Hire and Supplies opts for battery Belles
7 July 2022
Environmentally friendly machines are amongst the latest fleet additions at Hire and Supplies as the Dumfries-based independent reacts to growing demand from customers throughout south west Scotland.
New purchases include two Altrad Belle PCX 13/40E+ battery powered plate compactors (one of which is in the picture foreground) together with four batteries and chargers
“This is the way that the world is going now and you either sit back and let others take that step, or you show that you are forward thinking by investing in the new technology and leading the way,” managing director David Chandler tells me.
As regards attracting a sensible hire rate for such equipment, which typically carries a higher price tag, he believes that you cannot really make a direct comparison with the fossil fuel equivalents.
"A customer might traditionally hire a vibratory plate for a week and use, say, five litres of petrol per day, and the cost of that has gone up dramatically. The battery machine removes that cost and so, while the upfront hire rate might be higher, over time it will give savings since recharging the machine is cheaper than constantly buying fuel.
“The battery product also does away with potential problems of finding a clean petrol can, avoids risks of spillage, fumes and fire, and there are no trips hazard as there might be with corded equivalents,” says David.
Amongst other latest additions to the company’s fleet are three more Altrad Belle DX1000HT 1-tonne high-tip diesel powered dumpers, joining six others it already has.
“Customers give us excellent feedback on the dumpers. The quality of the paint finish is excellent. And what you put out on hire reflects the quality of your company so we are steadily replacing our fleet with newer machines to lower its overall age profile.”
Hire and Supplies, which was established in 2014, offers a diverse fleet of tools and plant which it continues to expand. It now has no fewer than 70 excavators in its fleet, for example, ranging up to 13 tonnes.
The company has also recently purchased Husqvarna’s K1 PACE battery cut-off saw, a product featured previously on the blog, and two Snorkel A38E battery articulated boom lifts.
