A year like no other
2 June 2021
Exactly a year ago today, and ten weeks after the first lockdown began, I launched this site to provide a historic record of the hire industry during the pandemic and the ways in which companies and individuals coped.
Since then, the world has bounced back more strongly than anyone could have imagined, thanks largely to the rapid development of coronavirus vaccines. But back in June 2020, such a possibility was remote in the extreme.
Indeed, announcing the lockdown on 23 March Boris Johnson said: “The coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades,” adding that “all over the world we are seeing the devastating impact of this invisible killer.” We were told to stay at home unless we were essential workers.
Tradesmen and women could continue to work on essential tasks if they maintained safe social distancing and other protective measures, and many hirers gradually re-opened to provide the equipment they needed, albeit with many people furloughed (a new word that we have all learned).
In looking back over this period, I’ve selected posts from each month that mark key developments and significant events in this story which is still ongoing - because we must still be vigilant over new coronavirus strains.
I’ll start with:
Social distancing. On 5 June I wrote about the Hire Supply Company introducing a range of cleaning and sanitising products just in time to meet demand from many workplaces in England that were now allowed to re-open (Scotland followed shortly afterwards). Regularly cleaning hands, wiping surfaces and keeping 2m from other people quickly became normal behaviour. This story epitomised the way companies developed new solutions and how people adapted.
Bounce back. Momentum developed faster than anyone dared imagine. More work sites reopened and on 22 July a blog post reported how Eagle Plant Hire’s depots in Glasgow and Edinburgh were “flying”. As MD Colin Inglis told me, “It’s been like pressing a pause button and then releasing it. Customers have been pulling out all the stops and getting back to work.” And Eagle soared higher in October with the opening of its Survey & Safety activity.
Going digital. A story on 19 August highlighted Smiths Equipment Hire’s exemplary use of digital marketing, social media and other communications tools to promote their services and win new business, particularly from people furloughed and doing home projects. One area of activity that grew by as much as 500% was demand from small builders, landscapers, DIY hirers and cash customers, and the Smiths website really came into its own. Many people believe that more business will continue to be transacted this way in the future.
Resilience. In meeting Covid-19 challenges the industry once more demonstrated its astonishing resilience and dedication. A post on 17 September about E. T. Hire explained how the Bolton-based business had managed to keep trading safely and productively despite tighter restrictions and, even, curfews imposed to control sudden outbreaks of the disease in specific localities. By strictly following the Health & Safety guidelines, life went on.
Build, build, build. Early on in the pandemic Boris Johnson had stated the Government’s intention to place construction at the heart of the recovery, and the story on 20 October about Your Equipment Solutions (Y.E.S.) illustrated the role that this activity was already playing. David Johnstone, managing director of the Falkirk-based business said that utilities contractors were busy installing fibre broadband, “especially as more people are working from home and upgrading their connections.”
Supporting the NHS. News broke on 10 November of the first vaccine, heralded as a ‘huge milestone’ in combating the pandemic. The pace of the subsequent rollout has been astonishing. Also, my popular Q&A interview series on the blog continued with Andy Wright, CEO of Sunbelt Rentals in the hot seat on 27 November. The wide-ranging conversation mentioned the historic work that Sunbelt has done in supplying the NHS with equipment for testing and vaccination centres. And the efforts of other hirers should be applauded, too, of course.
Helping others. In a month that ended with the unexpected Brexit deal on Christmas Eve, people’s goodwill towards others even in troubled times was also evident. The 10 December item on GAP reported how the hirer had continued to raise funds for worthy causes through a range of employee activities.
Rising demand. The New Year started with a theme that has been maintained since: strong demand for equipment and materials to meet the construction upturn, against a background of increasing delays, shortages and price pressures. On 29 January figures from the Construction Equipment Association showed that Q4 sales in 2020 were just above the previous year’s total – an astonishing recovery.
Road map. On 22 February Boris Johnson revealed his ‘road map’ for easing the lockdown and getting the country on the path back to normality. Hirers were already gearing up and I reported how Rocket Rentals, Skipton Hire Centres and Hares Hire Services were anticipating strong, sustained construction demand – which proved absolutely correct, leading to the....
..."Most exciting time ever." That’s how one hirer described the market following the prime minister’s road map announcement. The majority of businesses responding to a straw poll I conducted on 1 March showed a dramatic increase in business as people made plans for reopening, and the event hire industry was particularly reinvigorated.
Green lights. Decreased traffic levels during the lockdown highlighted how reduced emissions could improve the environment. It might have been 1 April, but the story about Speedy’s investment in battery powered portable lighting towers made a serious point about the importance of introducing eco-friendly equipment into hire fleets to meet net zero carbon targets. Andy Connor, Speedy’s group product innovation and supply chain director, summed it up: “As a key intermediary in the sector, we recognise the significant role we [hirers] play in creating a green supply chain.”
Catch 22. So where are we now? We’re certainly in a far better situation than anyone could have imagined a year ago. Construction activity is strong and hirers constantly describe business as “flat out”, “relentless”, “unprecedented”. But as the 11 May blog comment said, it’s something of a Catch 22 situation. The acute demand is leading to fleet shortages, pressure on suppliers and delays in production. And that can lead to difficult decisions about whether to invest or expand, long working hours and employee stress. As I said then, “companies across many industry sectors will require excellent management skills on the road to recovery.”
So I’m looking forward to maintaining Alan Guthrie On Hire’s trusted industry comment and coverage as the recovery evolves. While there remains a need for caution and there's talk of new coronavirus variants emerging, the vaccination rollout has placed us all in a better position than anyone believed possible a year ago.
And do please keep me posted with your news - after all, this is all about working together.
Picture: Ockert Le Roux/Pixabay
