MKM Hire’s first 15
1 November 2023
Fast-growing builders’ merchant MKM has opened its fifteenth tool hire depot at its Grantham branch.
The facility was launched at the start of October and recently held an open day for customers attended by numerous suppliers of equipment in its hire fleet.
MKM currently has 123 merchant locations throughout the country – its 124th opens in Boston, also in Lincolnshire, this Friday, 3 November. As previously reported on the blog, the business opened its first in-branch hire presence in September 2022. The aim is to increase this number substantially.
Lee Armsby, MKM’s Business Development Manager, said: “Each of our locations typically has two Branch Directors who drive growth forward. MKM then backs them with what they need in terms of equipment, staffing and other resources but they decide how to develop the business and are accountable for that.”
If a Branch Director believes tool hire would be a good fit at their location, they can discuss the possibilities.
James Truman, who together with Mick Mathieson is one of the Branch Directors at the Grantham branch, told me that adding tool hire was a logical step.
“It suits our merchant business because we have such a broad customer base from builders and property developers, to members of the public, across sectors like construction, plumbing, heating, kitchens and bathrooms. Customers can get everything they need and they don’t need to go anywhere else.”
Paul Grice, Tool Hire Manager at the Grantham branch, has 30 years of industry experience, having worked previously at Jewson, Speedy, A-Plant and Handi Hire.
“Lots of the merchant customers have already transitioned over to us to become their preferred hire supplier,” he said. “And they can get everything on one invoice, which keeps things simple.”
The Grantham hire fleet reflects core brands that MKM has chosen, including JCB mini excavators, Altrad Belle dumpers (pictured below), plate compactors and pokers, Husqvarna floor grinders, cut-off saws and floor saws, Hire Supply Co lights and beam lifters, Rubi tile cutters, Euro Towers mobile tower, and DeWalt breakers and power tools.
Lee Armsby said that the Branch Directors at each MKM hire location can suggest items to meet local or individual demands. Other such equipment has included Genie lifts, Camon rotavators from Tracmaster, and Rothenberger pipe freezers and central heating flushers.
One item that quickly proved popular in the Grantham fleet was a new 3in semi-trash pump from Altrad Belle. Paul Grice said that the recent torrential rain that affected the east side of the country led to a local college being flooded. The pump performed well and was able to deal with solids of up to 20mm diameter.
MKM plans to open hire depot number 16 shortly, with more to follow.
Photos: Alan Guthrie
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