On The Cover

Hirepool’s massive equipment investment

In one of the most significant single heavy equipment orders for delivery in this country, Komatsu is supplying 75 new excavators to leading equipment hire business, Hirepool.

The 75 new Komatsu excavators excavators, ranging in capacity from 1.8 tonnes to major infrastructure project-sized 20 tonnes, will be deployed across Hirepool’s national network of 58 hire centres to meet the specific demands of customers.

Hirepool chief executive officer Brian Stephen says the excavators are a major part of a $20 million budget approved by shareholders for new equipment.

“This investment clearly underlines the strong commitment of our major shareholder, Next Capital, to continue to invest and support the business into the future,” he says.

Part of the arriving order has been deployed to Northland to assist local authorities and contractors in carrying out repairs on the roading network ravaged by heavy rains and floods in July.

“Major weather events such as those recently experienced in Northland often require additional equipment to be transferred across our geographic network to assist in the clean-up and rebuild,” Stephen.

“With branches from Invercargill to Kaitaia we are able to meet the needs of our customers wherever they operate.

“With the addition of these 75 excavators to our asset pool we are positioned to provide the additional resources as required.”

“With the addition of these 75 excavators to our asset pool we are positioned to provide the additional resources as required.”
“With the addition of these 75 excavators to our asset pool we are positioned to provide the additional resources as required.”

The latest model Komatsu excavators were selected by Hirepool as being best in their class with leading edge technology that offers high productivity as well as being environmentally friendly in terms of fuel consumption and other consumables.

General manager Assets, Matt McLaughlin, says the machines added to the fleet range through the classes with excavators with 1.8T, 3.0T, 8.8T, 13.8T and 20T capacities.

“The larger machines will be attractive to contractors working on the roads of national importance, such as the McKays Crossing to Peka Peka expressway north of Wellington, major housing projects and industrial development.

“Smaller excavators will be used in the roll out of the ultra-fast broadband network now being commissioned by Chorus while the smallest machines are likely to be used for preparing sites for home extensions and similar sized projects.”

Hirepool has 22,000 customers with active accounts plus another 100,000 casual customers, principally from the do-it-yourself market.

“We are the leading provider of hire equipment in New Zealand with a particular emphasis on working with customers in the residential and non-residential construction and maintenance sectors, infrastructure, the resources, energy and industrial sectors and events management including party hire,” says McLaughlin.

“Our customers use Hirepool to achieve more efficient capital management by optimising their own fleets, focus on their core competencies or achieve fleet flexibility.

“Discussions with our larger customers help us understand their priorities and specific equipment needs which contributes to the efficient use of the approximately 100,000 assets Hirepool can offer.”

Hirepool has been operating now for nearly 60 years and the recent merger with Hirequip has created the opportunity to combine two highly complementary businesses to better service its customer needs.

The rationalisation of assets since the merger has contributed to a low average fleet age which the latest purchase of Komatsu excavators has further contributed. Hirepool now has a significant in-house maintenance capability providing timely support to customers.

Comments Brian Stephen; “Hirepool will continue to invest in its fleet to provide advanced technology and highly productive equipment to our customers who are always looking at more efficient ways of operating.

“There is a large pipeline of significant projects that central and local government has committed to over the next 10 years, plus the ongoing demands of the private sector, that provide us with the confidence to invest in the future of our customer’s businesses.”

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