One Thing: Andrew Owen

7 February 2024

Continuing the new series asking hire industry professionals which One Thing would make a significant difference in business, Andrew Owen, Sales Director of Trime UK, gives the blog his opinion. Andrew has been at the forefront of the development of power generation machinery and site lighting towers for over 30 years and joined Trime in 2017 as a sales manager. In October 2023 he was promoted to the Board.

REFLECTING the overall ethos of Trime, I have a keen interest in the use of technology. I am particularly enthusiastic about modern methods driving innovation that aim to reduce, and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels and replace these outdated systems with the use of renewables. This reduces operator costs and promotes a healthier environment.

But it's not just about cost savings. It's also about promoting a more sustainable world. The construction industry has, in the past, been associated with high levels of pollution and waste. However, by choosing sustainable equipment options, hire firms can assert their influence and help to guide the industry towards a more environmentally friendly future.

Technology in the development of power generation and site lighting equipment is moving on at a rapid pace. Telemetry systems for remote monitoring, intelligent power sharing modules that eliminate light loading and automatic ‘switching’ between solar/battery and engine arrangements are some of the examples that technology is bringing to our industry.

Of course, these are just small steps towards the UK government’s overall goal to achieve Net Zero by 2050, so, we need to move today and not hang around.

So, if I could change One Thing which would help me work towards my ambition to push the hire industry into a new technological age, then it would be for people to embrace technology: sustainability can be your new best friend!