeed, <strong>CP</strong> <strong>Hire</strong> recently invested £1m in the business, the first significant spend in the last three years, including 20 Kubota diggers to be delivered over the next couple of months. So does that indicate that market conditions improving now? “Well, it’s a very competitive market and like I said, you have to ensure your stock is modern, reliable and available; if you try to run stock into the ground, customers won’t hire it and the business suffers as older plant and machinery becomes a liability rather than an asset.” With so many fighting for so little business, how does that affect hire rates today? “It is natural that people will consider the cheaper option, but cheaper isn’t always best; you get what you pay for, and I believe customers are well aware of that. They, too, have a business to run, and if equipment breaks down, it impacts b<strong>ad</strong>ly on them – reliability and service are important; that is what we have built our company on over the last 40 years, and we will continue to take that approach in the years ahe<strong>ad</strong>. “While the market is competitive, we won’t go chasing after deals that bring us no return. That said, we are seeing more optimism in the marketplace. Over the last few months, despite recent government cutbacks in spending, there have been more projects started than ever before over the last three years, so there is business to be won, with the right approach and the right equipment.” Consequently, demand for diggers, dumpers, rollers, telehandlers and other plant is on the rise again, with those operators who are winning contracts opting to hire in machinery 19576 DeWalt A2 Poster.ai 12/5/11 10:32:58 www. .co.uk rather than invest capital at this particular time. “With finance difficult to secure, too, some are changing their business models to include the cost of hire equipment when they are tendering for contracts and for many that makes sound financial sense in today’s operating climate. It is also good for the hire sector.” Dublin Depots During the boom years, <strong>CP</strong> <strong>Hire</strong> operated two branches in the Republic – in Dublin and Greystones – but changing circumstances resulted in their closure in January last year. “With the virtual demise of the construction industry in the south, it just became unworkable and we h<strong>ad</strong> no option but to withdraw, INTELLIGENCE cover story CONTROL & COMFORT CONGRATULATIONS TO <strong>CP</strong> HIRE ON THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY PLANT & CIVIL ENGINEER <strong>CP</strong> <strong>Hire</strong> feature 9pgs (inc SP 1-2 <strong>ad</strong>).<strong>indd</strong> 19 03/08/2011 15:02 EFFICIENCY POWER 19
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