hri021-november-2020-issue_v_final

NOV 2020

VOL22 NO.2

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HIRE AND RENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LTD www.hireandrental.com.au

KING OF CAPACITY

GENIE® XTRA CAPACITY™ BOOM LIFTS

IN THIS ISSUE

JobKeeper2.0, New Restructuring Process and Insolvency Relief and – HLB Mann Judd explains – see p16

Photos of the Year competition winners – p10 Lessons from the 1990s: Is COVID-19 different to the recession we had to have – p17 Business events get $50m government injection – p48

Resilience during COVID – how an events business switched to general hire – p48 New stand alone solar power system – p52 Dry or wet prime pumps – Aussie Pumps explains the difference – p50

Pump my ride!

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HIRE AND RENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LTD ABN 70 093 630 847 HRIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Mark Burton Tel: 0407 608 420 Interim Vice President: Tony Symons Tel: 0421 051 367 Past President: Jeff Bernard Tel: 0439 885 188 Chief Executive Officer: James Oxenham Tel: 02 9998 2255 Operations Director: Nicolas Chiew Tel: 02 9998 2255 NSW President: Nathan Venables Tel: 02 4283 6733 VIC President: Ken Maher Tel: 03 9369 8800 QLD President: Christie McCormack Tel: 07 3326 6200 SA President: Ben Quirk Tel: 08 8370 2488 WA President: Brad Booth 0419 909 284 EVENT DIVISION Erin Johnston Tel: 02 4256 2439 HRIA PO Box 1304, Mona Vale NSW 1660 Tel: 02 9998 2255 Fax: 02 9998 2299 Email: info@hireandrental.com.au Web: www.hireandrental.com.au PUBLISHER – HRIA Tel: 02 9998 2255 Web: www.hireandrental.com.au EDITORIAL Editor: Allison Leo: Punctuated Media Tel: 02 6687 2607 Email: allieleo@bigpond.net.au ADVERTISING National Sales Manager: Martin Sinclair Tel: 0417 450 662 Email: martinsinclair@hireandrental.com.au CIRCULATION Circulation Enquiries/Customer Service: Tel: 02 9998 2255 Printer: Bright Print Group Tel: 02 9757 3000 Distribution: D&D Mailing Services Tel: 02 9725 2114 Opinions published in the Hire and Rental Industry Association magazine – Hire & Rental Magzine – do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the association or the Editor. The HRIA accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any information contained in this magazine and readers should rely upon their own enquiries in making decisions related to their own interest.

The contents of this publication are subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced in any way or form without written consent from the Editor.

All rights reserved.

ISSN 1838-1197 6,384 (Audit period March 2019) CAB Member since

Contents Regulars 4 President’s Message

45

Royal Wolf partners on The Block

5 Association News 6 Industry News 16 Industry in Focus 27 Access in Action 41 Events in Focus

36

Nifty to the koala rescue

58 Equipment

66

The Last Word – Preston Group takes on Sany dealership – we see what they have been up to during the pandemic NOV 2020

VOL22 NO.2

Features

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HIRE AND RENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LTD www.hireandrental.com.au

KING OF CAPACITY

16

Commercial Update – JobKeeper2, Insolvency Relief and New Restructuring Process

18

Master Hire celebrates a milestone 30 years

22

Highest rated steel safety barriers – Highway Guard – now in Australia

24

Green & clean, tech & business savvy hire company taking on Tasmania – the Clennett Hire story

26

The enemy within – Can your Brady Bunch successfully claim against your estate?

Bartier Perry explains

March 2010

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

GENIE® XTRA CAPACITY™ BOOM LIFTS

46

Events – Amphibious buggies launch in Australia IN THIS ISSUE

50

FEATURE: Power, Pumps & Lighting

54

FEATURE: Commercial Vehicles

56

FEATURE: Trailers & Tippers

JobKeeper2.0, New Restructuring Process and Insolvency Relief and – HLB Mann Judd explains – see p16

Photos of the Year competition winners – p10 Lessons from the 1990s: Is COVID-19 different to the recession we had to have – p17 Business events get $50m government injection – p48

Resilience during COVID – how an events business switched to general hire – p48 New stand alone solar power system – p52 Dry or wet prime pumps – Aussie Pumps explains the difference – p50

On the cover HRI021 November 2020 Issue.indd 1

26/10/20 1:24 pm

Genie Xtra Capacity boom lifts To lift heavy equipment and put three people in the platform, the Genie Xtra Capacity boom line offers the industry leading lift and capacity required to tackle the most demanding heavylifting jobs.

All Genie XC booms offer the benefits of a dual-envelope design to provide an unrestricted platform capacity of 660 lb (300 kg) and a restricted capacity of 1,000 lb (454 kg). This reduces the number of lift cycles and amount of equipment needed to get tools and materials to aerial worksites — doing more with a single unit saves time and increases productivity.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

President’s message

Working through COVID impacts and wins for all

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t the time of writing this article, Melbourne was in its seventh week of lockdown for the second time. I can only hope when the magazine is published our Victorian friends are in a much better position with less restrictions and things are returning to some sort of normality, after what has been a roller coaster year.

Some members have seen their businesses impacted significantly, especially those in the event/party sector. No matter which state or territory you are in, there will be some impact affecting your customers, the supply chain or general commercial operations.

It is important to keep the lines of communication open and to see what can be done to adjust or assist your customers in working through the many challenges the pandemic has dealt us. At times like these, the work of an industry association can really help hire companies negotiate the constantly changing landscape.

Conversations with Government to highlight the hire industry and its plans for recovery are just a part of the work being carried out on your behalf.

The HRIA is working with the Treasury around support for the events sector and has already had discussions with the Assistant Treasury Secretary in charge of JobKeeper.

Thanks go to Paul at AVA Party Hire in Brookvale for hosting a visit from Federal MP Zali Steggall, who will now be reporting back to Government on the event industry’s downturn.

The Victorian situation prompted the HRIA to work with the Small Business Ombudsman who has written to Business Victoria and the Secretary of the Department of Jobs regarding hire operations under the various levels of restriction.

I want to thank every member for their continued support and for renewing their membership. Be assured, your Association is working extremely hard to stay connected with everyone throughout this difficult period and to lobby government on your behalf.

Thank you to all members who have

out to some of our members to see how they are faring. The one thing that stood out the most was how quick our industry is at changing directions and focusing on areas of hire we may not have done in the past. Some of the companies in Melbourne I have spoken with have increased sales by supplying hire equipment to checkpoint and remote COVID testing sites around the Metropolitan area. This has helped offset revenue losses that have occurred in the event side of their business. Our business has also had some unexpected wins where general equipment and access equipment hire has seen growth with more people staying home and investing in their homes, a situation being replicated in many other states.

Congratulations to James and the HRIA team for securing funding for the Chain of Responsibility and Load Restraint training for our members.

Conditions permitting, these courses will commence in December and run throughout the first half of 2021. It is fantastic to hear some good news stories after such a disruptive year for all of us.

The HRIA National Office continues to work through the planning for HIRE21 on the Gold Coast. We remain optimistic that HIRE21 will be back bigger and better and hope to see you all there. So please save the date 12 – 13 May, 2021. I am sure, like me, you are all looking forward to catching up in person and cutting back on those Zoom meetings.

As this is our last magazine before Christmas, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all our members a safe and happy festive season. I hope you all manage to get some rest and catch up with family and friends. I look forward to seeing you all in 2021.

It is important to keep the lines of communication open and to see what can be done to adjust or assist your customers in working through the many challenges the pandemic has dealt us. At times like these, the work of an industry association can really help hire companies negotiate the constantly changing landscape.

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written to their local MPs using the HRIA template letter to make them aware how our industry has been affected. The campaign has shone the spotlight on our industry and how we can safely operate and plan for recovery, so hire companies are there when the economic conditions improve and jobs and skills are retained in our industry.

Over the past months, I have reached

Mark Burton HRIA National President HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Chain of Responsibility & Load Restraint training for members The HRIA will roll out 27 subsidised Chain of Responsibility (CoR) & Load Restraint Training courses across the country, delivering quality training that specifically targets Heavy Vehicle safety within the hire industry.

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he HRIA secured funding from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) under the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, to roll out its training courses to members and industry stakeholders such as sub-contracted transport companies.

The Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI) program funds initiatives that will deliver safety benefits for the heavy vehicle industry and other road users.

The HRIA face-to-face CoR & Load Restraint Training course covers elements to address the CoR legislation for the hire industry. Loading and unloading plant and equipment form part of the content.

The course has been designed for operational staff and is relevant to both those with good CoR knowledge as well as

those who may not be across all the details of the legislation.

The HRIA also has the CoR online awareness course available for other members of staff.

Face-to-face courses will be held in each state and territory covering both metropolitan and regional areas. It is anticipated these courses will commence in December 2020 and run throughout 2021 – dependent on COVID-19 restrictions across the country.

This will provide subsidised CoR training opportunities for over 800 staff within HRIA members and related companies. n Visit: www.hireandrental.com.au

Women in Hire rebranded

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he HRIA Women in Hire program has rebranded and is now the Women in Hire and Access (WIH&A) program.

Hopefully the change of name will alleviate any confusion around who can take part. All members of the HRIA, EWPA and/or TSHA are eligible to apply.

The 2020 program has already reached the halfway mark with the Mid-Program Reviews completed in October.

At session 4: Effective Goal Setting, the Mentors and Mentees created a Word Cloud for the question: ‘My experience in the WIH&A program so far has been…’

The feedback was positive and very honest. We do push our mentees out of their comfort zone so this can be quite difficult for some but we do it in a supportive way and with lots of love.

There are two formal sessions left in 2020 and a virtual Christmas celebration in December.

Thank you to everyone involved in the program, especially our facilitator, Aileen Hiskins of Strategic Alignment Training. n Contact Dee on 02 9998 2255 or visit: www.hireandrental.com.au

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HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

21/01/2020 11:27:55 AM

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Coates Hire is a 2020 Sitecore experience award winner Coates Hire has won a Sitecore Experience Award (SEA) in the Most Sophisticated Implementation category for its development of its customer facing digital platforms and ‘Hire Now’ application.

Briggs & Stratton sold under US Bankruptcy Code Briggs & Stratton Corporation entered into a sale agreement of its stock and assets with KPS Capital Partners, LP (KPS) in July and filed petitions for a court-supervised voluntary reorganisation under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code.

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Coates Hire has won a Sitecore Experience Award

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he company was among over 100 organisations that submitted entries for the SEA. The Sitecore Experience Awards 2020 recognise brands that have built truly customer-centric digital experiences with Sitecore technology. The SEAs are awarded to Sitecore customers (and their partners) whose entries clearly demonstrate their Sitecore solution delivers an outstanding experience for all users from partner developers and internal customer marketers to business and IT users and end-user customers.

“The construction industry is changing rapidly and our customers want to be able to access anytime, last-minute equipment hires,” Kirsty McKay, Group Manager – Portfolio Delivery & Digital Transformation for Coates Hire said.

“Through working with Sitecore and our implementation partner Switch we created a single, streamlined platform for all of our customers and developed our ‘Hire Now’ app as part of this process.

“It’s been a huge success and enabled our customers to complete projects much faster while also helping us increase our revenues with around-the-clock offerings, all while lowering costs. It has made access to our services much simpler and ensured we’re meeting the changing requirements of our customers.”

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Paige O’Neill, CMO, Sitecore said: “Showcasing the complex capabilities and scalability Sitecore enables for organisations and brands, we’re proud to recognise some of the most sophisticated implementations we’ve seen from customers and partners at the 2020 Sitecore Experience Awards.

“Helping organisations make datainformed marketing decisions, utilise content more effectively across channels and regions and deliver more personalised experiences is at the heart of Sitecore’s integrated platform.

We have seen exceptional customer work this year, unlocking new levels of audience engagement and shortened time-to-market for content creation to provide superior digital experiences that drive ROI and deliver business value.”

SEA 2020 winners were selected after demonstrating they used Sitecore solutions to make significant and measurable impact in terms of experience or content management.

All category winners were automatically entered for the Ultimate Experience Award; an honour given to entrants whose digital transformation has elevated the customer experience. The four Ultimate Experience Award Winners were announced during the Sitecore Symposium 2020, 26-28 October. n Visit: www.coateshire.com.au

nder the terms of the agreement, an affiliate of KPS agreed to acquire substantially all of the company’s assets and assume certain customer, employee and vendor liabilities, and act as the stalkinghorse bidder through a court-supervised sale process (known as a Section 363 process).

The company also obtained $677.5 million in DIP financing, with $265 million committed by KPS and the remaining $412.5 from the company’s existing group of ABL lenders.

With court approval, the DIP facility will ensure the company has sufficient liquidity to continue normal operations and to meet its financial obligations during the Chapter 11 process, including payment of employee wages and health benefits, continued servicing of customer orders and shipments.

This will allow the company to ensure the viability of its business while providing sufficient liquidity to fully support operations through the closing of the transaction.

Briggs & Stratton believes this process will benefit its employees, customers, channel partners, and suppliers, and best positions the company for long-term success. This filing does not include any of Briggs & Stratton’s international subsidiaries.

Todd Teske, Briggs & Stratton’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have explored multiple options with our advisors to strengthen our financial position and flexibility.

The challenges we have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic have made reorganisation the difficult but necessary and appropriate path forward to secure our business.

“We have a storied past and a bright future, built on our foundational expertise in applying power. Our portfolio of innovative engines, robust lines of products, and highperformance commercial batteries positions Briggs & Stratton to meet our global customers’ needs for power to get work done, now and in the future.”n Visit: www.basco.com and www.briggsandstratton.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS BEING HALF CRUSHED WHY SAFEGUARD IS BETTER

SAFEGUARD FEATURES

Safer than a spotter

3-Axis Detection

State of the art sensor technology rather than physical contact protection

Featuring 3-axis teardrop hazard detection and 3 graduated proximity alarm settings, Safeguard EWP detects and warns the user of impending hazards before they make contact.

Mitigate the crush & electrocution risks in your workplace

High Voltage Protection

Simple install, minimal downtime

High voltage powerline detection systems to prevent electrical accidents.

Engineered Control Safeguard EWP does not require physical contact Save on accident investigations & accidental damage Customisable to your workplace needs

Interlock System Optional wireless interlock, automatically stops the motion when safe distances are compromised. But allows EWP to move away from obstacle.

For more information or to order a Safeguard EWP System

Visit www.minetech.net.au or email Admin@minetech.net.au E-mail: Admin@minetech.net.au Address: 9/31 Stockdale Road O'connor WA 6163

Website: www.minetech.net.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

Kris is fighting the good fight with So Brave The HRIA donated to the So Brave calendar for breast cancer research and awareness earlier this year in support of Women in Hire participant, Kris Lennard from Ryno Hire (an HRIA QLD member).

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onstruction equipment hire business Ryno Hire’s Kris Lennard was diagnosed with breast cancer in early December 2017, soon after enrolling to do her MBA (Master of Business Administration), which she has since completed.

Kris underwent chemotherapy for five months and then had a double mastectomy to prevent reoccurrence. One month after her breast reconstructive surgery, Kris found another lump in her arm pit.

She underwent another surgery to remove the cancer and a further six months of chemotherapy which she completed in July 2019. Kris is now considered an NED status (No Evidence of Disease).

Kris took on the role of Model Ambassador for the So Brave project which raises much needed awareness and funds for women under 40 with breast cancer and credits such organisations with saving her life.

“If not for organisations like So Brave I wouldn’t have gotten access to new treatments that really helped me through my

cancer journey and literally saved my life. I am proud to be able to support So Brave,” Kris said.

So Brave to me is a not-for-profit that is doing the extraordinary.

“They empower women who have been through beyond what any human should have to endure and are here to tell their story.

“They are about spreading the word and about true cancer awareness. There are over 100 different types of breast cancer that we know of, each needing their own specialised treatment, so we need all the help we can get.”

This year Kris was going to participate in the annual So Brave body paint calendar shoot, but because of COVID-19 and its impacts, So Brave had to postpone its body paint sessions until next year. n www.sobrave.com.au/campaigns/ krissobrave/

Texada Software takes on Milton Caterpillar

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exada Software has been chosen by New England-based rental services company, Milton Rents Inc, an affiliate of Milton CAT, as its equipment rental software provider.

Milton Rents will be deploying Texada’s SRM (Systematic Rental Management), FleetLogic mobile field service and logistics application and GateWay e-commerce suite in all of its rental locations.

“We chose Texada Software because they offered a full suite of products needed to manage a rental company from start to finish. Texada’s software will provide us with the opportunity to rise to the next level in the rental industry and allow us to continue to provide the customer with an exceptional rental experience,” Pete Laurie, Director of Rental Services, Milton Rents said.

“Additionally, their years of industry experience was critical to our decision along with their expertise in implementing and serving enterprise customers. One thing that is very important is our ability to consult with our technology partner on best practices and processes needed to run a rental services business. The expertise Texada has in the rental industry is as valuable as their technology,” Pete said.

Nabil Kassam, CEO of Noble Iron (of which Texada is a wholly-owned subsidiary) said: “Texada finds the rental industry continues to search for an all-inclusive software solution that combines back office, equipment maintenance services, dispatch and logistics, inventory management, e-commerce, analytics, and payment processing capabilities.” n Visit: www.texadasoftware.com

Yello Equipment to distribute Sany in Australia

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eavy equipment distributor, Yello Equipment, part of the Preston Group, has been appointed as the authorised dealer for Sany in QLD and NSW. Spokesperson for Yello, David Serg, said: “We are delighted to represent Sany and its products within the Australian market. Yello plans to bring a new beat to the industrial equipment industry and our partnership with Sany demonstrates our ambition to work only with the best.” n

Ryno Hire’s Kris Lenard who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and will feature in the So Brave calendar

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Contact: 1300 093 556 or visit: www.yelloequipment.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Red Alerts a powerful reminder of the need to be vigilant The HRIA has been offering the Red Alerts theft advisory scheme for members since 2002. Recently added as a benefit to both the EWPA and TSHA, this scheme alerts members to equipment stolen from sites, equipment not returned or paid for, and persons of interest.

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he national Red Alert scheme notifies members of equipment theft and persons of interest in their state, allowing members to keep an eye out for the stolen equipment in their area and be wary about who is hiring from them. This mutually beneficial program allows members to look out for each other and warn others about repeat offenders.

Former Vice President of the HRIA, Allen Besseling of Hire Express said the Red Alerts scheme is a powerful reminder of the need to

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

be vigilant and diligent when hire theft comes up. “The value of the red alert program is sharing the details of those people doing the (theft) rounds and not returning equipment so members are aware of when, where, how and who has not been returning equipment,” Allen said.

“Even if the person not returning equipment is not in my area, the Red Alert emails coming through are a reminder for me to be diligent around equipment theft.

“I would like to see more Red Alerts being

shared and more members participating in this program. It’s a great scheme which brings a wealth of information right to the hire counter and is always a crucial reminder to be on guard against theft during hire.”

To access the Red Alerts scheme and advise the HRIA & EWPA of equipment not returned, members can access and complete a form on the respective website in the member services section. n Visit: www.hireandrental.com.au and www.ewpa.com.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

TOP LEFT: HRIA photo of year winner Morooka Backfill in Dust Storm; TOP RIGHT: HRIA Photo of Year Winner mother and baby by Ashton Beavis-Massey from Beavis Party Hire; BELOW: EWPA Photo of Year winner Pop-up Theatre – Alex Griesdorf

HRIA Photo of the Year The HRIA Photo of the Year competition winner was …

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he HRIA was on a mission to capture how COVID-19 has affected us all this year and asked members to send in photos depicting just how different things have been during the pandemic, so we can all look back in years to come and have visual documentation.

The call for photos that reflected the hire and access industry in Australia during the

pandemic were suggested to be indicative of anything that might be different to usual; eg: a yard full of equipment because business has slowed; or new opportunities and purposes for hire equipment; or jobs in different locations; or maybe business as usual.

The photos were judged by the HRIA National Office with the winning shot receiving a $150 Visa Gift card. n

YPN Leadership Development Program so far

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he 2020 YPN Leadership Development Program will reach the halfway mark this month with the mid-program reviews taking place at the end of November.

To date mentees and mentors have participated in five development modules, including ‘Intrapreneurship’ presented by Matthew Webber.

During this two-part session Matthew provided mentees with a practical system to allow them to act like an entrepreneur within their organisation. Participants also explored the idea of finding their ‘Why’ during the Work Values and Purpose workshop and heard from key industry members in Part 2 of the Business Acumen session.

Mentoring is a large component of the program with mentees encouraged to virtually meet at least once a month with P10

their mentor.

“Being able to connect with current industry leaders and exchange valuable insights has helped me to identify my strengths and learn how to thrive in the industry,” mentee Kayla Shadbolt of Swan Hill Hire said.

Recognising the value mentoring could play in building the strength of the future of hire in Australia, Allen Besseling (Hire Express) was eager to enrol as a Mentor in the program. At the midway point of the program, Allen has been encouraged by “seeing the capability of the next generation who have chosen hire as their career and then to have the YPN Leadership Development Program assist their development.”

“The content and structure of the program is first class and a credit to the HRIA,” Allan said.

The formal part of the program for

2020 will finish at the end of November with participants looking forward to a virtual Christmas celebration taking place in December. After a 360 degree review, it is envisaged the program will resume in February 2021.

Recognising the importance of this initiative, the YPN Leadership and Development Program is being offered to HRIA and EWPA members as an included membership benefit.

Members who are interested in participating in this program are strongly encouraged to contact YPN Program Manager. n Contact: Katie Delaurier via email on katie@hireandrental.com.au or call 02 9998 2255 for more information.

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Newest Chadwick Forklifts branch at Sunshine West Chadwick Forklift’s newest branch at 90 Proximity Drive Sunshine West has now been operating for just over 12 months with same day service.

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hadwicks has over 30 years’ experience in rentals, scheduled maintenance and emergency breakdown servicing and specialises in both short and long-term hire.

The new site at Sunshine West also features a parts centre which holds most common parts for all makes and models of forklifts.

Chadwick Forklifts partners, Cliff and Melissa Chadwick recently appointed Stephen Wells as Sunshine West Branch Manager.

Managing Director Cliff said: “Stephen has local knowledge of the western suburbs and over 15 years’ experience in the materials handling equipment industry. He is a great addition to our team. Steve’s focus will be on building long

term relationships with customers.”

“I believe the customer is paramount in any business and we treat our customers with outstanding service complemented with resources from our head office in Braeside,” Steve said.

Chadwick Forklifts has a large range of equipment and can also provide bespoke products. The company also has its own dedicated in-house Transport Division, and covers all areas of Melbourne and regional Victoria with logistics support as well as service with local technicians who are OEM trained.

“We have stock in Sunshine West of electrics, LPG forklifts, buggies, telehandlers, reach trucks, manual pallet handlers, diesel

Chadwick Forklift’s latest branch has now been operating for 12 months at 90 Proximity Drive Sunshine West

forklifts and a full range of attachments and parts centre,” Rental Manager Melissa Chadwick said.

“Stock can also be returned to the Sunshine branch for convenience because the site is fully staffed and offers the same day service.

“With COVID-19 safe procedures in place and rigorous cleaning and sanitising of assets, Chadwick Forklifts is your ideal partner now and into the future,” Melissa said. n Contact: 03 9587 2777 or visit: www.chadwickforklifts.com.au

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HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

VALE Tony Donnelley The HRIA recently sadly advised members of the passing of a former President of the Hire Association of NSW, Norman Sherwood (Tony) Donnelley.

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ony was an innovator in our industry, commencing his hire company NS Donnelley in 1958. From humble beginnings with one air compressor and operating from the back yard of a family owned cake shop, Tony went on to build a diverse family business which operates under his founding family guidance to this day.

Acting on advice from his uncle, AW Donnelley, who ran a successful Sydney-based plumbing enterprise and who had diversified in to equipment hire, Tony purchased his first air compressor and started to rent it out to contracting businesses in the Illawarra. Tony soon became busy enough to warrant buying more equipment and, when the equipment was not out on hire, Tony and his team would undertake civil and demolition work themselves to ensure the business survived.

The business not only survived but it also grew rapidly and, in the 1960s split

into two distinct divisions, being Plant and Equipment Hire and Civil Contracting. Tony and his company continued to innovate in the Illawarra, in both aspects of the business. He undertook the installation of sewer mains and piping to suburbs that previously relied on septic systems, while also undertaking larger scale civil engineering projects within BHP Steel (now Bluescope Steel).

NS Donnelley, then known as Donnelley Hire was also the primary provider of hired equipment, both dry and operated, to all the local councils, the Water Board, the Department of Main Roads and the State Rail Authority within the Illawarra region.

Throughout the 1970s the business continued to grow, and more property was acquired alongside the existing facility in central Wollongong, to accommodate this growth. A new equipment storage area was built along with a new office block

and new workshop facilities. Already recognised as a quality provider of concrete cutting and drilling services, Tony also steered the enterprise to include concrete pumping, foundation pier drilling, U Cart concrete batching and Shot firing / Blasting services. Tony also found time for extensive community service through his membership of Apex.

Tony found another niche for innovation through the acquisition and development of property. In 1983 he developed and built the Illawarra’s first self-storage facility and his family continue to run that business today.

After divesting his general equipment rental interest, Tony focused on his civil engineering and contracting while also supporting his family as they further expanded their own horizons. He returned to the land, acquiring a property in Kangaloon and building a wonderful home that each of his now expanded family know as a haven.

The business is now known as Donnelley Civil and continues to innovate and expand its reach based upon the sound principles of its founder.

Tony was predeceased by the love of his life Robin some years ago and he leaves a son Stephen and two daughters Megan and Fiona, along with their children to carry on the legacy of a good, highly respected and well-loved man.

The HRIA extends its deepest sympathies to Tony’s family and friends. n

Bauma China 2020 to go ahead in November Bauma China will go ahead from 24-27 November, 2020 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) with more than 3,000 exhibitors and an exhibition space of 300,000m² expected by show organiser Messe München.

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Commerce and Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Industries Association will be strictly followed during the show.

Prevention and controlling security measures will include the insurance of venue sanitary and provision of on-site medical services, as well as the full online registration of all participants. n

ccording to data released by the guidelines of preventing and controlling the Shanghai Securities Co, it is epidemic on organising exhibitions published Visit: www.bauma-china.com/en/ estimated the growth rate of China’s by Shanghai Municipal Commission of construction machinery industry will reach 10% this year.

China’s economy is recovering apparently from the coronavirus shutdowns and China has unveiled a series of economic stimulus policies.

The investment in infrastructure is expected to increase by 10%, the Shanghai Securities Co said.

International exhibitor participation includes: Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Turkey, South Korea and a European Pavilion. Plus, companies like Bosch Rexroth, China Railway, Lingong Group, Sany, Volvo and ZF Friedrichshafen have also applied for bauma China 2020.

The health and safety of exhibitors, visitors and partners are top priority during the exhibition, Bauma China is set to proceed in November at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre organisers said. The notice and P12

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Member NSW to expand Webinar Series use of Digital

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he next sessions in the HRIA member webinar series is scheduled midNovember to help keep members up-to-date with the latest information across relevant industry related topics.

While meetings and other industry faceto-face engagements for members have been postponed while COVID-19 shut downs remain in place, the HRIA is continuing to ensure members receive optimum input and information from a wide range of sources.

Topics range from legal and accounting updates, sales tips, safety updates, tools to assist in leading and managing staff as well as growing your business.

The webinars are exclusive and free for all members. All webinars are recorded and available online.

Numbers for each online session are limited, so reserve your place today.

Program Wednesday, 18 November 2020 Cybersecurity for business managers / owners Presented by Jason LeGuier CEO of Hotline IT n To book, visit the member section of the HRIA website on: www.hireandrental.com.au

Driver Licence

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he NSW Government is planning to introduce legislation later this year to allow the Digital Driver Licence (DDL) to be accepted wherever a plastic driver licence can be used, according to SafeWork NSW. This will enable a broader range of industries under NSW legislation and in other jurisdictions to accept the DDL as evidence of permission to drive, proof of age and identity.

Since the Digital Driver Licence launched in October 2019, more than 1.5 million NSW drivers have accessed their DDL through the Service NSW app.

The Digital Driver Licence is already widely accepted by NSW Police and many other agencies. Building on the success of the Digital Driver Licence, an electronic version of the NSW Photo Card is expected to launch in late 2020.

Visit the Service NSW website for information about the NSW Digital Driver Licence and resources for licence checkers. n Visit: www.safework.nsw.gov.au or call 13 10 50

Updated Formwork Code of Practice now available

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afeWork NSW has launched an updated version of the Formwork Code of Practice which provides clear and practical safety advice to those working in the formwork industry.

Formwork, which includes the preparation of temporary or permanent moulds into which concrete is poured, can be a high-risk activity if suitable safety standards are not in place, SafeWork NSW said.

The code of practice was released for public comment in August 2019 and received 300 submissions from a range of groups in the industry.

SafeWork NSW considered a range of business views from a number of industries when updating the code to ensure businesses who adhere to the best safety practices are not disadvantaged. n Visit safework.nsw.gov.au or call 13 10 50.

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sales@makinex.com.au Makinex.com.au HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Survey reveals remote work security challenges A recent survey from cyber security and application delivery solution provider, Radware found 83% of C-level executives expect the changes they made in people, processes and applications as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic to become permanent.

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nd results indicated the massive shift to remote work is creating new security challenges.

The survey results showed a sudden and massive shift to remote work accelerated cloud migration, but the accelerated lift and shift along with heavy reliance on service providers for security leaves blind spots.

According to the report, C-Suite Perspectives: Accelerated Cloud Migration but Lagging Security, pandemic-driven changes affected various aspects of business, 44% of executives surveyed reported a negative impact on budgets, 43% reported a workforce reduction, while 37% reported reduced real estate footprints.

The pandemic accelerated the migration of business infrastructure and applications into the cloud. 76% of companies adopted cloud services faster than they had planned, while 56% of respondents said the contactless economy, e-commerce, on-demand content, video conferencing, etc had a positive impact on their business.

The quick migration helped to maintain business operations but potentially exacerbated cyber security gaps, due to an increased attack surface. 40% of survey respondents reported an increase in cyberattacks amid the pandemic. 32% said they relied on their cloud provider’s security services to provide security management for their public cloud assets.

“The transition to remote work and new online contactless business models is not temporary and is affecting the future strategy on how organisations invest in cyber security,” Anna Convery-Pelletier, Chief Marketing Officer at Radware said.

“Normally, businesses would make this shift over an extended period of time.

However, the pandemic forced a massive shift to remote work which is now creating new security challenges.”

“Before the pandemic, digital transformation was a long-term strategic goal for most businesses,” Michael O’Malley, Vice President of Market Strategy for Radware said.

“On-demand content consumption, contactless payments, curb side pickups P14

and remote work forces are now business imperatives. Executives must revisit what they’ve implemented to ensure a lack of cyber security planning does not undermine their goals,” Michael said.

Other key findings include: • Shift to remote operations: More than 80% of respondents said they believed more than 25% of their employees would work remotely in the future, a sharp contrast to pre-pandemic workfrom-home policies, when only 48% of companies enabled more than 25% of their employees do so, and 6% did not enable remote work at all; • Emergence of new revenue models to support contactless economy: Roughly two in five respondents from the retail sector said they made real estate changes – including store closures.

Many retailers faced pressure to adopt practices that ease the customer experience, such as kerbside pickup, e-commerce, and increased use of contactless payments. More than any other sector, retailers reported the need to adopt cloud or hybrid cloud environments to make their networks more resilient, 57% said they plan to host their assets in either a public or private cloud environment by 2022.

Each year, Radware publishes the findings and analysis of a survey of senior executives to better understand the perceptions of current cybersecurity challenges and opportunities for C-suite level executives.

This year Radware worked with Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. (EMA) to conduct the global, online survey of 260 executives in July 2020 with nearly equal distribution of the respondents from AMER, EMEA and APAC. The respondents represent a wide range of industries with a minimum revenue of $250 million and that have 1000–9,999 employees. n A full copy of the report, C-Suite Perspectives: Accelerated Cloud Migration but Lagging, is available at: www.radware. com/resources/c-suite-2020

Paul Gaze has been appointed CEO Designate of Hire Association Europe (HAE) and Event Hire Association (EHA)

New CEO for HAE EHA

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aul Gaze has been appointed CEO Designate of Hire Association Europe (HAE) and Event Hire Association (EHA), following Graham Arundell’s decision in January to step down as the Chief Executive Officer after 13 years at the helm.

Paul took over the hire industry role on 1 September, 2020, after joining HAE EHA as Commercial Manager in 2018 and helping to transform the training and skills development programs, setting up a career path for members, widened the training offer and introducing a vocational assessment centre.

With 30 years’ experience in the construction industry in a range of technical and managerial roles in both the public and private sectors, Paul spent more than a decade at the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) prior to joining HAE EHA, making Paul the ideal candidate for the position, Brian Sherlock, Chair HAE said.

“HAE EHA has experienced a very successful past decade under Graham Arundell’s steady hand and the post of CEO designate provides some big shoes to fill,” Brian said.

On his appointment, Paul said: “I’m thrilled to be named as the new CEO Designate and eager to continue the advancement of the business strategy and specific services within that. Such proactivity, especially in these unprecedented times for the Tool, Plant & Equipment Board, Event Equipment Board and the Supply Chain Industry Board, will be critical to the Associations’ support of their members.”

Paul holds a BSc (Hons) in Building Management from Northumbria University and an MBA from the University of Sunderland Business School. He is also a Chartered Builder and Chartered Building Engineer. n Visit: www.hae.org.uk

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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With a huge range of forklifts, elevated work platforms, scrubbers and sweepers, Taylor-Dunn electric vehicles, plus Huski skid steers, scissor lifts, and mini excavators available, chances are we’ve got the equipment that will suit you and your customers.

So, if you’re looking for hard working, fully backed equipment for your hire and rental business Toyota Material Handling has all you need to add value to your operation.

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Commercial Update – JobKeeper2.0, Insolvency Relief and Restructuring Process

By Todd Gammel, Partner Restructuring & Risk, HLB Mann Judd and Matt Hocking, Director, Restructuring & Risk, HLB Mann Judd

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here is lots of movement across the [unknown at the time of writing]; • Bank approach to lending and valuations; commercial landscape as the Federal and Government attempts to minimise • ATO approach on arrangements/extensions. the impact of the pandemic on the Ongoing Change – Commercial Update – JobKeeper2, Insolvency Relief and New JobKeeper 2 has provided some Australian economy. Some of the material Restructuring Process. certainty forJudd business severely impacted by changes are summarised below along with Authors Todd Gammel, Partner Restructuring & Risk, HLB Mann COVID-19; however, there remains inherent potential implications for businesses to consider.& Risk, Matt Hocking, Director, Restructuring HLB Mann Judd uncertainty on what position these businesses There is lots of movement across the commercial landscape the Federal Government 1. JobKeeper Changes Impacts willasfind themselves in at March 2021. All attempts minimise the impact of thecommenced pandemic on the businesses Australian economy. of the in dealings ThetoJobKeeper changes that need to Some be careful material changes are summarised below businesses late September2020 (JobKeeper 2)along resultwith in potential withimplications customersfor over the nexttofew months to consider. three categories of businesses moving forward ensure goods and services supplied/provided 1. JobKeeper Changes Impacts – summarised below. Businesses in the are paid for to avoid distressed businesses The JobKeeper changes that commenced late September2020 (JobKeeper 2) result in three Uncertain and Trouble categories are those impacting your own businesses. categories of businesses moving forward - summarised below. Businesses in the Uncertain where the trading relationship should be and Trouble categories are those where the trading relationship should be monitored and monitored and carefully attempt 2. Extension of Insolvent Trading Relief carefully managed to attemptmanaged to mitigatetoa loss. to mitigate a loss.

In early September 2020, the Federal Government extended the temporary insolvent trading, winding up and bankruptcy protections for a further three months to 31 December 2020. The full press release can be found on the Treasury website www. treasury.gov.au ‘Extension of temporary relief for financially distressed OtherOther factorsfactors to consider, aside from JobKeeper: to consider, aside from businesses’ •JobKeeper: What will happen to businesses still in JobKeeper when JobKeeper 2 ends indelays March the 2021potential This extension – will some businesses not be able to recover as expected?

• What will happen to businesses still in winding up of businesses by unpaid creditors • Building a plan for the rest of 2020 and try to plan for the start of 2021 to understand JobKeeper when 2 ends in andbethe failure of a number what the position mayJobKeeper look like and what decisions may needed/considered on of businesses March 2021 – will some businesses not probably until February/March 2021, as funding, costs and strategy; be ableCode to recover as expected? another is somewhat • Landlord of Conduct ended in October 2020 – will that beextension extended country wide inevitable.

• orBuilding planlike forVictoria the rest[unknown of 2020at the time of writing]; Personal Liability: as distressed businesses in certain aareas • Disclosure requirements onstart the impact of the to date to andoperate going forward fordebt may be and try to plan for the of 2021 to pandemic continue further the ASX, banks,what ATO, landlords etc; may look understand the position incurred that cannot be paid with the • COVID Loanwhat Repayments started 2020 - will be delayed if the liable for those like and decisions mayinbeOctober/November needed/ directors notthat being personally business can’t on afford repayment [unknown at the time of writing]; considered funding, costs and strategy; debts whether they have acted with the best • Bank approach to lending and valuations; and • Landlord Code of Conduct ended in or nefarious of intentions. Although there is • ATO approach on arrangements/extensions.

October 2020 – will that be extended relief for insolvent trading, personal liability, country wide or in certain areas like directors’ duties and obligations to act What does that mean?

Victoria [unknown at thecertainty time offor writing]; honestly, not mislead and in the best interests JobKeeper 2 has provided some business severely impacted

by COVID-19; • Disclosure requirements on the impact of position of thethese Company remain in force. however, there remains inherent uncertainty on what businesses will find themselves in at March businesses need to be careful in dealings with customers the pandemic to2021. date All and going forward Some experienced lawyers have indicated for the ASX, banks, ATO, landlords etc; from their review of the publications the relief • COVID Loan Repayments started in granted for insolvent trading only applies if October/November 2020 – will that be the company enters external administration delayed if the business can’t afford repayment prior to the lifting of the temporary measures P16

(currently 31 December 2020). So the relief may not apply if appointment is made after the relief period ends.

Trading Wise – Balance Protection and Profit: As outlined above careful management of business relationships is needed to attempt to avoid damage from distressed businesses using the goods or services supplied (but not paid for) to: • punt on a recovery that may not be possible; and/or • to generate and liberate cash for directors (or repay personally guaranteed/secured debts) before folding the business, leaving suppliers with the shortfall.

Business Confidence and Economic Growth – More Uncertainty before Confidence returns across the board: Until the unfortunate process of unviable, unsustainable businesses being sold/closed or another solution reached, real confidence and recovery of the economy is unlikely to occur with debts continuing to be incurred.

3. Insolvency Reforms for Small Business Aside from the above reforms and other legislative changes made to assist businesses post COVID-19, further draft (subject to further review and discussion before being implemented before 31 December 2020) reforms have been proposed for SMEs: • New Formal Debt Restructuring Process for SMEs with less than $1m in liabilities; and • New Simplified Liquidation Pathway to enable faster and lower cost Liquidation for SMEs. The above represents an attempt to streamline the current administration approach for small/micro businesses given the costs, red tape and reporting obligations of the current administration regime that can make the process uncommercial for directors and creditors as the costs erode any return.

Similar commercial arrangements for SME businesses have been implemented in other jurisdictions that enable directors to consider options available then put the preferred option to creditors.

There is also similarity with the Safe Harbour Corporate Plans where companies/ directors can assess the options and pursue an improved return for creditors compared to liquidation.

Effectively, directors with assistance of an independent, skilled and experienced restructuring professional (to be defined) are empowered to put a commercial compromise to creditors for consideration to enable the business to continue with the reduced costs of the process (compared to the Voluntary Administration process) enabling further funds to be available for creditors.

HLB Mann Judd will continue to update members as new information is released. n Contact: Kim Kelloway, Head of Clients and Markets at HLB Mann Judd on the exclusive HRIA hotline 02 9020 4211 or email kkelloway@hlbnsw.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Lessons from the 1990s: The recession we had to have

Kennards Hire grows to 27 branches in NZ

By Richard van der Merwe & David Hinchey, Fordham Business Advisors

With the opening of a purposebuilt branch in Dunedin in late August, in New Zealand’s south island, Kennards Hire has increased its branch network in New Zealand to 27.

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he 1990 recession is now a generation ago. COVID-19 is hopefully a once in a century event. For those of us that lived and worked through the last one, here are some of the important things we remember: 1. Value your banking relationship. Keep in touch. Money makes the world go around.

The banks have greased the wheels of industry and commerce for centuries so stay in touch with your banker. Good bankers will make the effort to understand your business.

The banks will not be able to support everyone when the crunch comes and will have to ration funding. To date they have not passed on pricing increases to cover their additional costs of operating and funding post the Hayne Royal Commission. Access to cash and capital will be critical. Make sure you are on their ‘to be supported’ credit list. You do not want to be a new to bank customer.

What happens when bank extensions cease and interest rates rise? Bankers don’t like surprises so tell them in advance and provide them with regular updates.

2. How is your cash flow? Watch it like a hawk.

How does your cash flow look when JobKeeper, landlord concessions and bank principal and interest extensions end, or when tax that was refunded needs to be paid?

Ensure you have a yearly three-way forecast, a rolling 12 week forecast, budget to actual reporting and a quick profit reporting mechanism. It is too late to do something about a problem when the first you become aware of it is after the accounts have been prepared. You need a real-time quick reporting measurement.

3. Ensure you have a robust business model – Act early – Confirm your strategy.

Review your business model. What needs changing for a COVID or post-COVID world? What is your strategy? Have you had it independently reviewed and really challenged? Don’t be afraid to make the necessary changes now and right size the business. Do you need all those premises in a post COVID world? Can you outsource some functions overseas or through third party logistics or support solutions so you can focus on core business? Consider your business inputs, pricing, supply chain HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

continuity and availability. What about the end stakeholders? Are you now in a multispeed economy in your business?

How do you take risk off the table in your business?

4. Work out what opportunities to take.

If an opportunity presents itself, for instance, to make an acquisition, how can you make sure it is the right opportunity?

There are always plenty of opportunities; the secret is working out which ones not to take.

In a rush for the exits by distressed sellers in tough times everything gets a little crowded and unnecessarily hurried. Take your time and be considered, deliberate and strategic in what you do.

5. Are your people engaged?

Good people are always difficult to find.

Once you have attracted the best people to your business ensure they are engaged, motivated, locked in and incentivised to excel. Get rid of the cynics. They always show their true colours in tough times.

6. Have an asset protection strategy Insist your active wealth (your business) is firewalled from your passive wealth (property, superannuation, toys, etc). If something goes wrong then you want your passive wealth to be safe and you do not want the external insolvency practitioner taking a line of least resistance through your passive portfolio which may have taken generations to establish and just one bad event to destroy.

7. Corporate Governance.

Establish an advisory board if you do not have one. If you are weak in a particular area, invite new talent with the experience and skills onto the board to address the gap. You do not lose any power as the owner by having an advisory board; you still call the shots.

This information is not intended to be a comprehensive statement of relevant practise or law that is often complex and can change. It is general information only and is not intended to provide you with advice or take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

You should consider, with a financial adviser, whether the information is suitable for your circumstances. n Contact Richard van der Merwe or David Hinchey of Fordham on 03 9611 6066 or visit fordhamgroup.com.au

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unedin is the second largest city in the South Island and its diverse economy is creating a domestic building boom, with local governments heavily investing in infrastructure to improve the coastal area and waterfront around the Dunedin and Otago/Southland region.

The new 3,000m2 Dunedin Branch extends an already established local network with the Kennards Hire Queenstown and Invercargill both operating successfully in the wider region for 18 months. The new branch is located at on 5 Midland Street, South Dunedin, just south of the CBD. New Zealand General Manager, Tom Kimber, said: “It’s exciting to open our newest branch in Dunedin. We see the city and surrounding Otago area as an extremely progressive part of New Zealand.

“This is our 27th branch and we’re grateful to our loyal customers, who are the reason we are able to continue to grow our network. We’re looking forward to becoming part of the community, supporting the local economy and its people.”

Todd Smith, Branch Manager, is leading the Dunedin Branch, returning to family in the city following a 10-year stint at Kennards Hire in Australia, bringing his family home with him. Todd’s eager to start building relationships with the community and will soon partner with a local school as part of the Kennards Hire KidsCan school buddy program, supporting low decile schools with equipment and volunteers. Todd is joined by experienced Service Person Drivers, Jeffrey Dela Pena and Billy Parker, and is actively recruiting for additional staff from the local area. n Visit: www.kennardshire.co.nz

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Master Hire turns 30 While celebrating a major milestone as Master Hire turned 30 this year meant the company had to limit its plans to internal celebrations due to COVID-19 restrictions, the family hire business still celebrated big. Built on family ideals of great customer service, the Master Hire ethos has proved successful and here Jeremy Shaw tells us how it all came to be.

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aster Hire is celebrating 30 years of business based on the original philosophy of owners Stuart and Peter Shaw: ‘Always give the customer a reason to choose us and then give them a reason to come back!’

Built on a desire to own his own hire company after traveling the country and visiting lots of hire yards, Stuart and Jenny Shaw opened the first Master Hire branch in Toowoomba, Queensland on 1 September 1990 with a focus on building and the DIY market. Stuart’s brother, Peter joined as an equal partner in the business some three years later and continued the growth of the business with the opening of Master Hire’s second branch in Dalby, Queensland.

The early years meant all hands on deck for the families with both brothers jointly managing operations and sales which included all aspects of customer service, answering phones, deliveries and the servicing of equipment. Stuart’s wife Jenny and Peter’s wife Helen both worked in accounts and did the end of month billing, payroll, filing, general bookkeeping and helped with answering phones.

“The original equipment line up in 1990 included all the usual small items needed by building contractors, tradies and home DIY customers. This included items such as trestles, planks, props, rotary hoes and other small gardening tools, brick saws, floor sanders, small generators, handheld power tools, dumpy levels and welders,” Jeremy said.

“The first larger piece of equipment purchased was a Jaden Mini Loader. As the customer demand grew, other larger items were bought such as tandem smooth drum rollers, diesel air compressors, pumps and more. The business focus in the early 1990s was the building and associated trades as well as the home DIY customers around the greater Toowoomba area.

“The range of equipment in the Master Hire fleet was often influenced by customer requests and new markets. If we did not have it in stock, quite often they (Stuart and Peter) would purchase it and deliver it to the customer that same day. This became part of the Master Hire DNA. “Their customers took them on a journey over the years. Master Hire also expanded into larger equipment such as large boom P18

lifts, padfoot rollers, water pumps and traffic management equipment.

“Opening new branches every few years also meant the need for larger quantities of equipment and depending on the area, different equipment to suit the local industries. Master Hire has also been proactive with new technologies and has purchased brand new and innovative equipment to introduce to customers.”

When Stuart’s older brother Peter and his wife Helen bought an equal share of the business in late 1993, the brothers were able to continue the growth of Master Hire with the opening of their second branch in Dalby, Queensland.

“Over the years and for the strategic growth of the business, Master Hire has been an agent for several different brands including Ramset and CIG gases and temporary fencing. Both Stuart and Peter had their heavy vehicle truck licenses and often did deliveries across southern and western Queensland and into Northern NSW. “Master Hire also had a successful concrete cutting and coring business based in Toowoomba called Master Cut. “To ensure the business was successful, Stuart and Peter made sure they led from the front. They employed all-rounded team members who were willing to do anything needed to help the customer and help build the Master Hire brand. Communication and information sharing were key to keeping the team informed and focused.

“Knowing and addressing their customers by their first name was a very important attribute for both Stuart and Peter. The key focus was ensuring every customer left the branch happy.

“Stuart’s son Rod and I (Peter’s son) were both involved in the business from a young age helping where we could and where was appropriate on weekends and holidays during high school and University.

“Rod and his wife opened a Master Hire branch in Morayfield, QLD in 2006 and another one in Cooroy a few years and later in Gladstone. Rod and his wife were part owners of these Master Hire branches until 2014.

“After I finished University in Toowoomba in 2004, I worked for several specialist hire companies around Brisbane until 2014 when I joined the Master Hire team as their Sales & Marketing Manager. Being a family

owned company, Master Hire has a company charter which outlines the requirements when employing family members.

Stand out moments across 30 years Master Hire has had several standout moments over the last 30 years. These include opening new stores throughout regional Queensland including Roma, Miles and Gladstone and then expanding into Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Master Hire opened its first interstate branch in 2015 in Macksville on the mid north coast of NSW to support a large road project, and later relocated to Coffs Harbour in 2019 to service its expanding market. In almost all locations, Master Hire has received awards or recognition and most notable is winning the Toowoomba Business of the Year Award in 2005 and again in 2013. In 2013, Master Hire rebranded with an updated logo and new tagline ‘Built on Service’.

In 2007, then General Manager, Scott Marchant bought an equal share of the business and became Managing Director, after originally joining the Master Hire team back in 1994 as a Customer Service Assistant.

Stuart and Jenny Shaw decided to retire from Master Hire and left the business in 2014.

Master Hire has also been the proud award winner of the 2019 HRIA Rental Company of the Year and has achieved ISO9001:2015 Quality Assurance accreditation. We have sent several team members overseas to attend equipment and hire conventions, to visit other hire companies and tour manufacturer’s assembly facilities.

In 2017, Jeremy was selected to represent Master Hire and the HRIA on the Global Exchange Program to the USA where he spent around three weeks working with Bunce Rentals in the Tacoma area and spent time in Washington DC to attend the American Rental Association’s Young Professionals conference.

COVID-tough times “2020 has been a challenging and different year for Master Hire. Although revenues have generally remained steady during this period, the customer demographic has shifted more towards the home DIY market. With the building and construction industry receiving government support to fast track projects, there is HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Left: Master Hire’s Stuart Shaw and customer – 1990; Centre: Master Hire Peter and Stuart Shaw – Toowoomba branch circa 2003; Right: Master Hire Inside Toowoomba branch – 2020 with Jeremy Shaw

optimism the remainder of the calendar year is strong heading into 2021,” Jeremy said.

“To remain successful, Master Hire has implemented several measures to cope with COVID-19 including enhanced hygiene and cleaning practices for both team members and customers including social distancing, reinforced safety measures and additional cleaning on equipment. We have also introduced more flexible working arrangements for team members enabling many to work remotely where possible.

It’s all about the people “Master Hire has been a HRIA member for more than 15 years and has had many MCS HRIA Ad 130x185 HOR UK v1.pdf team members play an active role in the

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association in Queensland. Our team regularly attends meetings and conventions where we learn about new equipment and technologies, gain industry insights and enjoy networking with the association team, our equipment suppliers and other hire company members.”

Jeremy has been an active member of the Queensland committee for more than 10 years and held the role of Queensland President for five years until 2014.

“What I enjoy most about being a HRIA member is the networking with other likeminded people in the industry and I have formed several lifelong friendships along the way.

26/05/2020 14:50 “Master Hire is proud to have many long

serving team members who have been with the company for 10, 15 and over 20 years.

These years of service are proudly displayed on a Roll of Honour board in the showroom in each branch. The combined years of service at Master Hire across the team is more than 500.

“The most significant reason for our success over the past 30 years has been our incredible team who work tirelessly each day to support our customer’s ever-changing needs and to ensure our branches run smoothly and safely. We look forward to the next milestone and are proud to be part of the hire and rental industry.”

Congratulations on an amazing milestone Master Hire. n

#JoinTheRentalRevolution

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WORKING BETTER TOGETHER MCS RENTAL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

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HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Excluded assets under the Instant Asset Write off rules

This exclusion specifically impacts those businesses that have separated their assets into a separate entity to their business, possibly for asset protection purposes.

For example, below we have two entities, entity A owns the business assets and entity B operates the business and these entities are not grouped for tax purposes. The assets are purchased by Entity A and are leased out to Entity B who then leases these out to customers in their ordinary course of business.

Andrew Ash, Manager – Accounting & Tax – HLB Mann Judd

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he Government’s instant asset write off has been well publicised over recent months as it has expanded in value and scope to include more businesses and increase the number of eligible asset purchases that can be deducted in full.

In short, the instant asset write off now allows eligible business with aggregated turnover of less than $500 million (up from $50 million) to write off the cost of the assets they purchase and that are ready for use from 12 March 2020 until 31 December 2020 which cost up to $150,000 (up from $30,000) each.

While this is a good incentive for businesses, there are a few excluded assets that do not qualify, and which have caught some businesses by surprise.

So, what’s excluded?

• Assets that are leased out, or expected to be leased out, for more than 50% of the time on a depreciating asset lease.

• Assets you allocated to a low-value asset (pool) before using the simplified depreciation rules.

• Horticultural plants including grapevines.

• Software allocated to a software development pool (but not other software).

• Capital works deduction.

The one that catches most businesses by surprise, and the one we have seen impact HRIA members, are those assets which are excluded due to them being ‘leased out, or expected to be leased out, for more than 50% of the time on a depreciating asset lease.’

As the assets are leased from Entity A to Entity B for the year, they may be classified as an excluded asset under the instant asset write rules, and therefore the business may not be able to write off those assets in full.

So, if you think this applies to you then talk to your advisor and see what other options are available to maximise your deductions. n Contact Kim Kelloway, Head of Clients & Markets on the HRIA hotline 02 9020 4211 or kkelloway@hlbnsw.com.au

Importance of online certifications

By Mark Simonsen – Business Development Director, Baseplan

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mployee health and safety is paramount in the workplace. To support this, effective training is key as is effective record keeping. Record keeping should include the type and level of certification an individual acquires as well as the expiry date.

Having up to date certifications for equipment operators and technicians is extremely important so we can be sure the correct person is able to operate a particular piece of equipment. It is also important to know the mechanic who has been assigned to fix a piece of equipment has the matching capabilities.

Many industries have a requirement where employees who are operating certain types of machinery require an operator’s licence, for example operating an EWP (Elevating Work Platform) or a forklift.

Training can apply to all types of equipment. Below are some examples common in various training programs: • Hazard identification; • Reporting procedures; • Pre-operation check of machine; • Safe operation of machine; • Managing an emergency; P20

• Post operation check; • Shutdown of machine; • Safe parking of machine.

The EPWA has a Yellow Card program that provides training effective for up to five years (for EWPs only).

Having this data stored in your Rental Management System or ERP is critical because this will allow you to assign the correct operator or mechanic.

Baseplan Enterprise has the ability to setup ‘Skilled Persons’ and assign them skills which also records the start and expiry dates. Full reporting capabilities are available indicating who is or who isn’t certified to operate An example of certification available online from Baseplan certain type of machinery.

Often customer job sites will also require then assign to the work order based on the correct certification. site inductions and Baseplan allows you to Importantly, the on-going monitoring record the induction against a skilled person. of certifications is key. This allows you Not only can you record skills against an to be proactive in managing training and operator, you can also record the required certifications and ensuring your staff are skills for a machine / model combination. always compliant. n This allows you to then choose which mechanic you want to allocate based upon Contact: 1300 837 142 or visit: their specific skill set. Assigning the correct www.baseplan.com person in Baseplan is easy because you can filter by skill set to see who is available and HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Highest rated anchored steel safety barrier now in Australia Traffic management equipment hire specialist, RPM Hire has become the first team in the world to install the brand-new MASH TL-3 and MASH TL4 compliant steel HighwayGuard safety barrier.

H

ighwayGuard is an anchored steel safety barrier that can be used in temporary and permanent applications and is made

by Highway Care in the UK and now available in Australia through RPM Hire.

The HighwayGuard barrier is Mash TL-4 tested and approved, meaning it has the highest safety rating available for temporary barriers, RPM Hire Director, Ashley Woodcock said.

“It’s been tested to withstand the impact of a 10 ton truck and provide the necessary protection behind the barrier (to the workers) but also, perform in such a way the occupants of the vehicle are also protected,” Ashley said.

“Another great benefit of the HighwayGuard is the ease of installation.

Effective installation is achieved with the unique two part barrier system, consisting of a universal T-connector that joins each 6m barrier section.

“The unique T-Connector provides quicker installation, removal and separation of barrier sections. It also offers the ability to remove sections within a run to create access gaps, replace damaged sections or alter barrier runs.

“Barrier installation can be conducted in multiple directions, challenging road conditions and in angled directions (with

accessories). The compact barrier design allows for more barrier sections to fit on a truck to keep logistic costs down,” Ashley said.

“The HighwayGuard can be used for a variety of applications, providing protection for both workers, working behind the barriers, but also providing protection for road occupants.

“The HighwayGuard can be impacted from either side of the barrier with no difference in performance. Therefore, the barrier can be used in both roadside and median/bi-directional traffic applications.”

According to Ashley, the Mash TL-4 test involves crash testing the barrier with the following specifications: • 1,100kg vehicle travelling at 100km/hr; • 2,270kg vehicle travelling at 100km/hr; • 10,000kg vehicle travelling at 90km/hr.

“To pass the strict test level requirements, the barriers have to prove structural adequacy for the tested impacts, and should contain and redirect the vehicle in a controlled manner. The vehicle should not penetrate, override or underride the barrier; hence providing protection to people and other hazards that may be behind the barrier.

“The barrier also needs to protect the occupants of the vehicle, and this is tested by: • The vehicle must remain upright during and after the collision with the barrier and not tip over; • The barrier must not have debris or fragments detach and penetrate or show potential for penetrating the vehicle,

Staying connected with staff and customers during COVID-19 RPM Hire Director, Ashley Woodcock offers a brief insight into how the pandemic has affected the business and gives us a few tips employed by the company during the pandemic to stay connected to staff and customers and remain operational.

Q: How was RPM Hire affected by the COVID-19 shutdown?

A: When COVID originally hit back in March, we lost a large project that was due to start at the end of March. The project was a road widening at the airport and as air travel dropped off a cliff the project was pulled. Fortunately however, business picked up again, and thanks to securing a couple of large projects and securing work to assist with COVID-19 messaging, business has picked up. We feel very fortunate we can still operate in an economy where so many other businesses have suffered.

Q: Did you need to lay off staff or change the way the business operated?

A: We were really fortunate we didn’t have to lay off staff. We had a lot of contingencies in place such as allowing staff to use up annual leave/ go into negative annual leave, work reduced hours, and use sick leave if anyone needed to be tested, and keep paying our casual employees if they had P22

to be tested or self-isolate.

Looking back, we’ve managed to keep all of our staff in full employment.

All office staff worked from home where they could and we facilitated this by supplying extra computer equipment.

Q: What measures did RPM hire take to address pressing concerns/issues for the business?

A: We recognised early on the importance of keeping our team connected and informed as much as possible and a few of the things we did to make sure our team did not feel alone were: • start a team What’s App group; • team drinks on a Friday afternoon on Zoom; • daily Zoom check-ins with the management team – this includes a daily conversation starter, designed to get people talking and out of their comfort zone; • ISOlation hampers made up and sent to all staff;

• Encouraging everyone to reach out to one another on a regular basis.

Q: What were the measures RPM implemented and how effective were they?

A: The measures we put in place have worked really well, so much so, staff engagement is at an all-time high; we all feel a lot more connected as a team, and on an individual level we feel supported by one another.

We’re strong believers of the real human element of business, and our staff are our most important assets.

Empathy and kindness have always been a part of our culture, and the need for this has become even greater given the tough climate COVID has brought.

Through kindness we’ve managed to strengthen relationships with our customers also by making regular contact, and checking in on a personal level.

We also contacted some of our clients that were hardest hit by the restrictions, and for example when the gyms re-opened we offered our services and signs free of charge for a week, to help promote their business and bring their customers back through the doors. n Contact: 1300 479 570 or visit: www.rpmhire.com.au HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

RPM Hire has become the first team in the world to install the HighwayGuard safety barrier. The HighwayGuard barrier is Mash TL-4 tested and approved – the highest safety rating available for temporary barriers

or present a hazard to other traffic, pedestrians or personnel in a work zone,” Ashley said.

Other HighwayGuard barrier features include: • Transport up to 250m on one truck; • Smart Anti-Gawk screen design; • Low deflection; • Angled pieces to create low tadius of just 3.6m; • Optional wheel sets to allow movement of barrier without expensive lifting equipment.

The HighwayGuard is compatible with a range of accessories that enhance installation

efficiency and road safety, Ashley said. This includes: • Angled barrier and T-connectors – The HighwayGuard has a range of different angled barrier and T-connector options, allowing for barriers to be installed on intersections, lane narrowing and roundabouts.

• Wheelsets – The HighwayGuard has exclusive wheelsets that provide multiple access points, that can be opened and closed by hand in minutes. This allows for flexible access for site crews and road workers into worksites and access to roadway, rather than having to

Making it easy on The Block Kennards has set up again this year for the seventh consecutive year as the official hire company supplier of Channel Nine’s reality TV series, The Block.

L

ance Hawes, General Manager of Kennards Hire in Victoria, said the partnership with The Block has become a great way to show case the equipment product range Kennards Hire offers and the expert service the team provides and their eagerness to go the extra mile for renovators and tradies, whether

expert or beginner.

“It’s also especially pertinent this year as Australians spend more time at home and renovation and DIY becomes even more increasingly popular”, Lance said.

New Kennards Hire man-on-theground, Ben McTaggart, affectionately known as ‘Benny from The Block’ was onhand six days a week for all the contestants and tradies during the show.

“I had such a great experience working on the Block. Despite being a competition there was a really friendly atmosphere on the jobsite and among the contestants,” Benny said.

“As the show progressed and the ante was upped, the contestants needed more specialist equipment and it was a pleasure to be on hand to answer their equipment questions. It’s great to be part of something that is ultimately going to give one couple a life-changing win.” n

Kennards Hire man-on-the-ground, Ben McTaggart was on-hand six days a week on The Block

Visit. www.kennards.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

manoeuvre around or remove barriers entirely.

• BG800 Transition – The HighwayGuard BG800 transition piece connects the HighwayGuard to existing MASH complaint BG800 barriers. A combination of both barriers can be used on the same project, depending on availability and project needs.

“At RPM Hire we continue to invest in research and development to bring new technology to our customers. The HighwayGuard is no exception; we’ve been working in the background on developing the barrier side of our business over the past two years,” Ashley said.

“We first became aware of the HighwayGuard around 12 months ago, when it was in the prototype and testing stage.

“The HighwayGuard gives our customers more options when it comes to protecting their workers. If the HighwayGuard can save just one life, then we have the obligation to lift the awareness of the availability of this barrier, and ensure major projects, contractors and road authorities are providing sufficient and practical protection to their workers,” Ashley said.

About RPM Hire RPM Hire, servicing Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart, was founded in 2011 by Ashley Woodcock and expanded from a handful of customers and three VMS boards to now operating in Victoria, Tasmania and NSW. RPM Hire’s equipment range includes arrow boards, traffic lights, speed limit signs, portaboom gates, CCTV cameras, water filled barriers, steel and concrete barriers, road safety crash cushions, klemmfix and portable lighting to safely manage traffic for both minor and major projects.

RPM Hire’s head office is located in Keilor Park, Victoria, with facilities in Wetherill Park, NSW and Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania. RPM Hire was nominated for the HRIA’s Hire Company of the Year in 2020. n Contact: 1300 479 570 or visit: www.rpmhire.com.au

P23

BUSINESS PROFILE

Greener, cleaner, tech and business savvy – the Clennett Hire business model With two branches in Hobart and Launceston and negotiations underway to open a third in Devonport, Tasmanian hire company, Clennett Hire is building up to be a tier one hire company able to participate on large infrastructure projects.

T

he relatively new hire company is owned and operated by business partners, Will Clennett and Saar Alfasi, formerly from the Alfasi Group.

With a growing equipment range and expanding in size, Managing Director at Clennett Hire, Saar Alfasi is focusing on making Clennett Hire a dominant state wide hire industry player in Tasmania with intention to expand to other states into the future.

With 26 years’ experience in his family’s business, Alfasi Group and Alfasi Hire, which Saar helped “build from the ground up”, and partner Will’s background in construction materials supply through his family‘s business, Clennett’s Mitre10, the duo are building a new hire model.

Saar tells us how Clennett Hire began, where he sees the business moving and his aims for the future for the company and the future of the hire industry.

Q: Tell me about Clennett Hire. How did it begin and why?

A: Business partner Will Clennett and I have been friends for over 10 years. We were on holiday together one summer in Portsea when I was between businesses and after a few beers Will suggested we should start a hire business in Tasmania. At that time, I had no intention of going back to the hire business but Will made a pretty compelling case with his planned infrastructure spend as well as his role as GM of Clennett’s Mitre10 in Tasmania.

After a few visits to Hobart for due diligence, I realised Clennett’s Mitre10 was not a chain of only hardware stores but a major supplier of building materials and products to the commercial building industry. The deal was set with Will and myself as the two shareholders and directors.

We set about securing the finance and

The Clennett Hire range includes: EWPs, telehandlers, forklifts, excavators, skid steers, compaction, light towers, generators, power tools, portable toilets and site amenities, site offices and road barriers

P24

Saar Alfasi from Clennett Hire which is building to be a teir one hire company

over the next year secured more than $10m with assistance from OEMs, Moody Kiddle.

We based the first Clennett’s Hire at Will’s family yard in Kingston which is 15m from the Hobart CBD. We have continued to refurbish over time.

Currently we have about 80 EWPs and well over 150 machines plus numerous other items such as portable toilets and barriers.

We have also opened up in Launceston in a temporary facility while a permanent purpose-built facility is being built in Kings Meadow, a suburb of Launceston. This will be ready first quarter of next year.

We are also negotiating on a site in Devonport to service the north-west.

Our range includes: EWPs, telehandlers, forklifts, excavators, skid steers, compaction, light towers, generators, power tools, portable toilets and site amenities, site offices and road barriers.

In September we received our first full colour high resolution VMS Boards which are new to Australia and we will follow up with portable remote controlled traffic lights to build our traffic offering.

We still have a significant capex budget for this financial year.

Our focus is on everything but events.

Construction and civil are really our focus and being able to provide our customers with complete solutions they would normally have to get from larger companies (such as Coates Hire) but with newer and better equipment and more personalised service.

Q: What makes Clennett Hire different?

A: We have made a big point of making Clennett Hire better and different in many aspects. This is across several areas of business including: 1. Our branding and image. We have evolved the all white / mine spec scheme I used at Alfasi Hire into an updated colour branding version for Clennett Hire. We have been very strict and HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

BUSINESS PROFILE

painted every single machine and use blue and white reflective tape. This has really made us stand out; 2. We embrace the latest technology – all our equipment is fitted with OEM telematics and where this is not available we fit Fleet Office. All OEMs have really only this year made this available properly and we intend to have our fleet 100% active on telematics in the next few months. This has great benefits for servicing our customers, trouble shooting issues. Having a new fleet and insisting on having this fitted allows us to fit-out all our equipment right from the start; 3. Likewise so many brands of equipment have only this year released their next gen equipment – CAT, Hyundai, Ammann, JLG, Genie, Milwaukee have all launched next gen models with leaps in technology, emissions or rolled out their telematics systems; 4. We have partnered with Mitre10 starting with Clennett’s Mitre10 with Will’s assistance. Since this has proved successful, the Becks Mitre10 chain in the north are now also on board and have requested this set-up to be rolled out with them. We responded, set up an arrangement with Mitre10 and opened a branch in Launceston. This is proving successful in the North and North West regions with clients. We hope in the future to be able to continue to evolve and improve how we work together but also hope to bring this model to Melbourne and Sydney in the next few years.

Q: Tell us about the Mitre 10 link – what’s involved?

A: Will’s family has been in business in Tasmania for five generations initially starting out in wood chipping and eventually moving into hardware and timber. They JV’d with Metcash years ago and Will took over as GM once his father, John Clennett retired. John is still a director of the business.

When proposing the business model to me, Will’s idea was we could market equipment hire to the varied and large client base of Clennett’s Mitre10. The family Mitre10 business has 30,000 active trading accounts. This idea evolved into a seamless but robust mechanism for Clennett Mitre10 clients to use their CM10 account to hire from Clennett Hire.

Clennett Hire also works with Clennett’s Mitre10’s large sales team and participates in various marketing initiatives such as a recent client event on the Mona Ferry for 100 commercial clients.

This model has proved very successful for Clennett’s Hire and Clennett’s Mitre10 and now we have expanded this model to the North of Tasmania with the Becks Mitre10 chain. Our agreement with Mitre10 allows us to expand this offering to other states however it is still early days and we need to spend more time improving this offering.

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

Q: What are your aims for Clennett Hire?

A: We are building Clennett Hire to be a tier one hire company with all the systems and records to be able to participate on large infrastructure projects.

This gives customers choice, with us as a new entrant in this space with newer equipment with all of the flow-on benefits.

For example; we are one of two hire companies registered on CPB’s Damstra system for Taswater infrastructure projects in Tasmania. This provides these customers the benefits of our equipment and our range and provides them with a new equipment supply choice.

Q: What do you see for the hire industry into the future?

A: I see opportunities for the hire industry for a new generation of hire companies to evolve and surpass existing older businesses. Technology is the biggest game changer for hire, like in all industries. This covers technology in equipment but I also believe this will also eventually be pertinent in how customers interface with hire companies – and this needs to evolve.

We need to catch up to all the other businesses that have taken their Clennett Hire is building up to be a tier one hire company able to businesses on line. That is the future. participate on large infrastructure projects The companies that will be standing believe the future is very bright in all states in 10 years’ time will have ‘uber-like’ because each state government and the customer interface, telematics, next gen equipment only and more efficient emissions federal government will be pushing stimulus projects as quickly as possible. I think 2021 equipment. and 2022 will be very busy in all markets.

Technology will dramatically alter all these things; productivity, customer Q: What’s in store for the future? experience in ordering and managing hires Personally and business wise? both on an individual and project basis, A: My focus is: operator experience, safety and emissions. a) To make Clennett Hire a dominant state The hire industry is now full of 15, 20, wide player in all parts of Tasmania; 30 year old companies that have old legacy b) To finesse our service offering to Mitre10 equipment; owners who may not have the customers; energy to evolve their businesses and very c) To expand to other states from 2022 few exit options available. I have seen and onwards; heard numerous owners wanting to sell but d) Personally I will need to follow the focus there’s no one to buy their ageing fleets and of the business. I am fortunate to only they have no real points of difference to have my faithful French bulldog which market their business effectively. This is what makes me very mobile. drives us to make Clennett Hire different.

All our machines feature the latest safety features such as secondary crush protection Q: Why become an HRIA member? for EWPs, telematics and diagnostics as well A: I have been an HRIA and EWPA as myriad of safety features custom built member with since starting Alfasi Hire and for Clennett Hire by our manufacturers. this is why I immediately signed up Clennett Furthermore we have invested in hybrid Hire as a member. The benefits are effective models, low maintenance batteries, electric and very helpful. machines and where we use diesel these are I would like to see the EWPA in particular nearly all Tier 4 engines to minimise emissions. take a stronger interest in the Tasmanian As a result, Clennett Hire can provide better market and provide more emphasis on training productivity, safety and an environmentally and safety. We need to improve the attitudes sound footprint with all our equipment. towards equipment safety and training and that is something I would like to be part of.

Q: How has the COVID lockdown This is also a service Clennett Hire provides journey been for the business? in-house and on-site. n A: We are grateful to have continued to Contact: 1300 218 473 or visit: increase our revenue month on month even www.clennetthire.com.au during this pandemic. I think the pandemic has caused a few things to slow down but I P25

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

The enemy within – Can your Brady Bunch successfully claim against your estate?

By Bartier Perry: Chris Tsovolos, Partner and Stephanie Flegg, Senior Associate

L

onger life-spans, increasing divorce rates and multiple relationships, both matrimonial and de facto, have made family dynamics and estate planning increasingly complex and conflict-ridden.

In blended family situations, the deceased’s children, step-children and their partner may have expectations (whether genuine or not makes no difference) as to how much they should benefit from the deceased’s estate. Claims against deceased estates, known as ‘family provision claims’, can arise in circumstances where the deceased has left their estate to the current partner, while leaving their natural children from their prior relationship with no provision from their estate. Conversely, the deceased’s partner may also make a family provision claim in circumstances where the deceased determined to leave a proportion of their estate to their natural children, to the exclusion of their most recent partner.

Blended families, with one or more stepchildren, are becoming increasingly P26

common and have resulted in an increase in the number of stepchildren contesting deceased estates. Problems can also arise where a step child of the deceased person feels they should have been included in the deceased’s Will or received a greater share of the deceased’s estate.

But can’t you make any Will you want?

Everyone has a right, called ‘testamentary freedom’, to leave their assets to whom they want to under their Will. However, this testamentary freedom is subject to a recognition in the law that certain persons have a right to challenge a Will on the basis the Will did not make adequate provision for their proper maintenance, education and advancement in life. These claims are referred to as ‘family provision claims.

Who can challenge your estate?

In New South Wales, certain persons known as ‘eligible persons’ have the legal right to challenge a deceased estate. A spouse

(including de facto partners) and children of the deceased are automatically ‘eligible persons’ for this purpose.

Being a step child does not of itself make that person eligible to contest a deceased estate. However, stepchildren may be eligible to make a claim in certain circumstances, for example, if they are members of the deceased person’s household at any point in time and can establish they were dependent on the deceased person at any point in time. Whether a step-child can challenge a deceased estate will depend on whether they can establish themselves as an ‘eligible person’.

How much can these challenges ask for?

There are a number of factors which the Supreme Court is required to consider under a family provision application and the Succession Act 2006 (NSW) provides the Supreme Court with a wide discretion as to matters it can take into account in determining whether a claimant should be entitled to a greater proportion of the deceased estate or not.

The Supreme Court will determine whether ‘adequate provision’ for the claimant’s proper maintenance, education or advancement in life has not been made by the Will of the deceased. In doing so the Supreme Court will consider the claimant’s financial position, the size and nature of the deceased’s estate, the relationship between them and the deceased, any competing claim of the beneficiaries, and the circumstances and needs of both the claimant and each of the other beneficiaries.

So what assets can be claimed?

Should an eligible person successfully challenge a deceased’s Will, then the Supreme Court can make a family provision order not only in respect of assets that form part of the deceased’s estate (that is assets that were held in the deceased’s name at the date of your death) but also in respect of certain assets that do not form part of the deceased’s estate but are treated as ‘notional estate’. The types of assets which can be designated ‘notional estate’ include assets that were gifted during certain time periods prior to the deceased’s death, jointly held assets, superannuation benefits or assets held under trust structures which the deceased or their estate could have benefited from if the deceased chose to provide that benefit.

So what does this mean for you?

Estate planning for blended families will involve careful consideration of how assets are held, each family member’s expectations and needs, and how to meet those expectations and needs or protect your assets against claimants. A carefully considered estate plan will often provide you with the best insurance policy against successful family provision claims. n Contact: 02 8281 7940 or visit: www.bartier.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

NOV 2020

VOL22 NO.2 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ELEVATING WORK PLATFORM ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC www.ewpa.com.au

EWPA Photo of the Year winner Alex Griesdorf – United Forklift and Access Solutions

Safety first on site – Safety Spotter Check List – p34 IN THIS ISSUE

Keith Clarke celebrates 10 years – p28

Nifty helps rescue koalas in need – p36

Safer, smarter non-powered ladder replacement – p30

Truck and trailer mounted EWPs vs standard EWPs – p40

New Almac Pacific premises in New retractable crane loading deck Melbourne marks growth strategy – p34 hitting the heights – p40

ACCESS IN ACTION

ELEVATING WORK PLATFORM ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC ABN 32 545 830 419 EWPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Doug Rawlings Tel: 08 9350 5700 Vice President: Tim Nuttall Tel: 03 9547 7700 Past President: Rick Mustillo Tel: 02 9817 7610 Chief Executive Officer: James Oxenham Tel: 02 9998 2222 Operations Director: Nicolas Chiew Tel: 02 9998 2222 Director of Resources: Andrew Delahunt Tel: 02 9998 2222 NSW President: John Glover Tel: 0419 663 863 VIC President: Keith Clarke Tel: 0400 369 900 QLD President: Richard Gannon Tel: 0437 477 279 SA President: Jason Gaskin Tel: 08 8449 0500 WA President: Will Reilly Tel: 0408 474 261

Contents Hot topics 36with donated EWP

Nifty to the rescue

30

President Message – Advice updates, webinars and the AGM

32

Almac Pacific – new self-levelling boom launched and new premises for the newest manufacturer in the Australian market

Alex Griesdorf – United Forklift and Access Solutions

Star6 Crawler part of Haulotte’s vertical mast expansion

IN THIS ISSUE

Keith Clarke celebrates 10 years – p28

Nifty helps rescue koalas in need – p36

Safety first on site – Safety Spotter Check List – p34

Safer, smarter non-powered ladder replacement – p30

Truck and trailer mounted EWPs vs standard EWPs – p40

New Almac Pacific premises in New retractable crane loading deck Melbourne marks growth strategy – p34 hitting the heights – p40

HRI021 November 2020 Issue.indd 27

14/10/20 11:01 am

On the cover EWPA Photo of the Year award winner

COMMITTEE Dean Halliwell, Tel: 0408 403 783 James Nightingale, Tel: 1800 457 145

38

FEATURE: Truck & Trailer Mounts

TELESCOPIC HANDLER ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (TSHA)

Opinions published in Hire & Rental Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the association or the Editor. The HRIA accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any information contained in this magazine and readers should rely upon their own enquiries in making decisions related to their own interest. All rights reserved. ISSN 1838-1197

www.ewpa.com.au

EWPA Photo of the Year winner

36

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR – ENGINEERING Peter Wenn, Tel: 03 9568 7211

EWPA & TSHA PO Box 1304, Mona Vale NSW 1660 Tel: 02 9998 2222 Email: info@ewpa.com.au Web: www.ewpa.com.au

2020

VOL22 NO.2 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ELEVATING WORK PLATFORM ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC

for Port Stephens Koala Rescue

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR – OPERATIONS Peter Davis, Tel: 02 8796 50551

PRESIDENT: Stuart Walker Tel: 0418 849 107

NOV

34

Safety spotter checklist for site hazards – beware the dangers overhead

34

Ahern’s Bluelift spider is lightweight and versatile

38

Versatile truck and trailer mounted EWPs from Monitor Lifts

40

Uphire explains the benefits of truck and trailer mounted EWPs vs standard EWPs

The winner of the EWPA Photo of the Year competition is Alex Griesdorf from United Forklift and Access Solutions with his photo “Pop Up Theatre”.

The competition was set up by the EWPA to capture how different work has been this year so we can look back to in years to come and have a visual documentation of our industry during the pandemic.

Congratulation to our winner and thanks to all our entrants.

Email: agreisdorf@ unitedequipment.com.au

Double 10 year celebrations at Haulotte Australia

H

aulotte Australia’s Keith Clarke celebrated his 10 year anniversary as General Manager with the MEWP manufacturer in September, with a very small, socially distanced morning tea due to COVID restrictions in Melbourne.

Keith has been with the company since his appointment in 2010 and has helped steer the company from $14m to more than $60m in revenue during that period, with Haulotte Australia now delivering four times as many machines as it was when he took on the role.

During the celebration the Haulotte team spoke about Keith’s drive and passion for Haulotte; his ongoing dedication and leadership across the business as a whole, and his support on a daily basis. Keith said he is looking forward to celebrating with the entire team once restrictions permit and to getting

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

back out to see customers face-to-face.

In a second major milestone for the organisation, Haulotte Australia’s Financial Officer, Anon Ngamphattharaworakul also celebrated 10 years with the company this year. Together Keith and Anon have seen the Haulotte team size nearly triple in 10 years, and shift from offering standard equipment to now offering the latest technology innovations and ever-growing service facilities.

Both said their proudest moments included seeing Haulotte Australia grow each year in both machine sales and market share and winning 2019 Supplier of the Year – Access at the Hire Industry Excellence Awards.

Congratulations Keith and Anon. n Visit: www.haulotte.com.au

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+

+

3 X WORKING ENVELOPES, 3 X PERSON PLATFORM, 1 X HIGH CAPACITY

BOOM LIFT.

+

= 340 kg*

= 300 kg*

Introducing the new 460SJ HC3 High Capacity Telescopic Boom lift by JLG. Featuring a platform working height of 16.05m, horizontal outreach of 12.23m and 360Ëšof continuous reach, the 460SJ HC3 provides versatile, efficient and safe access for a range of applications. With its generous 300kg unrestricted capacity zone (plus 340kg and 450kg restricted zones), operators can now enjoy more scope to have extra tools and equipment on hand with them in the basket as well as additional crew if required. And with its advanced Load Sensing System (LSS) that automatically calculates the load in the platform, this machine will always operate within a safe working envelope. *300kg max unrestricted capacity; 350kg and 450kg max restricted capacity.

Australia 131 JLG www.jlg.com.au

= 450 kg*

ACCESS IN ACTION

President’s message

Advice, updates, webinars and the AGM – all online

T

he access industry, with its strong links to construction, has been able to operate over the past few months which is good news for rental companies and their customers who rely on them for their access equipment needs.

Although the situation in Victoria saw restrictions affect construction, the ability to keep sites open was maintained, albeit at a limited capacity.

Navigating the state and territory advice has been challenging but it is good to see hire and rental operations are recognised by the various levels of government and our relationship with those providing essential services permits business to continue in our sector.

While hire and rental operations have continued there have been barriers that continue to affect the ability to travel and attend gatherings, such as EWPA state meetings.

As a result, the EWPA has adjusted its offerings to members and the EWPA Webinar Series is now in full swing. I hope many of our members are taking advantage of this online offering, which covers safety and business related topics, targeted directly at our industry.

The recent webinar covering secondary guarding was well attended and with all

the webinars, there is always a question and answer session for attendees to put their questions to industry experts. If you have missed any of the webinars, they are available in the member area of the EWPA website.

Content and feedback from the webinars has been useful when it comes to the production and updating of our online resources, such as secondary guarding information, guidance for machine maintenance in underground work, managing emissions from non-road diesel engines, etc.

The EWPA has been able to review and distribute relevant government advice with the help of its partners Mason Sier Turnball Lawyers and HLB Mann Judd Advisory and Accounting.

It is important all members are upto-date with changes to human resources and financial legislation, which, during the pandemic, is happening at a greater frequency than ever before.

Please keep an eye on your newsletters and emails from the EWPA, plus check out the website for all the latest advice and information www.ewpa.com.au Providing operator training and promoting safe operations are key parts of EWPA activity. The formation of a Training Committee is a new initiative and I’d like

to thank our Accredited Trainers who have volunteered their time to work on continuous improvement of the Association’s training programs. We are upskilling more training so they can deliver our MEWP Supervisor Training course.

The EWPA’s sister organisation, the Telescopic Handler Association (TSHA), has now launched its new website which completes the rebranding the Association has been working on since 2019.

Check out the latest telehandler information available at www.tsha.com.au Finally, on the subject of all things online, our National AGM will for the first time be an online event. Due to the border and quarantine restrictions in place, the EWPA Board agreed the AGM move to a virtual platform for the first time in its history.

ASIC has ruled virtual AGMs are permitted until the end of 2020 and the EWPA has engaged a third party provider, using specific AGM online software, to ensure we are compliant with our Constitution and our financial and reporting requirements.

Please keep an eye out for your notice of the AGM 12 November 2020, followed by an invitation to vote and to register.

I look forward to seeing you online in 2020 and hopefully many of you in person as we move into 2021.

Doug Rawlings National President, EWPA

Safer, smarter, and non-powered ladder replacement JLG’s Ecolift is a safer, smarter, and nonpowered ladder replacement which will aid in reducing the risk of falls from ladders and work-related incidents.

Ideal for all internal applications and trades working on flat surfaces, the Ecolift offers simple one-handed operation and automatic locking wheels to give greater confidence for working with both hands at heights.

The EcoLift Series non-powered vertical lifts are available in two heights including the EcoLift 50 which has a working height of 3.33m and the EcoLift 70 which has a working height of 4.2m EcoLift are available in two models; the P30

EcoLift 50 and the EcoLift 70. Manufactured from construction-grade materials, both include a rust-free aluminium platform with a rated capacity of 150kg, a robust steel mast and a sturdy base with non-marking automatic locking wheels. Both feature a diamond tread platform, a tool tray and a self-closing saloon gate.

The EcoLift 50 is the smaller of the two models. Weighing 180kg, it has a maximum platform height of 1.50m, a working height of 3.50m and platform dimensions of 0.70m x 0.60m. n Visit: www.jlg.com

The JLG Ecolift is a non-powered ladder replacement option

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE Get a Snorkel narrow rough terrain scissor lift PLUS Brian James trailer!

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Current stock is in high demand, so contact us today! *Terms and conditions apply. See website for full details. Promotion is offered by Ahern Australia and is valid on select Snorkel models between now and 30th November 2020. Ahern Australia reserves the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time, without notice. Specifications, photos and diagrams are provided for illustrative purposes and are subject to change. For full details on this promotion, visit our website or contact Ahern Australia on 1300 900 700. Ahern Australia’s decision is final. Any transportation cost to site and associated installation cost are NOT covered under the promotional offer.

www.ahernaustralia.com.au

ACCESS IN ACTION

New Almac-Pacific facility in Melbourne is first outside Italy Almac-Pacific has opened a new facility in Melbourne

Almac-Pacific has opened a new facility in Melbourne which marks a new chapter in the Almacrawler growth as the first officially staffed location for the manufacturer outside of Italy.

Almac recently appointed Bob Mules as General Manager and has also appointed Josh Coulson (pictured) as Technical Manager for the region

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he company’s first location in Australia is in Pakenham in the south suburbs of Melbourne and is part of its plan to step up support to customers in Australia and the Pacific region.

Almac-Pacific General Manager, Bob Mules said the new facility is only part of the first step of Almac’s committment to Australia.

“We are starting our Australian presence with a small factory and office facility to accept the delivery of Almacrawler machines direct from the factory in Italy. Our factory area is approximately 350m2 to allow stock holding in a secure, indoor facility,” Bob said.

“The company decided on this area for a number or reasons including ease of

freeway access. Pakenham is part of a growth corridor with facilities with ample room for these activities, less than 1km from freeway access,” Bob said.

“This facility will also be the main hub for technical support services and with plans in the future to offer machine inductions and service training of our products. The aim is to better equip technicians around the country and Pacific region with knowledge and technical resources when conducting planned maintenance and repairs of our products.

Almac recently appointed Bob as General Manager and has also appointed Josh Coulson as Technical Manager for the region.

“The plan is to continue to increase our level of support to the region and we are excited to implement these plans going forward. Almac is a very dynamic company which you will see with the new products we will bring to the market in the next two years,” Bob said.

In 2016 the Almac product was available in Australia and New Zealand only via an independent Australian importer.

In 2018 Almac appointed United Forklift and Access Solutions as the distributor for its end-user and small rental company sales and in 2019 appointed Youngman Richardson as its distributor for sales in New Zealand.

“Almac felt it was critically important to have a presence in Australia and it was part of

our long term strategy to open a facility here.

The time is right (COVID aside) for Almac to invest in Australia to further improve not only our service but also give confidence to our existing and prospective customers. We are here to say the manufacturer is prepared to stand behind its product and increase the level of support in service, spare parts and machine requirements,” Bob said. n Visit: www.almac-pacific.com.au

New self-leveling boom from Almac Almac Pacific released the new Jibbi 1670 EVO self-leveling boom lift in October in Australia.

With a 16m working height and capable of working on slopes up to 15 degrees fore and aft and side to side, the new Jibbi 1670 EVO also has a maximum outreach of 8.50m with 80kg 80kg load; max outreach (load 140kg) 7.70m; and max outreach (load 230kg) 6.70m. Also featuring the Ultrasonic Anti-collision System, the new Jibbi 1670 EVO is now available in Australia.

The new model was launched live in early June via Almac-Italia’s social media platforms on Face Book and Instagram in place of APEX, which this year did not go ahead in Europe because of COVID-19 restrictions. n Visit: www.almac-pacific.com.au

Sinoboom Australia officially launched in October

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inoboom Australia officially launched in Australia on a national basis in early October, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinoboom Intelligent Equipment.

The move marks the latest step in the parent company’s global marketing and support strategy.

According to the company, Sinoboom Australia will provide customers with safe, reliable and quality mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) across the country, with customers’ peace-of-mind ensured by a nationwide service support network.

“Sinoboom is ahead of the game with its innovation and the quality of its products.

I am confident we will be a huge success in P32

the Australian market,” Jason Rigby, Sales Director of Sinoboom Australia said.

A range of Sinoboom electric-drive scissor lifts with platform heights 13’ to 40’ (4m to 12m) is available in Australia.

With ASA (Access Service Australia) as its dedicated service agent, Sinoboom Australia will be able to ensure all after-sales service requirements are met nationally, he said.

“Sinoboom Australia launched a two-month kick-off promotional period following the official launch on 1 October, where we will be happy to give customer demonstrations and offer some great introductory discounts,” Jason said.

The Sinoboom Australia range will be

expanded in the future with the addition of electric boom lift models. n Visit: www.sinoboom.com

Sinoboom has launched in Australia

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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ACCESS IN ACTION

Safety Spotter checklist for site hazards Eberhard Rabich at Safety Spotter takes us through the requirements of maintaining a safe work zone and how to watch for site hazards. He walks us through the requirements for working at height as well as when working on the ground and under the ground.

“What are some of the first things on the checklist when considering rental of an EWP?” Eberhard said.

• Height/ reach required.

• Terrain and access.

• Load capacity and the task required.

“But how much thought is given to the site hazards?

“For the Victorian construction industry, 2020 has been a tumultuous and landmark year – and not just because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After July 1 this year, industrial manslaughter became an indictable offence.

Up to 25 years in prison and $16M in fines for a corporation are the new maximum penalties – if convicted.

“Of course employers and contractors have always had a duty of care (and similar legislation exists in ACT, NT, Qld and WA) but in the 2020s the consequences of a failure will be even more severe.

“There has also been a long-standing duty of care imposed on hire and rental outlets.

This is why the hirer ensures the plant has been certified and passes service standards.

This is why the hirer ensures the operator is competent and carries the right tickets.

This is why a hirer takes the time to explain the operation basics to a client that may be unfamiliar with the plant,” Eberhard said.

“But with all that to consider, if we go back to the original question; are you personally (as the hirer’s representative) also assessing a site for all the overhead electrical hazards? Most states have very specific nogo-zones and while the hirer isn’t required to police them on the job site, it’s certainly best practice (and in your own interests) to make sure someone is giving them good advice. It’s not just building the rental outlet’s reputation, but it’s about liability and protecting the plant itself from possible damage.

“The EWPA Victorian branch has had a specialised self-titled ‘SafetySpotter’ service provider on its membership base since 2017.

“It is run by my SafetySpotter service.

I got my spotter’s ticket in 2004 and the service has now grown to a small team of 14 similarly qualified and ticketed spotters and can cover not just metro Melbourne, but the entire state of Victoria.

“Being small-scale we’re flexible enough P34

The self-stabilising Bluelift SA22 has a narrow width and lightweight design

Lightweight and versatile Bluelift Spider Lift Photo by Erik Mclean from Pexels

to work on both small one-off jobs as well as the bigger longer-term projects.

“I have spotted for everything from excavators digging around underground assets to tower cranes and the largest truckmounted EWPs with reach in excess of 60m.

“It’s the personalised service that sets Safety Spotter service apart. We don’t issue the permits or set the conditions, but we’re happy to help out with free advice on the process and making sure that project remains compliant.

“Another unique advantage SafetySpotter service provides is certainty. We’re the only spotting service in Victoria that has spotters that are trained and can be equipped with a TruPulse 360° Laser Rangefinder.

“You can’t measure distances around power lines with a tape measure, so it’s been common to just pace out the clearances on the ground.

“With the TruPulse we can focus in on any two points in three-dimensional space (even hundreds of metres away if necessary) and give the client five measurements. This includes: • Horizontal distance; • Vertical distance; • Diagonal (direct line) distance; • Azimuth; • Inclination.

“In most cases they will be accurate to within 100mm. Around no-go-zones it’s the first two measurements which are critical.

“The bottom line is this: take a few minutes to assess the job site for electrical hazards. If they exist (in Victoria usually within 6.4m) the client may be working in the no-go-zone.” n Contact Eberhard on: 03 9018 9797 or visit: www.safetyspotter.com.au

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he full line of Italian-made Bluelift spider lifts are available in Australia through Ahern Australia as the exclusive distributor.

The self-stabilising Bluelift SA22 has a narrow width and lightweight design ideal for working in confined spaces.

With a multi-area stabiliser setting for three different set-up positions, The Bluelift SA22 provides excellent rough terrain performance, Glenn Martin, Managing Director of Ahern Australia.

“Its track width adjusting system has an independent axle and tracks that prevent damage to sensitive flooring.

“Boasting a 22m maximum working height, the SA22 delivers a maximum horizontal outreach of 10.9m with a lift capacity up to 200kg and 9.9m with a lift capacity up to the maximum of 250kg,” Glenn said.

“The basket is equipped with a 230V power outlet for working with power tools. A radio remote control includes an interactive and multi-lingual display.

“Proportional and simultaneous electrohydraulic controls make it easy to operate the proportional track drive with hydraulic braking system. This machine also has a double drive system with safety control and driving lateral slope alarm for climbing gradients up to 28%. The SA22 can be driven with the jib boom raised up to a maximum travel speed of 1.5km/h.”

Weighing 2,990kg, the 22m spider platform can be transported via standard trailer. The SA22 also includes covers on the outrigger cylinder’s piston rod, oil tank and emergency controls for added protection. n Visit: www.ahern.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

STAR 6C VERTICAL MAST

RUGGED YET VERSATILE

haulotte.com.au

ACCESS IN ACTION

Nifty donated a 120T EWP to Port Stephens Koalas to assist in rescuing young animals in bushland. Nifty Latty is pictured on the right and was named in the company’s honour

Nifty to the rescue A koala rescued by Port Stephens Koalas with its newly donated Nifty 120T EWP by Nifty Australia has been named ‘Nifty’ in the company’s honour.

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ittle Nifty (her full name is Nifty Latty since she was found near the ‘Latitude One’ retirement complex) is suffering from several different ailments that were making her feel very unwell.

She has chlamydia, a common disease among koalas. Nifty Latty is getting lots of TLC and is being fed lots of lush leaf. Her

favourite is melaleuca which is commonly known as paperbark. Nifty Latty is a sub-adult female, probably aged about one, would not have been living away from her mother for long.

It could be a few months before Nifty gets back to the bush where she belongs, and the sanctuary volunteers will use the donated Niftylift EWP in her release.

The Nifty EWP is a reconditioned 10 year tested Nifty 120T donated to the Port Stephens Koalas by Nifty Australia to assist in the rescue of the young animals in bushland on the outskirts of an area recently affected by bushfire. The sanctuary is employing the Nifty 120T during rescues, food collection and releases back into the wild. When using electric power, trained volunteers can pluck a sick or injured animal from a tree without adding any more trauma to the already unhappy animal.

The Sanctuary is accepting donations to assist with the costs of medical treatment, food and lodging for Nifty and other rescued koalas. To donate to Port Stephens Koalas visit: https://portstephenskoalas.com.au/ product/nifty-latty/ n Visit: www.niftylift.com.au

Star 6 Crawler: Haulotte expands vertical mast range

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aulotte’s new electric rough-terrain vertical mast Star 6 Crawler can get over unstable, wet or uneven grounds and cross slopes up to 25% and operate indoor and outdoor, with up to 6m working height.

According to Haulotte Australia’s General Manager, Keith Clarke, the new Star 6 Crawler offers excellent terrain capabilities, providing easy access.

“The crawling system enables the mast to go over the roughest terrains and significantly reduces the ground pressure, which is essential for driving on sensitive floors,” Keith said.

“A mobile axis on the intermediate oscillating rollers provides an optimal ground adherence. The machine can elevate inside and outside on any kind of flat surface: it is particularly suited for working on fragile floors thanks to its low ground pressure and non-marking rubber tracks. The mast architecture also ensures optimal stability: the 200 kg load capacity enables two operators to work indoors with confidence.

For a better comfort and efficiency, a 40cm basket extension offers extra outreach.

“Star 6 Crawler’s AC motors provide high torque and excellent manoeuvrability.

P36

The new vertical mast offers smooth and proportional movements for an unmatched precision and safety. With its narrow turning radius, operators can manoeuvre in the most confined spaces,” Keith said.

Haulotte added a non-skid step integrated into the machine’s design and a swing-door entry gate allows a safe entry.

“The vibration-proof rubber buffers under the platform ensure a smooth lowering. The ergonomic control box gathers all commands together so they are all accessible with one hand. For maximum flexibility, the Star 6 Crawler can be lifted lengthwise during transport phases thanks to dedicated forklift pockets,” Keith said.

“All components are protected against water projections and are easily accessible to facilitate maintenance. The Star 6 Crawler features AGM batteries and asynchronous motors which require no regular maintenance. The mast’s simple architecture with no chain and no cable minimises risks of breakage. The tracks and charger plug are also protected from shocks being located inside the chassis frame.

“To save time troubleshooting, operators can access the onboard Activ’Screen display or the Haulotte Diag app to identify faults

three times faster than traditional methods.

“The Star 6 was first demonstrated to the Australian market as a sneak peek at HIRE18,” Keith said.

“Available for order now, the machine has already been in high demand thanks to its rough terrain capability and light weight.

Its unique track system means the Star 6C can manoeuvre across a construction site to get to where it is needed. Its light weight and non-marking rubber tracks make it ideal for indoor use where low floor loadings are required.” n Visit: www.haulotte.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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ACCESS IN ACTION – TRAILER & TRUCK MOUNTS

21m working height and tow behind your ute Trailer mounted Omme Lift products which are made in Denmark, were first imported into Australasia in 2003 by Monitor Lifts and have proven themselves to be a strong and reliable machine, Monitor Lifts General Manager, Ben Joyce said.

The clever double-knuckle boom design of the Monitor E209PX provides an excellent working envelope

Truck mounted EWP drives away on car licence

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equipment. Fully certified for use in winds of up to 45km/h ensures you can work safely in most conditions.

“With self-driving capabilities, the Omme 2100E trailer mount can be maneuvered without the tow vehicle, allowing access to more applications with added efficiency and simplicity.

“With its Stick Boom configuration, the Omme 2100E has very minimal tail swing and having all steel boom sections makes this machine strong and durable.

“Monitor Lifts’ excellent service and back up support is just another reason why the 2100E Omme Lift is a safe investment for your business.” n

onitor Lift’s modern and compact 20m truck mounted EWP, the E209PX can be driven on a car licence and mounted on a 4x4 chassis for heavier duty applications.

“Small truck mounted EWPs can be advantageous when doing repetitive work.

Especially being a registered road going vehicle, this can prevent any hassle with traffic management or permits,” Monitor Lifts’ General Manager, Ben Joyce said.

“Not to mention savings on transport costs. A small unit such as the Monitor E209PX is compact, and takes up less room than a vehicle towing a trailer. Setting up is very fast; simply pull up, engage the PTO, climb out of the vehicle and lower the stabiliser legs and you’re right to elevate.

“The clever double-knuckle boom design of the Monitor E209PX provides an excellent working envelope, from ground level right through to working height, with very minimal tail swing. The two-man, 220kg SWL is available throughout the entire envelope providing unrestricted outreach,” Ben said.

Smooth hydraulic controls allow very precise operation, and also provides for fast boom movements when required. Multiple functions can be made simultaneously.

“The 4 x vertical heavy duty stabiliser legs allow the truck to set up on all sorts of terrain and provide a very nice sturdy base to ensure excellent stability at height. The stabiliser legs do not protrude past the edge of the truck tray, allowing setup in very confined areas and within one lane width if doing street work.”

Monitor Lifts has a selection of truck mounted EWPs available, ranging from 14m to 36m working height.

Operators working with EWP booms exceeding 11m require a High Risk Licence n

Contact: 1800 025 024 or visit: www.monitor.net.au

Contact: 1800 025 024 or visit: www.monitor.net.au

Monitor Lifts trailer EWP 2100 Omni Lift

“

One of the popular Omme Lift models is the 2100E Omme Trailer Mounted Cherry Picker,” Ben said.

“The tallest trailer mounted cherry picker on the market, the Omme 2100E weighs only 2.7T and is towable behind most tradesmen’s vehicles,” Ben said.

“With 21m of working height and 12m of horizontal outreach, the Omme 2100E is powered by a reliable Honda engine. The Omme 2100E Hydraulic outrigger legs on this machine means it can set up on steep slopes.

“With a hybrid option (on-board battery power) the Omme 2100E can work indoors and outdoors allowing operators to tackle multiple and unique applications and also providing them with an edge over their competitors,” Ben said.

“A 200kg SWL, 2-man capacity basket, provides plenty of room for operators and P38

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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ACCESS IN ACTION – TRAILER & TRUCK MOUNTS

Truck and trailer mounts vs standard EWPs The benefits of working with trailer and truck mounted EWPS are numerous according to Uphire’s Business Services Manager, Ilsa Walsh. Ilsa said convenience, versatility and utmost safety are key benefits.

Q: What are the benefits of having a truck/trailer mounted booms vs standard equipment?

A: As technology innovates, the hire and rental industry moves towards newer products and expands to incorporate new designs. This sparks the debate on whether site managers should adapt to the change and try newer products or stick to what has served them for years with fantastic performance.

While most tradespeople and workers prefer to trust what they know, traditional working solutions can limit productivity and maneuverability in completing a job efficiently and safely.

Truck and trailer mounted booms are large powered access machines fitted with an articulating arm for completion of works that require ‘up and over’ access.

Truck mounted booms are attached to a working truck, whereas the trailer mounted boom can be hooked onto the back of a working vehicle.

These mounted booms provide convenience, versatility and utmost safety in areas where traditional equipment may fall short, making them a favourite among site managers.

Q: Where are Trailer Mounts and Truck Mounts better suited to work sites?

A: For Truck Mounted Booms, this includes: • Large Distance Work Sites: Truck mounted booms are excellent solutions for when high volumes of work need to be carried out over a large distance.

They are extremely mobile with no set up required, reducing the tedious task, or set up and pack up at each location that work needs to be carried out.

• Freeways: A great advantage of truck mounted booms is its compact set up, whereby the outriggers go down inside the envelope of the truck, making it a compact and versatile option and a favourite among workers that operate in busy areas. Due to its arm not having to swing out to operate, the flow of transport can continue on roads and freeways without need for road closures.

This improves traffic flow while ensuring maximum efficiency and safety.

For Trailer Mounted Booms • Delicate or Unstable Terrain: With their lightweight design, the trailer mounted booms allow for work to occur on terrain or flooring that can’t handle a traditional

The benefits of trailer and truck mounted EWPS are numerous

EWP machine. Fitted with spreader plates, the weight of the trailer mounted boom can be evenly distributed.

• Low and Far: While most work site managers look for equipment that will lift workers to great heights, it’s also important to consider the outreach.

Trailer mounted booms are exceptional for projects that require a lower level of work, but at a significant outreach. It’s also a compact chassis, allowing for it to fit through a conventional doorway and in tight spaces and then expand.

“At Uphire, we source our truck mounted booms from Palfinger, which offer efficient performance, size, and reliability to any project. Our truck mounted booms are sourced through Nifty, which are exceptional for projects where great maneuverability and mobility is required due to certain work area and terrain constraints,” Ilsa said.

“At Uphire, we are dedicated to finding the best equipment for your job site in order to have projects completed safely, within the allocated budget and on time. We are a family owned business with great customer service and competitive prices.” n Visit: www.UpHire.com.au

Retractable crane loading deck for jobs with limited space

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ast West Engineering’s new retractable crane loading deck has been designed as the ideal solution for loading and unloading construction materials on smaller multi-storey construction projects.

Designed by East West Engineering and certified to relevant Australian standards, the CCLP30-RD Retractable Crane Deck is a 3T crane loading platform that allows construction materials and equipment to be safely lifted on or off different levels by crane during construction or demolition.

East West Engineering owner, Ron King said the retractable design allows vertical stacking of decks, simplifying delivery of materials through unrestricted access.

“Its minimal overhang over the building of just 150mm increases the usable loading space when using multiple decks,” Ron said.

“Featuring a 2.8m x 2.5m outboard suitable for up to two pallets, the new retractable crane loading deck will suit P40

smaller jobs with limited space and smaller loads.

This lightweight deck can be easily rolled in and out by one operator for loading.

“We designed this crane loading deck to minimise the overhang over the building to suit small construction sites,” Ron said.

“With access to an affordable loading deck, now even smaller construction sites can benefit from the cost saving and increased productivity efficient handling of materials provides. Not to mention the safety aspect.

“With cost playing a major role in the decision and affordability of every construction project, it is critical to manage productivity to ensure building works are completed in time and on cost.” n Contact: 1800 061 998 or visit: www.eastwesteng.com.au

The retractable crane deck design allows vertical stacking of decks, simplifying delivery of materials through unrestricted access

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

NOV FEB 2020

VOL22 N OO0 .0 2 5 N

OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE EVENTS DIVISION OF THE HIRE AND RENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LTD

HRIA – Events Photo of the Year winner Beavis Party Hire

IN THIS ISSUE

Promising outlook for business events – p46

Amphibious buggies launch – p46

Surviving COVID – why events hire has popped up as general hire – p48

EVENTS IN FOCUS

President’s message

Lobbying, grants and Zoom meetings – keeping in touch and up-to-date It has been a busy period for the Events Division in recent months.

We have been lobbying hard to get in front of government to outline how our industry is being affected by the COVID-19 shutdown and on 11 September, we had a face-to-face meeting with the Treasury and Jobkeeper division of government.

We were able to outline how many event hire companies were more than 90% down on turnover, due to COVID closures and restrictions. We advised how hard our industry has been hit and how we feel we aren’t being recognised by government as one of the hardest hit sectors, this meeting didn’t really provide solid outcomes but the message got through to government that the event hire industry is in need of assistance.

We explained the situation clearly; described how ‘green’ and sustainable our industry is in terms of stock usage and reuse; how we need skilled workers to continue to operate effectively and how we can’t keep our skilled workers on indefinitely without government support.

Keeping our skilled workers is a very real issue for our industry. We all know how hard it can be to get good people who know the industry, who understand the requirements of the roles, the regulations and building codes we are required to comply with; and how if we lose those people because we cannot open and our employees have to find other work to keep themselves financially afloat, how do we find people with the right skills and knowledge when we can finally return to business?

And now so does our government.

However, there are no easy answers and to help prevent the events sector from falling through government cracks, we are determined to continue to fight to put our case forward.

One good thing to come from that meeting was a new contact with the Coronavirus Business Liaison Unit (CVBLU) which has been formed within the Treasury to understand on a deeper level, the long term impacts of the Coronavirus crisis P42

on specific industries. This Unit then reports directly to the Treasurer and Prime Minister on recommendations for support packages and funding. So far, this has been the best traction we have got in terms of speaking to the right people.

This saw us at another meeting on 22 September where we discussed and highlighted the same issues and concerns but this department took time to understand our issues and concerns, and really understand our challenges.

This was a much more proactive meeting with in depth and insightful questions being posed to us by the group. They also sought our opinion on both fiscal and non-fiscal initiatives that could help to support our industry in the coming months and years.

Very positive. We will be following up with this department of Treasury on the event sector’s re-opening and recovery after the 2020/2021 Budget is released.

It’s important for us as an industry to get through to the right people and to emphasise how our industry is diverse and crosses many business sectors, which results in the events sector often being overlooked because we don’t fit into one neat category.

We pushed the agenda to get restrictions lifted so our industry can get back to work.

It was promising to hear how a post-budget announcement is expected about the reopening of large sectors of the business community as early as December. That definitely gives us all some hope for a brighter new year.

Now we have a direct contact within this sector of government we can continue our efforts for our industry.

On another note, for our NSW members you may have noticed the NSW government announced a small business grant of $3000 recently. It was a shock to realise it completely excluded the events sector because we didn’t fit into any of the categories outlined as able to apply.

We liaised with the NSW Small Business Commissioner and were able to get the events sector recognised as a viable candidate for the grant. Small gains.

Events members were then able to apply and register for the grant. The grant for $3000 is not going to save businesses but it might help out in some small way. Certainly it’s a start.

Events Member Zoom catch-ups Following recent Events focus group meetings, the HRIA National Office has initiated hosting regular informal Zoom meetings for all HRIA Events members to provide support and help maintain links between members during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing requirements have hugely impacted many events members. While we watch our businesses remain locked tight and events remain non-existent for the majority of 2020, our committee wanted to look at ways to assist members maintain connection, as well as maintain connection with the national office.

These Zoom catch-ups are informal drop-ins; members are encouraged to stay for five minutes or the whole hour – but are warmly welcomed to join in.

These regular Zoom catch-ups are so essential for the sharing and camaraderie the hire industry in Australia is so well known.

Please drop in any time. We’d love to see you there.

Events Member Facebook group We have also set up a Facebook group for HRIA Events members to serve as a central discussion on all things Events related. This is your page to post questions, to share ideas and support each other.

And so we roll on to the end of a difficult year.

Challenges aplenty. I know I’ve gained immeasurable support from other events members and I hope you have too.

If you are feeling alone, simply pick up the phone or pop into one of our meetings or online groups.

We are all in this together and it’s nice to know we have the support of our Association.

Here’s to a Happy Christmas and a much brighter and prosperous New Year.

Here’s hoping.

Erin Johnston National Events President HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

EVENTS IN FOCUS

Events industry assistance for all members The Events sector has been decimated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the HRIA has been offering its support and assistance where possible to all events industry members. This has included a raft of initiatives as below.

• The HRIA continues to lobby Government requesting economic support for the Events sector as well as to recommend consistent social distancing

requirements across the country.

Correspondence from the National Office has been sent directly to the Prime Minster – the Hon Scott Morrison MP,

The Treasurer – Hon Josh Frydenberg, The Minster for Health – the Hon Greg Hunt MP and The Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Senator Michaelia Cash.

• The HRIA is actively working with related events industry associations / bodies to develop further effective strategies to aid this sector. This includes Business Events Council of Australia, Exhibitions & Events Association of Australia, Small Business Ombudsman, Venue Management Association, Restaurant & Catering Industry Association, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, Live Entertainment Industry Group and the Australian Mass Participation Sporting Events Alliance.

• The HRIA has created a COVIDSafe Guidance document to assist hire and rental operations. The objective of this guide is to provide practical guidance on how to minimise exposure to COVID-19

Royal Wolf partners with The Block

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upplier of new, refurbished and modified shipping containers Royal Wolf has partnered with The Block for the third consecutive season.

“We were thrilled to partner again with The Block. It’s a privilege to work with such a hard working team and provide tailored solutions that make a real difference to their site,” Royal Wolf’s Chief Executive Officer, Neil Littlewood said.

For the first time in The Block history, the decision was made to build the contestant and trades amenities site as a vertical configuration.

“This season, the constraints of the size of our site, coupled with the amount of space we needed for our staff, builders and tool storage, led us to partner with Royal Wolf to build a two-level stack,” The Block ’s Co-founder and Executive Producer, Julian Cress said.

“We’ve never done that before and it made a huge difference. It was incredible to be able to centralise all those important facilities in one area, without taking up too much room on the site. It gave us a massive advantage, and helped us get the project done on time and on budget.”

Royal Wolf designed, built and installed The Stack, a two-storey customised shipping container solution, comprising three 20 foot site offices; a 20 foot storage container for tools and equipment; a 20 foot first aid room; three 20 foot lunch rooms; and two 20 foot toilet and washing facilities.

“This project was a great opportunity to showcase our solutions for a small footprint,” Gavin Bentley, Royal Wolf’s Regional Manager, Victoria said.

A key feature of The Stack was the builtin storage solution, featuring Royal Wolf’s award-winning Wolf Lock, an easy-to-open P44

handle with a safety exit feature, even when the door is locked.

“The Wolf Lock is really easy to operate, which minimises any manual handling issues. Everyone on the site – from new

contestants to experienced trades – can use it with ease,” Gavin said. n Visit: www.royalwolf.com.au

The Stack was designed, built and installed by Royal Wolf on the set of the Block

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

EVENTS IN FOCUS

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for staff, customers and other site visitors.

This guide was designed to assist those reopening their operation if it has been closed, and included a section dedicated to the cleaning procedures for party and events hire companies. The guide is available to members via the member portal at: www.hireandrental.com.au To ensure we are approaching Government lobbying from numerous angles the National Office drafted a letter for members to send to local members of parliament. For any members who have not yet sent this letter, it can be downloaded from the member portal at: www.hireandrental.com.au To assist the National Office demonstrate the enormity of the impact COVID-19 has had on the Events Industry, the HRIA sent the Events Industry COVID-19 Impact Survey to all members. This data has and will continue to be used to assist our lobbying efforts. The survey is available via the member portal at: www.hireandrental.com.au A dedicated Coronavirus updates page has been created on the HRIA website – this includes all the latest updates from the HRIA relating to the equipment and event hire industry and is available at: www.hireandrental.com.au The HRIA has created a Facebook discussion group to serve as the primary

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discussion group for coronavirus COVID-19 in the equipment and event hire industry. Members can post questions, support each other and see how Coronavirus is impacting your business and the industry. The link is available via the member portal at: www.hireandrental.com.au The HRIA National Office has also been providing updates to members via emails as well as on the Hire and Rental News website.

The National Office has been hosting Member Webinar Series. Once a month a new webinar covering a variety of topics will be available to members. Recording of past webinars and registration for upcoming webinars can be accessed via the member portal at: www.hireandrental.com.au Don’t forget as HRIA members you continue to have access to: HRNet provided by Mason Sier Turnball Lawyers (MST) to assist with any legal issues including HR, contract terms and conditions and commercial and retail leases. More details can be found in the Member Services section of the HRIA website.

HRIA Accounting and Business Advisory Services provided by HLB Mann Judd. More details can be found in the Member Services section of the HRIA website.

We have seen a large increase in access to

these services over the past few months and wanted to remind all members these services are there to assist all members and staff.

HRIA Events Members Zoom catch-up In another new initiaitive for Events members, the HRIA is holding regular informal Zoom meetings for all HRIA Events members.

The purpose of these catch-ups is to provide support and maintain links between members.

The HRIA understands and appreciates the impact COVID-19 is having on many of our events members.

“We wanted to look at ways to assist in maintaining connection between members, as well as between members and the national office,” HRIA CEO James Oxenham said.

“Bring your lunch along and say hello and catch-up with other members. It is an informal drop-in, so stay for five minutes or the whole hour,” James said. n Visit: www.hireandrental.com.au

FORMIT ACCESSIBLE UNIT

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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EVENTS IN FOCUS

Amphibious buggies launch follows Perth expansion

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fter celebrating its 20th year in business last year and the opening of its Perth WA branch as part of its nationwide expansion, 1800BUGGIES has continued to build on its success this year with the launch of the

specialised ARGO Amphibious ATV. According to 1800Buggies Pip Jewson, the ARGO amphibious ATVs are a very specialised niche market product, designed for extreme terrain where other vehicles simply can’t go due to stability and traction.

“Argos also excel in their capabilities

where low impact and ground pressure on surfaces is crucial,” Pip said.

“The ARGO ATVs are 8x8, (8-wheel drive) and come with optional rubber tracks,” he said. 1800BUGGIES has an ongoing hire with a client in Sydney who uses the ARGO for its amphibious capabilities around mangroves during its environmental research.

The ARGO vehicles are very popular on mining and Salt Lake projects in Western Australia, Pip said.

“Like most of our UTV buggies the ARGO comes with mine spec requirements.

While the generic style ATV utility vehicles are our core focus, which have been popular at major music festival, events and motorsport races, we often find ourselves meeting the

Research shows promising outlook for business events

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ecent research by Business Events Australia indicates 67% of Australian event planners expect to host the same number or more events post-COVID. The statistic comes from a survey of 256 business events decision makers and found: • 20% of planners intend to hold events within the next six months; • 43% intend to hold events in the next seven to 11 months; while • 65% plan to hold events more than 18 months from now.

Penny Lion, Executive General Manager, events at Tourism Australia said the research highlights the challenges facing the industry at the moment and suggests optimism for the return of live events in the medium to longer term.

“If you couple that with consideration of the motivations driving corporate decision-makers to hold these events, it demonstrates face-to-face events are still seen as very valuable, which is great news for the industry,” Penny said.

The survey also found 77% of those who usually hold one or more events overseas each year are likely to relocate at least one of these events to Australia over the next 12 months.

Biggest challenges right now As part of the research, respondents shared the top three barriers to running events now.

Of these, 30% cited current restrictions on gatherings and events, 21% cited concern for employees’ health and 15% cited financial reasons.

For business events to resume immediately, 54% said there would need to be zero COVID-19 cases in Australia, 44% said a vaccine would need (from Spice News).

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to be developed and 43% said there would need to be no community transmission of the virus in Australia.

Factors influencing event confidence for the next six to 12 months were cited as COVID-19 travel restrictions (74%), health concerns (66%) and financial reasons (47%).

Positive outlook on the future of events Penny said: “The research indicates while things are tough right now, indications are positive for an increase in events being planned and run over the next 18 months – including business that would have gone overseas in normal circumstances – but recovery is also likely to be dependent on how the pandemic plays out in Australia moving forward,” she said.

“With almost 70% of respondents indicating they expect to plan the same or more events after the pandemic, there is no doubt face-to-face meetings will be more relevant than ever post-COVID. “If we break that statistic down further, 45% said they are actually planning to hold more events in Australia after the pandemic, which is very encouraging as it shows the appetite to hold events is still strong,” Penny said.

“In the short to medium term, short lead time events in which COVID-safe event practices are demonstrated will help the Australian industry get back on its feet and build confidence to host events more broadly.” n

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

EVENTS IN FOCUS

demand for Mine Spec vehicles. This has also led to providing specialised vehicles for and other specialised needs, such as for solar farms, mine sites, tunnel works, construction and seismic surveying,” Pip said.

“Our buggies are available in two, four and six-person; are mostly diesel powered since this is a common source of fuel on most sites; and all buggies are 4x4.

“The Argos also have similar passenger capabilities.”

Pip said the business was hit hard by COVID-19.

“We were hit very hard with the loss of all events and festivals across Australia.

It all came crashing down for us in March when we had 50 buggies at the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

“We realise it’s very uncertain when large gatherings will resume and with our head office in Melbourne the stage 4 restrictions have certainly made things difficult.

“We saw an opportunity with the ARGO because these vehicles are not currently available on the Australian rental market, but we are making a leap of faith to in invest in something new and divert our focus for a little while until the festival and events industry gets back on its feet.”

“We look forward to when we can get back to supporting our very loyal customers in the events industry. n Visit: www.1800buggies.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

The 4x4 ARGO amphibious ATVs are available in two, four and six-person sizes

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EVENTS IN FOCS

New City Hire general hire depot pops up at Event Rentals Queensland-based City Hire has a new Builders/DIY depot at 20 Shannon Place Virginia which it shares with the existing Event Rentals premises and which opened for trade in early August.

City Hire’s new Builders/DIY depot shares with the existing Event Rentals premises

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he opening of the new depot eventuated as a direct result of the impact from COVID-19, City Hire’s Mark Hughes said.

“COVID-19 meant our Event Rentals staff on Job Keeper didn’t have much meaningful work. Staff had been catching up on maintenance but this can become very monotonous,” Mark said.

“With the opening of the new depot, we hope we can retain staff and recover some of our lost event and festival hire revenue.”

Mark said the change has been a steep learning curve for a number of staff.

The new depot is stocked with City Hire equipment

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“Fortunately we have some long-term team members that have done general hire in the past with City Hire so they have been able to support our less experienced team members.”

Training staff has also meant thinking outside the box.

“A number of staff have been working at other depots to gain experience. With reduced turnover due to COVID we have been forced to eliminate most of the overtime payments. This included team members working extra days to cover sick and annual leave. We have been using our event hire team to make up these hours, Mark said.

Stocking the new depot meant some new equipment purchases but the vast majority of equipment came from other City Hire branches.

“We have covered most of the equipment we needed with existing stock. I have only needed to purchase a couple of major items and some minor pieces of plant. To get this

depot up and running, I wouldn’t have spent more than $50,000 on capital equipment,” he said.

“We are aiming for our traditional customers in building, renovation and DIY. We also understand we will take business from our existing depots. Our customers for the best part are pretty loyal but convenience is a key factor these days with traffic getting worse in Brisbane.

“Bunnings has massive warehouses at many locations and Kennards Hire has a large network of depots so I guess we have simply taken their lead and tried to be more accessible to our existing customers and potential new clients.”

For now, the events sector is still in lock down Mark said with no clear end in sight.

“We have seen so many false starts with restrictions slowly lifting then being put back in place again.

“I think initially event managers were patient and sat back without pushing too hard to run events. The majority of the general public accepted the restrictions as well.

“However, we are now seeing a strong push against restrictions and events managers really trying to get up and run events again.

This will become even more evident as Job Keeper is reduced and people become more desperate to ensure they do not lose further income,” Mark said.

COVID times have been tough “From a financial perspective our business went quiet almost overnight. Events were all cancelled and payments refunded.

“Builders and renovators stopped work either by choice or because their clients wouldn’t allow them to work.

“We then saw an influx our DIY in general hire which certainly helped pay the bills. This only lasted for about four-six weeks though, and then the trade clients returned.

“From a health point of view we have had a few instances where staff have had friends and family that have had second degree contact with a known COVID infection or been in an area where an infected person has been.

“This has put a lot of strain on our team because many staff have been absent and on a few occasions staff have been absent for up to a whole week waiting to be tested and for test results.

“Since COVID, we have been more cautious with our interactions with clients.

But, overall people have been really good. It has been great to see people are more conscious about sneezing and coughing and sharing germs. Sick people don’t seem to come to work and visit our stores or be on site like they have done in the past. In general most people’s personal space has become much larger.

“In more recent weeks (noted as being in late September) general hire has been business as usual with a pinch of COVID mentality to spice things up.” n Contact the City Hire Virginia depot on 07 3352 5775 or visit: www.cityhire.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

YOU’LL LIKE WHAT YOU FIND AT FLEXTOOL Flextool PortaVibe® NEW Backpack NEW Flextool PowerVibe™ NEW Flextool PortaTrowel™

Check out our new range of equipment, all covered by The Flextool Promise.

If the unexpected happens and something goes wrong with your Flextool equipment within the first 12 months of purchase, we’ll arrange to give you a loan machine for 2 days, free of charge, while we work to repair or replace your Flextool product.* The Flextool Promise. Job Done.

Go to Flextool.com.au to find out more *Qualification criteria applies. Terms and conditions for The Flextool Promise can be found at www.flextool.com.au/flextool-promise-terms-and-conditions.

Flextool, the Flextool logo and PortaVibe are registered trade marks and PortaTrowel and PowerVibe are trade marks of Parchem Construction Supplies Pty Ltd.

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Hire Ranger is fire ready A new ‘Hire Ranger’ single axle heavy-duty trailer-mounted firefighting kit from Rapid Spray features an Aussie Fire Chief diesel-powered pump, for either dust suppression, wash down or firefighting.

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itted with either a 1,000 or 1,500 litre tank manufactured from polyethylene UV stabilised to withstand harsh operational elements, the Hire Ranger features a large opening for fast filling with a labyrinth breather integrated in the lid. Plus, the tanks come with a 15 year guarantee and the poly material used maximises the strength with minimal weight.

The Aussie Fire Chief diesel powered pump from Aussie Pumps, has electric start and recoil back up to provide the high pressure water and is mounted to enable easy installation on the trailer and fitted with Rapids ‘Surefit’ mounting pins.

Aussie Pump’s Warwick Lorenz said the pump can handle heads of up to 75m, or approximately 100psi pressure.

“Maximum flow is 450lpm. Plus, the pump will prime from 7.6m making it easy to refill the tank from streams, creeks or dams,” Warwick said.

“Fully equipped, the unit comes with a

fire kit that can double as a plant wash down machine. That kit includes a poly reel with galvanised steel mounting frame, fitted with 36m of 19mm high pressure fire hose to AS1221. An adjustable firefighting nozzle is supplied.

Additionally, the kit comes with a 6m suction hose with strainer fitted. A heavy duty jockey wheel is supplied as standard equipment,” Warwick said.

“The Aussie Fire Chief is unique and comes with a five year warranty, while the Yanmar diesel engine comes with Yanmar’s two year guarantee.

“The unit can be optioned up with a wide range of accessories including, ring hitches for the trailer, a hydrant filler attachment and dust suppression bar kit that includes a radio remote option.

“Other pieces of kit to make the machine super versatile includes a deflector spray head with radio remote control and optional dribble bar. E-stop, battery isolation, fire

POWR2 makes solar go mobile

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OWR2 has developed a 12 panel solar trailer for use with its Powrbank Renewable Power System.

The solar array can produce between 3 and 5KW of DC power depending on the panels used. This is stored in POWR2’s high-density lithium batteries and turned into 120/240v single phase or 208v 3 phase AC power, POWR2’s Toby Nunn said.

POWR2’s as panel solar trailer

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“The solar trailer takes just three minutes to set up and is an excellent source of clean, renewable energy.

“If needed a small generator can also be mounted on the bed of the trailer for days when there is cloud cover, or if additional power is needed and solar trailers can be put together in series to increase the solar yield,” Toby said.

Powr2 has had considerable interest from construction companies looking to get to net zero carbon emissions, as well as emergency response personnel, who appreciate the reduced reliance on fuel.

“Because of the bulky nature and relative fragility of solar panels it’s typically difficult to effectively deploy solar systems quickly.

Ground mount ballasted systems are cost effective but take up a lot of space and require time consuming installation and wiring,” Toby said.

“The solar trailer now meets the need of contractors, event managers, oilfield service companies and many other industries looking to provide clean, environmentally friendly power.” n Visit: www.powr2.com

Rapid’s Hire Ranger, diesel high pressure pump tanker features a Yanmar powered Aussie fire pump

extinguisher and beacon light are also available as options,” Warwick said.

“The reason we chose the Aussie Fire Chief as the prime pump with Yanmar diesel engine is because we know about the reliability of this equipment and the free extended warranty is a big asset for customer,” Rapid Spray’s Roy Thrush said.

Roy said Rapid’s trailers have the toughest chassis in the market.

“Our 20 years of designing and building trailers to meet the highest demand for the mining industry is based on experiences in our home town in Singleton in NSW where coal is king,” Roy said.

Rapid Spray is a leading manufacturer of polyethylene free-standing water cartage tanks, based in Singleton, with a range from 400 litres to big modular water tanks up to 36,000 litres. n Visit: www.aussiepumps.com.au

POWR2 adds USA location

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enewable Power Systems manufacturer, POWR2, established in 2016, has opened a manufacturing facility in Connecticut, in the USA. With offices in London, Madrid in addition to Norwalk CT the company has previously manufactured product in Europe and shipped internationally from there.

Toby Nunn, Powr2’s COO said: “Manufacturing in the EU has worked well for us and allowed us to establish a foot hold the European markets, however, to better serve our USA client base we saw the need to open a manufacturing facility stateside.

“Manufacturing here in Connecticut, will enable us to shorten the lead time and better tailor the product for our clients’ needs,” Toby said.

“This is a swiftly evolving industry and we need to keep innovating. Besides that, being able to say Made in America supports the domestic labour market.”

POWR2 is a TTTG group company based in Danbury Connecticut, with locations in London and Madrid. n Visit: www.powr2.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Aussie Pumps self-priming pumps will move up to 6,000lpm; This 6” Aussie trash pump saved the town of Horsham from flooding

Hire pumps … dry prime or wet prime?

Australian Pump Industries has begun producing pumps to move lots of water fast without priming aids.

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ussie Pumps’ Chief Engineer, John Hales said the concept isn’t new.

“Aussie Pumps has taken conventional trash pumps one step further, refining design and equipment.

“There’s a misconception in the construction hire industry that implies big pumps can’t self prime without a priming device,” John said.

“We proved that’s incorrect by introducing 6” self priming pumps that are virtually fool proof in terms of their reliability and performance,” he said.

“Renting wet prime pumps makes better sense from a hire operator’s perspective.

It’s the simplicity of the concept that really works,” John said.

“There isn’t anything to go wrong. By minimising the number of components in the design, you wind up with a product that’s virtually site proof.

The self-priming concept “Self-priming pumps do actually need to be primed. The body design incorporates a large ‘in-built’ tank, common to all Aussie Pumps’ trash pump range. They all incorporate that ‘bulging shoulders’ that facilitates the priming function.

“When the pump is filled with water and the engine started (with the suction hose already in the liquid to be pumped) HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

everything starts to work.

First, the engine drives the big non-clog impeller so the liquid in the pump bowl is emptied through the discharge outlet.

As that water leaves the pump, a vacuum is created inside the housing which opens a very simple check valve mounted on the suction port.

“The vacuum draws water up through the suction hose of the pump and the pumping process starts. There are no compressors, no vacuum pumps, no intricate valves to fail or stick or be contaminated by dirty water.

“The huge open impeller with its non-clog capability means solids can be passed through the pump. The number of components in our self-priming centrifugal rental trash pumps are minimal,” John said.

Small things get bigger The company introduced 2”, 3” and 4” trash pumps capable of passing solids in suspension and having the capacity to self prime.

“That range grew as hire companies realised how simple the pumps are and how easy they are to service. These smaller pumps are all driven by single cylinder petrol or diesel drive engines,” John said.

With limitations being around 2,000 litres per minute, more performance was

demanded and Aussie Pumps then moved to introduce 6” trash pumps.

“These big self-priming pumps will move up to 6,000lpm, are powered by 80hp Deutz diesel engines and will run a 10 or 11 hour shift without refuelling,” John said.

“With heads as high as 46m as standard on the big pumps, they will suck through a vertical lift of over 7m.

Dry prime pump advantages “There are things dry prime pumps will do that the Aussie Pumps won’t. They include the ability to operate on ‘snore’ and run dry when required. The advantage of the Aussie trash pump is its big open front port, mounted below the suction intake that enables the pump to be cleaned out in the event of a blockage in a matter of minutes without the need to disconnect hose or pipework.

“Dry prime pumps that are silted up present a big problem for maintenance and operational efficiency.

“Aussie Pumps sees a continuing growth in the requirement for top quality equipment to be available for hire to mines, quarries and construction sites.

“We get asked if we’ll rent our big wet prime pumps directly to contractors, sometimes even government departments.

Our response is simple; we’re not in the rental business, but we are manufacturers with a fanatical desire to give customers the right product, the right specification and the best possible experience. Our job is not running a hire fleet. We leave that to the experts in the business who know what they’re doing,” John said.

“Flooded mines, quarries and construction sites are exactly what these pumps are designed to handle.” n Contact: 02 8865 3500 or visit: www.aussiepumps.com.au

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POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Makinex Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) Makinex Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) is a versatile and advanced off grid power system which will provide gridlike electricity in areas where grid power is unavailable or for directly replacing expensive or unreliable grid power.

The newly developed and customisable system consists of roof or ground mounted solar panels, a battery bank to store energy,

an integrated backup diesel generator and an inverter to act as an interface between the different inputs.

SAPS uses Australian built generators, is portable, easy to deploy and store, and offers significant fuel and servicing savings as well as reduced emissions and noise on site

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The system uses Australian built generators, is portable, easy to deploy and store, and offers significant fuel and servicing savings as well as reduced emissions and noise on site.

Makinex Makinex CEO, Rory Kennard describes the system as a steel-framed, standalone power system with fold out solar panels with generator, batteries and inverter in an all-in-one rapid deployment skid unit.

SAPS is available in different sizes so is easily customizable; from 10kVA, 20kVA and 45kVA. “It takes about five minutes to deploy on site and as soon as it is turned on, there is no noise,” Rory said.

“The solar panels provide power for day use and at night, the generator kicks in to boost the batteries.

“Once the batteries are charged again, the generator turns off again.

“Our goal is to reduce diesel generator use by up to 90%. This will reduce servicing costs, because the generator will run for far less time and at the same time improve generator life. It’s a 10 year design life,” Rory said.

“SAPS provides access to clean and green energy and reduces need for costly alternatives to power supply in difficult locations from the electricity grid,” Rory said.

“The SAPS unit will supply people looking for that green tick for their events or their job site. For events, SAPS offers reduced noise and reduced diesel fumes. If event organisers or site managers want to run a system non-stop for four days without a generator, then we simply upspec the system to cope with expected demand.

SAPS has been in development for about three years. Rory said initially the original idea was to battrify construction sites; to offer battery packs for power tools on sites.

But it evolved.

Makinex SAPS overcomes traditional power challenges including: managing power supply without access to electricity grid in remote areas; high maintenance costs of poles/wires for electricity providers to supply power to remote areas.

It also means challenges where traditional long lengths of poles/ wires are much more likely to get affected by bushfires, lightning strikes etc are no longer an issue.

Major benefits of SAPS means events and site users will have lower vulnerability to weather events, and will ensure reliability issues are localised.

“SAPS will reduce electricity outage times for customers and costs for network businesses.

“Plus the status of the SAP system can be easily monitored and controlled locally or remotely.”

While Rory concedes SAPS is more expensive as a start-up unit, the cost savings over time from lower diesel useage and servicing costs plus the extended expected generator life will outweigh the initial set-up cost, he said.n Visit: www.makinex.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Large electric-drive portable compressors The Mobilair e-power series of portable compressors from Kaeser Compressors offer zero emissions and substantial savings in operating costs.

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he rugged electric-drive portable compressors are environmentally friendly, powerful and efficient, and have been designed for operation outdoors, wherever a power supply is available, Kaeser Compressor Australia’s Managing Director, Peter Eckberg said.

The range was recently extended to include the M250E and M255E stationary portable compressor models.

“These mobile powerhouses, with drive powers from 132 to 160kW, are robust, lowmaintenance and easy to transport,” Peter said.

“The Mobilair M250E and M255E can be used as a temporary solution to expand the capacity of an existing compressed air station, or as a permanent outdoor installation for industrial applications. They are particularly suited for use in locations where no compressor room is available.

The Mobilair e-power portable compressors from Kaeser

“Substantial operating cost savings can be achieved with these new systems. At the heart of these systems lies a flow-optimised and premium-quality rotary screw compressor block with energy-saving Sigma Profile rotors.

Optimised flow characteristics ensure the system delivers more compressed air for less energy output. Thanks to its 1:1 drive, the

motor further ensures low speeds of 15001/min at 50Hz resulting in enhanced service life.

“The use of IE4 super premium efficiency motors (that comply with, and exceed prevailing Australian GEMS regulations for three phase electric motors) additionally deliver maximum performance and energy efficiency. IE4 motors are the technology of tomorrow, since current regulations introduced in January 2015 simply require the use of IE3 class motors.

“Moreover, the electric drive motor is emissions-free and therefore particularly environmentally-friendly, and with sound levels at just 70dB(A), these e-power Mobilair systems are also very quiet in operation.

“Where power hook-ups are available, these electric compressors make even more sense, as electricity is generally much cheaper than diesel fuel. Another advantage: electric compressors cost far less to maintain. All maintenance parts are easily accessed via large doors, and service work is quick and simple, thanks to features such as the externally mounted drainage outlets for quick compressor fluid changes.

“Compact dimensions allow these units to operate where space is at a premium. The narrow footprint is optimised for transport.

The skids also protect the underside of the body from damage.” n Visit: www.au.kaeser.com or phone 1800 640 611.

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COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Aces up the sleeve for new TMHA service van fleet Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) is progressively upgrading its entire 300 plus-strong fleet of service vans to Toyota’s newest-generation HiAce, which has been completely redesigned for the first time in 15 years.

TMHA is upgrading its entire fleet of service vans to Toyota’s newest-generation HiAce

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MHA General Manager – Service, Mal Paterson, said the upgrade will provide multiple benefits for its service technicians, the business’ footprint and the same high degree of service and support for its customers, nationally.

Mal said the idea to upgrade the national fleet of service vans was sparked by the new HiAce launch in 2019.

“We started a Steering Committee in mid-2019 after it was launched, which comprised service technicians, service management and workplace health and safety,” Mal said.

“We looked at the configuration, the racking and drawers and sliders. We considered parts storage, oil, batteries and safety equipment. We also changed it from pneumatic to electric compressors and P54

power tools.

“We really valued the input from the service technicians that will ultimately be using the van. Then we started testing it with our longstanding racking partner, Caddy Storage, which has been particularly helpful throughout the process.

“Caddy Storage is our exclusive partner and has a national presence but all the vans get fitted-out in Sydney.”

Mal said the first new service van has already hit the road and a further 32 will follow.

The new HiAces are a combination of long wheelbase (LWB) and super long wheelbase (SLWB) variants. Both models have turbodiesel engines and automatic transmissions.

“They have slightly different

configurations but generally they’re the same,” Mal said.

“Both models can service all TMHA brands and equipment types.”

Each model sits on an appreciably longer and wider all-new platform. The LWB is 570mm longer and the SLWB is 535mm longer than the previous-generation models.

Combined with a substantially wider (up to 215mm) interior space, this ensures they maintain respectively large cargo capacities of 6.2m3 and 9.3m3.

Engine efficiencies have brought increased power output and greater fuel cost and emission savings.

The new 130kW 2.8litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine offers more peak power and torque, with an increase of up to 30kW and up to 150Nm compared with its 3.0litre predecessor, Mal said.

“At the same time, official combined cycle fuel consumption for the turbodiesel has been cut by up to 8.7%, thanks in part to a new stop/start system, with the manual LWB turbodiesel van variant returning a figure of just 7.5l/100km2.

“Both models come with the latest suite of Toyota Safety Sense driver assistance features. These include a pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, lane departure alert with steering assist and auto high beam.

“Further standard safety features include cruise control, anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, and up to nine airbags depending on the model.

“With its new semi-bonneted design, Toyota has been able to move the engine forward ahead of the front axle and seats, providing easier access to the engine bay, improved safety and greater stability and ride comfort. In addition to a smoother ride and quieter cabin, the semi-bonneted design delivers improved handling and agility.

“Designed to appeal to drivers who often spend long days behind the wheel, the new HiAce has a redesigned cabin with improved ergonomics for greater driver comfort and convenience.

“The new cabin is easier to access, has a lower seating position, features heightadjustable driver’s seat, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel with controls for the audio, infotainment and cruise control systems, manual air conditioning and extensive storage.

“It also has a completely redesigned dash that provides significant ergonomic advantages.

“So far, feedback has been positive. We’re hearing it drives really well; it’s nice to drive; and it’s very comfortable. Also, about the improved access to tools and parts which boosts efficiencies for our customers, plus the abundant safety and convenience features.” n Contact: 1800 425 438 or visit: www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

AI-based real-time, predictive telematics platform Teletrac Navman has released its next generation solution TN360 to deliver telematics functionalities in real-time, providing businesses with simplified, smart, predictive and actionable insights.

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he TN360 solution marks the next phase of digital transformation in the mobile asset and fleet management market, Jens Meggers, President of Teletrac Navman said.

“It serves as a nexus for data collection across all integrated systems such as engine information, driver behaviour, camera sensors, temperature sensors as well as information connected via third party systems. Powered by AI, TN360 collects this information, constantly processing the ever-changing landscape, predicting critical insights to make an immediate impact on safety, compliance and efficiency.”

“The digital transformation of the mobile asset and fleet management space has only just begun,” Jens said.

“Artificial intelligence, scalable cloud technology, real-time computer vision sensors and easy-to-use smart data analysis are completely changing the telematics market. We

are at a pivotal step in the industry, digitising vertical industries unlike any time before.”

Traditional telematics systems rely mostly on GPS and motion sensors as they collect a narrow set of data-points, centred on location, diagnostics and routing. These systems process linear calculations and produce important but limited feedback.

TN360 uses a scalable cloud ecosystem that connects data from sensors, cameras, mobile and third-party applications in real time and translates raw signals into context, Jens said.

“The ability to capture, connect, and process robust amounts of data with immediacy will transform telematics from a two-dimensional map application to a powerful real-time sensor network producing insights for a three-dimensional world.

“While previous generations of telematics platforms aimed at eliminating paper-based reporting and processes, they required users to spend excessive amount of time analysing

digital reports to identify opportunities for improvement.

Through AI, TN360 removes that analysis period for its users. It allows managers to take corrective action as soon as impactful outliers occur,” Jens said.

“The platform enables business operations to recognise patterns of efficiency to highlight opportunities in areas like route planning, logistic workflows, maintenance, driver behaviour, compliance and fuel management. Users can quickly receive business intelligence metrics simply by asking a question of TN360’s smart AI engine with voicecommand technology, eliminating the challenge of traditional data analytics,” Jens said.

“Our goal is and always has been to simplify mobile asset and fleet management for our customers,” Andrew Rossington, Vice President of Technology, Teletrac Navman said.

“We built TN360 with an AI-first approach on the latest technology stack, delivering a paradigm-shifting product. We use this technology to process the masses of data collected and turn this into real answers.

The platform converts data into decisions,” Andrew said. n Visit: www.teletracnavman.co.nz/tn360

Nimble, driver-focused Hyster electric lift New 4-wheel Hyster electric forklifts are being introduced to the Asia-Pacific region.

The UT series of 4-wheel electric forklifts, in capacities from 1 to 3.5 tonnes complements the UT series range.

“UT series 4-wheel electric lift trucks are engineered for drivers, with an outstanding range of compliance, performance, comfort and easy service features,” Hyster Area Business Director, Pacific, Mark Chaffey said.

“Power options including wet cell batteries with single point watering or maintenance- free Lithium Ion technology.

Smooth, progressive high performance is provided by AC traction and hydraulic motors with electronic control. European designed AC controllers are coupled with AC traction and hydraulic motors to allow for precise controllability. A small steering wheel facilitates fine control, with eight degrees of adjustment and low steering effort for operation in confined spaces,” Mark said.

Further features include: • High strength profiled steel overhead guard for added protection plus low step height for easy access. The secure overhead guard has passed CE drop test and safety standards; • Wide view mast to enhance operators’ HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

Hyster 4-wheel electric lift trucks, engineered for the driver

forward view field. The high-vis mast provides soft landing technology as standard to absorb shocks. Controlled mast lowering speeds help to avoid damage. LED lighting is standard; • Full suspension seat that reduces driver fatigue, which, like the steering wheel, is adjustable to suit a wide variety of operators. Safety features also include an Operator Presence System; • Performance features include simple and clear display of speed, power, error code and working hours to keep operators fully informed. Colour displays integrated with functions such as

performance selection to configure the truck for different applications; • Integrated motor, transmission and axle provide compact performance and accessibility for maintenance. Precision cut gears provide reduced wear and lower noise levels.

“The use of quality and robust components, complemented by outstanding filtration and cooling, helps to provide driveroriented comfort, reliability and low cost of ownership. These elements, combined with fast availability of cost-effective replacement parts, help to curtail maintenance requirements and costs,” Mark said.

The new machines’ value proposition – “Meets the Need. Makes the Move.” – relates to customers who don’t need particular advanced functionality features, but prefer proven materials handling solutions backed by a supplier which they can trust – and that can provide the support of a reputable service network extending across Asia Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Korea and Taiwan. n Visit: www.hyster.com

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TRAILERS & TIPPERS

A Bonanza 7x4 Box Trailer – designed to be heavy-duty to withstand the harshest Australian conditions

A Bonanza of high quality, low cost trailers With more than 40 models of high quality, low cost galvanised trailers, Bonanza Trailers has long-term durability engineered into every trailer, Corey Southall, Manager at Bonanza Trailers said.

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he Bonanza Trailer line-up ranges from single and tandem axle box trailers, to heavy duty plant trailers for excavators and skid steers, corrosion-resistant boat trailers, versatile push-button hydraulic tippers, tilting flat-bed car trailers, canopy-topped tradie trailers and even ATV and lawn mower trailers.

“Bonanza Trailers are designed to be heavy-duty to withstand the harshest Australian conditions. A solid steel construction with high quality fully hotdipped galvanised coating prevents corrosion, ensuring long life and a rust-free finish for the long haul,” Corey said.

“All trailers are equipped with premium suspension and axles to ensure a smooth ride for your load, plus high quality new wheels and tyres. Electric brakes with breakaway systems come standard on all 3.5 tonne GVM models, with mechanical disk brakes standard on all 2 tonne GVM models.

“Bonanza’s range of box trailers are the most popular type of trailer sold, due to their versatility and cost-effective pricing. Suitable for anyone from tradies, to removalists, to farmers, to home DIYers and everyone in between, Bonanza’s Box Trailers come a wide range of sizes and configurations.

“All models also include free extras: a spare wheel, jockey wheel and 800mm cage for added value. Rear ramp gates can also be added as an option, to allow easy loading of P56

cargo,” Corey said.

“In addition, Bonanza’s plant trailer models offer a perfect solution for transporting your mini excavator, Positrack or skid steer. Constructed using the highest quality galvanised steel for heavy-duty durability, Bonanza has plant trailer models sized from 2.8 tonne GVM up to 4.5 tonne GVM to cater for a wide range of machines.

“Due to their rugged design, long lifespan and great pricing, Bonanza plant trailers are suited to rental fleets and machine-plus-trailer packages.

“Delivering operator-friendly functionality, Bonanza’s hydraulic tipper trailers cater for a wide range of uses, with 8x5, 10x5, 10x6 and 12x7 models available with hydraulic tipping operation. This is powered by 4 or 5 stage ram (depending on model) at the push of a button.

“Extremely popular with builders, plumbers, landscapers, tilers, rubbish removalists, earthmovers and excavation businesses, these tippers are an absolute musthave for any hire fleet,” Corey said.

“Bonanza boat trailers are also renowned for their durability and longevity, even in the most corrosive coastal environments. As with all Bonanza models, the boat trailers are fully hot-dip galvanised to provide supreme protection to the steel chassis for a long and robust life. High quality fittings, galvanised rims and axles, premium suspension and winches all come standard.

“Models are available to suit boats from 11 to 26 feet in length, plus Bonanza even have models designed for jet skis.

“Bonanza’s car trailer is also a popular option throughout Australia, perfect for motoring enthusiasts, racers, transport services or hobbyists. With a 3.5 tonne GVM, heavy duty carrying capability, generous deck space and a nifty tilt functionality for easy loading and unloading.”

Customers can visit and inspect Bonanza’s trailer models on-site at the Bonanza Newcastle, Perth or Sunshine Coast branches. Or, Bonanza can arrange delivery of all trailers to your door.

“All Bonanza Trailers are now available with easy payment plans from Trailer Pay, making it fast and simple to take your trailer home today with just a $200 deposit.” n Visit: www.bonanzatrailers.com.au or call 1300 422 922

A Bonanza Trailer PT28 with a JCB machine on board

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

TRAILERS & TIPPERS

55 ton traveling axle trailer The new the 5553TA traveling axle trailer from Talbert Manufacturing in the US has a planetary winch and Talbert’s redesigned piggy-back cylinder offering over 25% more power to move axles in adverse conditions.

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he 55-ton 5553TA excels in moving low clearance and dead loads, and has a 36inch loaded deck height and low 6degree load angle to provide safe, efficient loading and unloading.

Troy Geisler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Talbert Manufacturing said: “While other manufacturers use worm gear winches, the 5553TA comes standard with a 20,000pound planetary winch that uses a direct-drive system and offers up to twice the loading speed of alternatives.

“The winch is controlled with a sixfunction wireless remote, allowing a single operator to adjust the movement of the axles, winch and deck height from any position around the trailer, including from behind the wheel of inoperable vehicles or machinery being loaded. The remote also allows operation from the offside of the trailer, limiting exposure to traffic and increasing safety. The remote is rechargeable through a

Talbert Manufacturing’s 5553TA traveling axle trailer

USB port, and features a range of well over 200 feet,” Troy said.

Part of Talbert’s TA Series trailer models, the 5553TA features Talbert’s piggy-back cylinder with a 5inch diameter, allowing faster axle travel and more power in adverse conditions. This allows better traction for trailer movement in mud or off-road settings.

“The 55ton, 53foot trailer is rated at

100,000 pounds distributed and 80,000 pounds concentrated in 10feet. Constructed with one-piece, 4inch I-beam crossmembers on 9inch centres, the 5553TA trailer has the strength and durability to accommodate any load, from large tour buses or shipping containers to skid steers, mini-excavators and smaller equipment.

“Multiple double keyhole tie-down slots come standard for greater loading ease and additional flexibility for securing loads. This feature allows users to effectively secure and haul multiple pieces of small to medium equipment like forklifts and manlifts,” Troy said.

The trailer’s traveling axle enables a low 6degree load angle for easy loading, making it ideal for equipment with low ground clearance, such as rollers, pavers and other small- to mid-size construction equipment. The low deck height provides additional clearance under bridges and tunnels when transporting tall equipment and offers a superior view of the equipment and surroundings to maximise safe operation.

Additional features include two large capacity lockable toolboxes, one curbside and one driver’s side. n Visit: www.talbertmfg.com

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EQUIPMENT

Support when and where you need it seals mini excavator deal RDO Equipment delivered its first John Deere E18ZS Mini Excavator to Queensland based R&R Hire Services to service their trade customers ranging from qualified contractors hiring for a week of work, to ‘weekend warriors’ who need a machine for one-two days.

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&R Hire Services is based in Caboolture and owned and operated by husband and wife team Ian and Jillanne Rodgers who provide hire of party and trade equipment, from marquees to skid steers.

Customers are based locally in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, but they can often travel as far as Roma or Goondiwindi some 400kms away.

Ian said because most of their customers only hire for short-time use, they can’t afford downtime with the machines and need to get them serviced and checked regularly between hires to make sure there aren’t any issues for the next customer.

“When you work in hire, your machines should always be on the job. And if there’s a problem or a breakdown, that’s 100% on us as the business owners to resolve. We rely on our suppliers who have the infrastructure in place to support us, and our customers – including location, availability and responsiveness,” Ian said.

Ian has been working with Vermeer for nearly 12 months, but when they became a part of RDO Australia Group late last year, this presented the opportunity to access new

products and more support.

The RDO Australia Group includes Vermeer Australia, John Deere Construction and Forestry dealer RDO Equipment and Queensland agricultural machinery dealer Vanderfield, and has over 550 staff across their 18 dealerships.

“I take comfort in the fact if one of our machines is out on a job with a customer, locally or remotely and there is an issue, there will be an RDO or Vermeer technician only a couple of hours away. With other suppliers we’ve worked with we haven’t experienced that level of responsiveness,” Ian said.

“We know we can buy cheaper machines, but in three years’ time when we turn the machine over, the machine will be in a better resale position thanks to the quality and consistent service from the RDO team.”

The E18ZS is the first John Deere mini excavator RDO has sold in Australia after arriving in June. It features a zero-tail-swing design and retractable undercarriage.

“This is our first zero-swing machine, after we’ve had quite a few customers come in and ask if they can hire one. They’re great for the small DIY jobs because they can fit into tight spaces such as backyards or alleyways.”

RDO Equipment/Vermeer salesman David Holec, pictured here with Ian and Jillanne, has been a valuable partner

Ian said their RDO Equipment/Vermeer salesman, David Holec, has been a valuable partner to them since they purchased their first Vermeer machine only eight months ago. Now they own three Vermeer machines for hire – two mini skid steer loaders and a walk behind trencher, along with this new mini excavator.

“Dave isn’t just our sales rep, he’s our go to for parts or service issues or machinery advice. He has a great work ethic and is always there when you need anything or have any questions. If we put in a call to him, he never leaves you hanging and is really quick with getting back with answers. He knows his products inside out, upside down, which makes me feel comfortable we know what we’re getting,” Ian said. n Visit: www.rdoequipment.com.au

Powered Hand Truck is a COVID safe product

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akinex’s Powered Hand Truck (PHT-140) is a universal materials handling solution that enables one person to safely lift and load equipment or bulky objects weighing up to 140kg (309lbs) on and off trucks and trailers, Makinex National Sales Manager, Stuart Reynolds said.

“Currently with the Covid-19 environment, compliance to social distancing is a must.

“Safework Australia, in conjunction with the Federal government recommends a 1.5m minimum gap and reducing face-to-face proximity contact time,” Stuart said.

“For a hands-on industry like hire, there is often the need for a two-person lift which can include close proximity and add to the risk of vapor contact if not wearing a mask.

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Makinex’s Powered Hand Truck PHT-140

“By using the Makinex Powered Hand Truck to lift up to 140kgs it provides a 2.8m/9ft safe distance turning circle. If using one operator, then no other person

need be involved. If using two persons engaged with lift, then one can be at the handle end of the unit and the other person a safe distance away at the product end of the lift,” Stuart said.

Allen Besseling from Hire Express said: “One of the first products we bought was the PHT. The reason being, it’s just so efficient and effective in lifting items safely. Lifting 140kgs in good manner, it’s a good product.”

Sam Blake from Kincumber Hire said: “With the PHT it’s very easy to lift hire equipment on and off the ute, van etc. All in all, it is a back saver and complies with the social distancing guidelines.”n Visit: www.makinex.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

WACKER NEUSON DEALERS VICTORIA Australian Construction Equipment Sales 225 Colchester Road, Kilsyth. (03) 9988 9531 Bendigo Excavators 342 Midland Hwy, Epsom. (03) 5448 8999 Haeusler’s Group 2-10 Murray Valley Hwy, Echuca. (03) 5481 3800 31-37 Eleventh Street, Mildura. (03) 5055 0600 1 Moore Street, Robinvale. (03) 5051 8500 42 Best Street, Sea Lake. (03) 5070 3400 375 Goulburn Valley Hwy, Shepparton. (03) 5820 9700 Kerr’s Hire 2-4 Smithton Grove, Bellarine. (03) 5255 1344 21 Essington Street, Grovedale. (03) 5245 7877 14/16 Edols Street, North Geelong. (03) 5278 6011 Latrobe Valley Forklifts 33 Stratton Drive, Traralgon East. (03) 5176 2644 Mech-N-Air Construction & Access Equipment 129 Somerset Road, Campbellfield. (03) 9359 2039 Redi2Hire 193 Melbourne Road Wodonga. (02) 6024 2292

NEW SOUTH WALES Conplant NSW 25 York Road, Ingleburn. (02) 9933 3100 Industrial Replacements 1 Sharon Road, Batemans Bay. 1800 582 682 Jackson Plant and Transport Repairs 2/38a Enterprise Drive, Beresfield. 1300 951 068 1/14 Sovereign Place, Windsor. 1300 951 068 Liftek 11-13 Collier Street, Griffith. (02) 6964 3328 45 Pearson Street, Wagga Wagga. (02) 6925 4473

QUEENSLAND Conplant QLD 240 Peachey Road, Yatala. (07) 3287 0500 Equipment Services 1816 Ipswich Road, Rocklea. (07) 3607 3311 Equipment Specialists Australia 54 Carrington Road, Toowoomba. 1300 378 478

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Wacker Neuson Pty Ltd 40 Cavan Road, Dry Creek. (08) 8116 2700

DESIGN & INNOVATION MEETS POWERFUL PERFORMANCE Contact your local dealer for specific products and services for your construction equipment hire requirements.

All products and services on www.wackerneuson.com

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Beacon Equipment 3/170 Bannister Road Canningvale. (08) 9456 5811 Bunbury Machinery Picton Road East, Bunbury. (08) 9792 3923 Conplant WA 38 Truganina Way, Malaga. (08) 9224 9900 Nicholls Machinery 31/33 Bunbury Street, Busselton. (08) 9752 1466

Technology and Innovation – sponsored by Point of Rental

Fight COVID-19 with world’s first Opti-Clean Cube A modular walk-through station designed to combat the spread of COVID-19, bacterias and other viruses has had its world’s first deployment.

SR Construction employees walk through the Xtreme Opti-Clean Cube. Photo credit - Nico Poblete 2020

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as Vegas-based SR Construction, a fullservice design build general contractor, deployed the Xtreme Opti-Clean Cube from Xtreme Cubes Corporation, a manufacturer of modular buildings based in Henderson, Nevada in the US. Xtreme Cubes partnered with Proguardeum Corporation, an environmental technology company, and Maddox Defense, which provide human decontamination solutions.

Xtreme Cubes’ first mobile walkthrough structure produced in the US uses an unobtrusive dry mist system of the Proguardeum solution that is safe on skin, clothing and requires no protective equipment to be worn during misting.

Designed to be used at the entrances and exits to project sites, SR Construction ordered three Xtreme Opti-Clean Cubes when the concept was previewed to them in May 2020.

The first unit was delivered to SR Construction on 13 July, and has been deployed at the entrance to a construction site at the 262-bed Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada where they are building a new five-story patient tower.

SR Construction employees, trade P60

partners and site visitors walk through the XOCC as they enter and exit the jobsite, helping to minimise the risk of infection on the project.

Bret Loughridge, President, SR Construction said: “The health and safety of our employees, sub-contractors and community is the top priority at SR Construction. We have served the Las Vegas valley since 1991 and we are proud to be working with other Las Vegas businesses to lead the way in combatting COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria. We are the first company in the world to deploy the Xtreme Opti-Clean Cube solution and look forward to introducing the cubes onto our jobsites, as well as leading the construction sector in utilising this technology to keep our industry safe.”

Using proprietary and patented technologies to safely deliver an EPA and FDA approved hypochlorous solution (HOCL), the Proguardeum solution is produced at its highest purity in the form of hypochlorous (HOCL) without any contaminants, offering superior efficacy to inactivate 99.999%, a 5 log reduction, of known pathogens including COVID-19, and

a long-standing stability for storage, Brandon Main, CEO, Xtreme Cubes Corp said.

“Proguardeum contains no additives, buffers or preservatives, and is pH neutral and is non-toxic and non-hazardous to people and surfaces. This eco-friendly solution helps to eliminate the spread of infectious surface and airbourne pathogens,” Brandon said.

“Equipped with motion sensors, the Proguardeum solution is applied as a person walks through the Xtreme Opti-Clean Cube.

Measuring 8ft (2.43m) wide by 12ft (3.6m) long, each XOCC is equipped with forklift pockets meaning they can be relocatable or a permanent addition to existing buildings and facilities. The customisable structure includes options such as a thermal vision camera system,” Brandon said.

Part of the Ahern Family of Companies, owned by Don Ahern, Xtreme Cubes Corporation designs and manufactures custom modular buildings for a wide range of applications, including multi-family residential, office, retail, hospitality, military, industrial and agricultural.

Brandon said: “We have been able to leverage our existing relationship with the Proguardeum team to create a perfect partnership, right here in the Las Vegas valley, to help develop a revolutionary solution that will not only benefit our local community but communities all across the world. The combination of Proguardeum’s expertise in disinfecting and our ability to rapidly design and engineer custom structures has been a winning formula, and I am delighted to deliver the first Xtreme Opti-Clean Cube to SR Construction, a longstanding and highly regarded Las Vegas general contractor.”

The XOCC is ideal for use at healthcare facilities, public buildings and events, such as casinos, retail stores, shopping malls, stadiums, entertainment and sporting venues, construction jobsites, offices, manufacturing facilities, and more. It was unveiled at the Xtreme Cubes corporate headquarters in Henderson, Nevada on 3 June, and is now in full production.

Headquartered in Henderson, Nevada, Xtreme Cubes Corporation is a manufacturer of custom modular buildings. The company designs, engineers, fabricates and assembles all sizes of structures using its innovative steel space frame that provides unlimited options for customisation for all types of applications, with a fast design and build time.

Xtreme Cubes Corporation is part of the Ahern Family of Companies, owned by Don Ahern. The group of 19 businesses includes Ahern Rentals, Xtreme Manufacturing, Snorkel, Diamond A Equipment, Ahern International, AX Transportation, Equipment Parts Plus, Ahern Hotel and other related entities. n Visit www.xtremecubes.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

EQUIPMENT

Early adopter reaps rewards of on-line parts service The my.komatsu.com.au parts online ordering platform has created savings ‘in the thousands for early adopter Bennett Contracting and Plant Hire of Clermont, located 300kms inland from Mackay and almost 1000kms from Brisbane

Patrick Anderson said the Komatsu portal is ‘very intuitive’

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he remote area, contracting and plant hire company signed onto the parts online ordering platform to streamline its day-to-day business with its key machinery supplier.

Now it has found a pathway to ordering essential replacement parts for its other machines as well, at a substantial cost saving and has significantly reduced freight costs to its remote depot.

Komatsu launched the intuitive parts ordering portal on its my.komatsu.com.au customer website 12 months ago to assist customers like Bennett Contracting maximise service and maintenance schedules.

The portal is available to all Komatsu customers as a free of charge subscription.

“I must admit I was sceptical when my Komatsu Customer Support Sales Representative Alistair Ross presented it to me,” Bennett’s Workshop Maintenance Manager, Patrick Anderson said.

“I’m pushing 50 and I’ve been used to doing my parts ordering business over the phone, even though it can be aggravating.

“If I order parts worth more than $500, the freight to my workshop is free,” Patrick said.

“A reasonable percentage of my orders come from Brisbane so that represents a huge saving, especially if I’m smart about predicting my needs to ensure they meet the minimum freight requirement.”

Bennett Contracting runs a fleet of five 650-series Komatsu graders and two D65 bulldozers at the hub of a hire fleet which encompasses more than a dozen prime movers and associated lighting plants and generators.

“We’ve just taken on another Komatsu D65 bulldozer to service increasing requirements from the shire,” Patrick said.

“The myKomatsu Customer Portal provides instant access to the online Parts Books for the new machine, so its management has become easier and more visible right from the outset.”

Bennett Contracting services mines, agriculture and council requirements over a 300km radius, and adheres to a strict 250 hour servicing policy on all its machinery, made necessary by extreme operating conditions.

Dust on earth works, particularly, is a major concern.

“The Komatsu portal has opened great opportunity to us,” Patrick said.

“It offers a range of top-quality components to suit all our machinery, especially regular replacement items like fuel and air filters.

“Some are at prices well below those we’d been paying, and when you take into account the reduced freight charges, it’s a very competitive arrangement.”

Bennett Contracting began more than 20 years ago as an adjunct to the agricultural operation of local cattle farmers Greg and Sophie Bennett, with ‘a Komatsu grader and a water truck,’ according to Patrick.

It has grown to employ more than 30 skilled operators – substantial in a rural community with a population of just 3,000, and according to Patrick Anderson, is continuing to grow.

According to Komatsu Customer Support Sales Representative Alistair Ross, take up of the my.komatsu.com.au portal in Emerald and the Isaac shire has been growing significantly.

“The interruption brought about by COVID-19 restrictions has reduced contact at our branch and made an on-line service even more essential,” he said.

Customers are able to pay by credit card or on account, and receive live tracking updates via email during the delivery process, starting with an instant confirmation the order has been received.

“Access to a complete order history, including those made by means other than the online portal, gave customers full transparency of their spend with Komatsu and aids their accounting process,” Alistair said.

“Importantly, the portal has been made extremely intuitively so customers can import and export shopping cart choices at the click of a button without having to manually enter every single part number.

“It’s a system which virtually eliminates errors.” n Visit: www.komatsu.com.au

New Takeuchi models released Semco Equipment Sales has released new Takeuchi models; three excavators and a new compact track loader.

The new TB217R 1.7 tonne model has been designed for operators looking for a heavier machine for greater ground stability, a short-reduced tail swing and extended reach for high performance on smaller access worksites, Satch Santilli, Sales Director Semco Equipment Sales said.

Featuring a longer undercarriage, TB217R has a 1,130mm arm, 4,000mm maximum reach and a maximum dig depth of 2,390mm. The excavator features Takeuchi’s high-quality engineering and rugged construction designed to deliver a long and reliable life of high productivity.

An update to the popular old model HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

TB153FR, the 6-tonne operating weight TB257FR includes many new features as well as increased performance specifications.

The excavator’s Tier 4 39KW engine produces a 32% increase in power output over the previous model, as well as a 19% increase in traction force/pushing power, Satch said. It includes other enhancements such as a handy retractable fuel transfer pump.

Aimed at filling a gap in the market, the 7-tonne TB370 represents the debut of Takeuchi’s next generation technology Satch said. The first of Takeuchi’s ‘3-Series’ excavators includes a large touch screen control panel.

The TB370 offers options generally only available on larger machines of around 20 tonnes. This model will appeal to

operators of 5.5 tonne machines who are looking for a machine that satisfies the road transport regulation limits while providing a flexible 7-tonne machine, Satch said.

A new design, the TB370 delivers 120LPM high flow auxiliary output with adjustable flow and pressure and a retractable fuel transfer pump. The spacious and comfortable cab has an automotive style interior, heated air suspension seat, 8inch multi-function LCD dash panel with touch screen, a 270degree camera, OPG level 2 roof guard and a high-performance LED night lighting kit, he said.

Visit: www.takeuchi.com.au or call 1800 685 525

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EQUIPMENT

Toyota Huski skid steers a secret to success for high-end landscaper A five-strong fleet of new Toyota Huski skid steer loaders is the latest ‘engine room’ driving the success of one of Victoria’s largest landscaping businesses.

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arrandale Industries, a family run business based in Scoresby, Victoria, has put Toyota Huski skid steer loaders to work since its inception, as directors and brothers, Rob and Tim Buruma, explained.

“Our Dad, Henk, emigrated in 1954,” said Rob Buruma. “He was a high-school teacher and started rotary hoeing and landscaping on weekends to make extra money. From that, he started the company. He bought a second-hand Mustang skid steer and Bedford tipper for $5000. It was a big decision for him.

“The second machine he ever bought was a brand-new Toyota Rassler Skid Steer when they first came out in 1985 and that was an even bigger decision for Dad, but even at that time it was a reasonable price for a machine that demonstrated good reliability.

“We’ve kept on buying Toyota Huskis ever since and the business has kept developing and growing throughout the years.”

Rob Buruma said his father’s call to invest in his first Huski skid steer loader was integral to the business’ growth and that to date it has bought 34 Toyota Huskis since 1985.

“That first Huski was a catalyst for our ultimate success,” he said. “It was one of the best early on things he did for the business because it really allowed it to grow.

Warrandale Industries’ Toyota Huski at work

“As the business has grown, we’ve needed more Huskis to keep up with our workflow and the large scale of our projects so we’ve added more Huski machines and currently maintain a fleet of five Huskis which we regularly change over.

Presently, Warrandale Industries employs over 40 staff and is responsible for a raft of complex, award-winning projects, including

the 2018 Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers Award, and performs many public works on behalf of the Victorian government.

Co-director, Tim Buruma explained that one of the businesses’ points-of-difference is that in addition to being specialist landscapers, they are also commercial builders.

“Essentially, we focus on large-scale commercial landscape construction projects that are detailed, varied and specialised,” said Tim Buruma.

Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) Victorian area sales manager Huski Construction Equipment, Thomas Machar, said Warrandale Industries has an ethos of investing in its equipment in order to maximise its abilities on site.

“Warrandale does large-scale landscaping jobs so for them the Huskis are like big, powerful, reliable wheelbarrows. They are extremely handy and useful machines to have on site in order to be used at any time.”

Warrandale Industries’ latest order of Toyota Huski skid steer loaders comprised four 5SDK8s and a 5SDK5, and was a like-for-like replacement of its former fleet, as Tim Buruma explained. “We bought the exact same models from Tom back in 2015,” Tim said.

“The 5SDK5 is smaller so it’s a bit nimbler and it’s handy for running a broom down paths on the commercial subdivisions we do. It’s also great at other jobs and we have different attachments for it such as forks and augers.”

Warrandale Industries has also been a longstanding customer for other Toyota machines including passenger vehicles, fourwheel drives and Toyota forklifts.

In conjunction with skid steer loaders, the Huski Construction Equipment range also comprises scissor lifts with platform heights ranging from 5.72m to 9.68m, and a selection of mini-excavators including a 1.3-tonne short-radius machine and six zero tail swing models ranging from 1.6 to 6 tonne. n Contact: 1800 425 438 or visit www.huskiconstructionequipment.com.au

First Battery-Powered Roller Screed

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urb Roller Manufacturing has launched the Batt Screed 6000, what it calls the industry’s first batterypowered roller screed.

The lightweight roller screed operates with no cords, hoses or fumes, offering mobility, precision and efficiency to contractors of all sizes, Seth Ulmer, Curb Roller Manufacturing Sales Manager said.

The Batt Screed gets its power from a removable and rechargeable 60volt lithium ion DeWalt Flexvolt battery which are often used for smaller or heavy-duty cordless tools like hammer drills or cutoff saws. One fully charged battery is estimated to screed off 1,800 – 2,500ft2, depending on the slump and pipe length. By eliminating an auxiliary power source, the Batt Screed 6000 can be operated

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almost anywhere, Seth said and eliminates exhaust fumes, power cords and the need for hydraulic power sources, making it ideal for indoor operation or use in tight spaces.

The Batt Screed easily accommodates jobs from 3 to 22 feet with expandable tube inserts.

“The Batt Screed provides a consistently higher-quality finished product than vibrating screeds or screed boards. It eliminates the need for back-breaking work, providing an ideal solution for contractors who want to get more flatwork done in less time — all with a better, flatter finished product,” Seth said.

“Because roller screeds spin the concrete into shape versus vibrating the concrete, larger aggregate, and more of it, remains near the surface of the slab, providing increased structural integrity. Conversely, vibrating

screeds use vibration to form the concrete which often causes the aggregate to fall to the bottom of the slab, leaving the concrete more open to spalling.

“The Batt Screed design includes a heavyduty kickstand that enables the operator to leave the screed free-standing during a pour.

Other screeds that don’t have this feature risk being set in wet concrete or dust, which can be detrimental to the operation of the machine.

The kickstand increases the cleanliness and longevity of the unit, Seth said The Batt Screed features strong connection points that help prevent unnecessary wear or breakage. n Visit: www.curbroller.com

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

EQUIPMENT

Redefined safety: Everything in sight with the Dual View Dumper The DV90 Dual View Dumper from Wacker Neuson features a 180° turn option of the entire operating and seat console to give the operator perfect vision in the direction of travel, during transportation, loading and unloading.

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he dual view concept allows a comfortable and quick change of the seat position from the driver’s seat by simply unlocking the seat console and turning it around. The DV90 is available in three models with a payload of six to 10 tons.

Time-consuming turning and manoeuvring are no longer necessary.

Even a fully loaded skip no longer blocks the view because the operator leaves the skip behind during travel, as with a truck, Henry Placek, National Sales and Marketing Manager, Wacker Neuson said.

“To keep the environment around the skip in view, a rearview camera can be installed as an option, which is well-protected in a frame,” Henry said.

“An optional front-view camera completes the perfect

The DV90 Dual View Dumper from Wacker Neuson features a 180° turn option of the entire operating and seat console

from damage from an excavator bucket,” Henry said.

“Thanks to its articulated pendulum joint, the DV90 is much more manoeuvrable and off-road capable than trucks and can also be used in uneven terrain. Even under full load, it always remains in contact with the ground and retains very good traction, even in uneven terrain.

“Thanks to the variable 180-degree tilting, a flexible swivel tip skip ensures material can be precisely distributed.

“Dual View unfurls its strengths in particular on small,

confined construction sites. The operator steers the wheel dumper with the skip in the travel direction on the construction site, loads or unloads it with a full view of the loading area and, after a 180-degree rotation of the seat, drives away again in the same way with a free line-of-sight without having to turn the vehicle. In this way, the operator always has the working environment in full view, which means significantly more safety.” n

Hire Industry Mag Bimonthly

view. Both cameras as well as the display meet the highest protection class rating IP69 (dustproof and protection against water ingression during steam jet cleaning), making them ideal for the harsh conditions on the construction site.

“Other time-tested and proven safety features, such as the hydrostatic drive, the wear-free spring-loaded parking brake, as well as the operation via joystick, which can be used to guarantee the operator always keeps a hand on the steering wheel, ensure the simple and intuitive operation of the DV90.

“In addition to the canopy version or fold-down roll over protective structure, the DV90 is also available with a cabin. A sturdy protective grating on the skip protects the operator and cabin from falling material and

86.5 w x 130 h

Visit: www.wackerneuson.com/ dualview

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Dual View Dumpers win European Rental Product of the Year

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he Wacker Neuson Dual View Dumpers have been awarded the European Rental Award in the category of ‘Rental Product of the Year’.

Alexander Greschner, CSO of the Wacker Neuson Group, accepted the award and thanked the company in his video message: “I am delighted our Dual View dumper has been awarded Rental Product of the Year 2020. Dual View is the result of very close collaboration with our customers, particularly rental companies, who have accompanied us throughout

the entire product development process. With these dumpers, we are setting new standards in terms of operator and construction site safety, flexibility and economy, and that makes our Dual View dumpers ideal for rental companies.”

The ‘European Rental Award’ is organised jointly by KHL Group, the magazine International Rental News and the European Rental Association and is awarded in various categories. n Visit: www.wackerneuson.com/ dualview

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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EQUIPMENT

Snorkel material lifts now in Australia Snorkel material lifts are now available in Australia in a range of lift heights and capacities across three families.

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norkel material lifts feature a dualhandle, shift-on-the-fly, two-speed winch for increased productivity when lifting loads, up to twice as fast as other material lifts on the market, Snorkel CEO, Matthew Elvin, said.

A cable guard, and heavy-duty nonmarking casters are fitted as standard, and the lifts utilise heavy-gauge aluminum

extrusions and construction-grade cast metal cable pulleys for a long-working life. Adjustable loading wheels make light work of transporting the lifts. They can even be transported in some cars and small commercial vehicles, Matthew said.

“Quick-fold stabiliser legs do not require tools, making set up easy, and nonmarking wheels allow the lifts to be easily maneuvered, even in the stowed position.

Designed for heavy-duty construction tasks, the Snorkel ‘ML-C’ range includes three models. The Snorkel ML12C offers 3.5m of lift height with up to 340kg of load capacity at a 0.36m load centre, with the larger Snorkel ML18C offering up to 5.1m lift height with up to 318kg load capacity at a 0.36m load centre. The largest model in the family is the Snorkel ML24C that can lift up to 295kg at a 0.36m load centre to a lift height of up to 6.9m.

Ideal for interior applications, the Snorkel ‘ML-M’ Snorkel material lifts feature a dual-handle, shift-on-the-fly, two-speed winch for family are referred increased productivity when lifting loads to as mini material

lifts, and feature a low stowed mast height to easily pass through a standard doorway without requiring a tilt-back system. They are well-suited to facilities maintenance applications where loads may need to be moved throughout a multi-room facility, and are available in three models. The Snorkel ML12M can lift up to 318kg at a 0.36m load centre to a lift height of 3.8m. At the same load center, the Snorkel ML16M and Snorkel ML20M can lift loads of 295kg and 272kg to lift heights of 4.4m and 5.5m respectively.

The newest additions to the Snorkel material lift range is a family of five ‘ML-I’ models designed for industrial or warehousing applications. With a stowed width of 0.77m, the ML-I series is designed to be narrow for maneuvering around aisles and through doorways. The smallest model in the family is the ML5I, capable of lifting up to 454kg at a 0.36m load centre to a lift height of 2.0m. The ML10I and ML15I models lift 408kg and 363kg at a 0.36m load centre, to lift heights of 3.4m and 4.8m respectively. The larger ML20I and ML25I both benefit from the same narrow stowed width and can lift 340kg and 272kg respectively at a 0.36m load centre to lift heights of 6.2m and 7.6m.

All 11 Snorkel material lifts can be customised with options, including adjustable forks and fork extensions, a boom attachment, a pipe cradle and a load platform for lifting tools, buckets and materials. They are built in the USA and are backed by Snorkel’s standard two-year parts and labour and five-year structural warranty.

Matthew Elvin, said: “Material lifts are a natural addition to the Snorkel product portfolio. They are commonly purchased by rental companies as well as by contractors, which aligns with the efforts of our existing Snorkel sales and distribution channels.

We see them as a complementary product that ultimately reinforces our focus on and commitment to safe working at height, whether we are lifting people or materials.”

Snorkel material lifts are available in Australia through Ahern Australia. n Visit: www.ahernaustralia.com.au

Texada Software launches Texada Pay in Australia and NZ

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exada Software has launched Texada Pay, a fully integrated payment processing platform in Australia and New Zealand.

Texada Pay provides Texada’s rental and asset management software customers the ability to process credit cards and direct bank debit payments within their applications, including Texada’s e-commerce store and Customer Portal solution, called Gateway.

Texada Pay also offers the ability to properly store credit cards and direct bank debit information so customers can easily collect payments for cycle-billed rental transactions.

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The company is expanding this popular offering to customers in the APAC region after a successful launch of Texada Pay in North America.

Customers who now use this feature state they find it much easier to finalise a rental transaction, streamline deposit collections, receive payments on time, and reconcile

invoice discrepancies, among many notable benefits, Glenn Schwede, General Manager of Texada Software’s APAC region said.

Texada Pay supports chip and pin (EMV) Point of Sale card processing and operates within a PCI compliant environment.

Other features include Decline Minimiser to maintain current payment information, EdgeShield Security to tokenise and encrypt payment details, and Virtual Terminal, which allows for recurring payments through a variety of different payment methods. n Visit: https://texadasoftware.com/texada-pay/

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

EQUIPMENT

Joint venture partners wanted for concrete forming systems rental centres Concrete forming systems and solutions provider, Symons

by Dayton Superior is looking to combine its North American dealer network (for whom it is a manufacturer), and its owned rental yards, into a series of joint ventures with localised partners in Australia.

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ayton Superior Corporation Australia’s Managing Director, Brent Poll said the company has been established in Australia since 2015 with years of success selling wall and multi-story forming systems via its current distributors in rural Queensland and Victoria.

“Now Dayton Superior is looking to expand the Symons Dealer rental network, particularly into metro centres and we are looking for joint venture partners,” Brent said.

Symons offers systems for domestic and civil concreter applications through to major civil projects like bridges and tunnels and major building projects like high rise and commercial, Brent said.

“To date our sales have focused on the apartment market, supplying three story walk ups to a 44 story building, to 500 apartment developments. We have also featured strongly in the civil, municipal and public works markets,” Brent said.

“Globally, formwork rental is far, far bigger than formwork sales and rental is the natural fit for Symons. The Australian market uses very concrete centric construction methods and formwork is a key component.

“Symons has considerable project engineering depth and various formwork systems for most building and civil applications.

Brent said he sees the best fit for Australian partners as those businesses with sales and rental operations.

“We have the fleet, the engineering HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

history, the brand and knowledge of how to run a rental business. Partners are needed to provide the people, the premises and the customers,” he said.

“Established in the US in 1901, USA based Dayton Superior is a diversified manufacturing and engineered systems company primarily focused on the concrete construction industry.

Symons both manufactures and offers for rent, a multitude of different concrete forming systems,” Brent said.

“Symons offers fleet support, technical and project engineering support and many decades of formwork rental systems and experience in civil and building construction.

“In the US, Dayton Superior is a diversified, concrete industry manufacturer and solutions provider, making everything from basic concrete accessories like steel and plastic bar chairs, to concrete chemicals such as reinforcing epoxy and concrete curing products, to high rise and bridge forming systems.

“While Symons’ focus in Australia has been primarily apartment forming systems, Symons is better known for large and small civil forming systems, be they simple pit forms, one sided wall forming systems or even bridge formwork,” Brent said.

“Our most popular product globally is a basic hand set wall forming system called Symons SteelPly, which was first patented, manufactured and rented by Symons in 1956. This system is available to rent from hundreds of Symons dealers throughout North America, and is still our most popular product today.

Symons offers significant project engineering support with a combined 1500 years of engineering experience. n Contact: 0417 057 396 or visit: www.daytonsuperior.com

Swing loader transforms mobility

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he AS1600 swing loader from Mecalac and all models in the AS Swing Loader Series, can pivot their bucket 90 degrees to either side, representing a departure from traditional wheel loader design.

Peter Bigwood, General Manager for Mecalac North America said a rigid frame and 4-wheel steering provide industryleading productivity and stability while driving, operating and unloading in virtually any condition or terrain.

“The AS1600 provides game-changing space management, requiring only half the space of conventional loaders for tasks such as loading trucks or discharging materials into trenches with a standard 2.1 cubic-yard (1.6m3) bucket,” Peter said.

“The key to the 12ton (10,920kg) AS1600’s appeal, like all models in the AS Series, is its innovative design, giving it the ability to swivel its fully loaded bucket 90 degrees on either side. This opens up a number of opportunities to approach jobs differently; taking up just one lane of traffic, for example, on a road job, rather than the two necessary for operating traditional loaders, and transforms space management and logistics.

The equipment features three steering options, 2-wheel, 4-wheel and crab, which offer further flexibility for congested jobsites.

Operators can simultaneously drive, pivot and maneuver, increasing productivity and safety and making common tasks such as backfilling a trench easier and more efficient.

After loading material, operators can simply back up, rotating the bucket in the process.

Materials can then be discharged over the side while the machine reverses along the trench, streamlining operations and reducing unnecessary downtime, noise and environmental impact.

The AS1600 also provides increased stability over traditional articulated loaders.

An automatically engaging rear axle allows operators to pivot the bucket up to 90 degrees in either direction without reducing overall stability. n Visit: www.mecalac.com

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THE LAST WORD

Preston Hire Yello Equipment is the authorised Sany dealer in NSW and Queensland and is working hard to continue to grow and develop the brand

Expanding Preston Group of Companies takes on Sany dealership The Preston Group of Companies has taken the time enforced

by COVID-19 to work on business development and has emerged after six months with a raft of new initiatives and business opportunities.

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avid Serg, Chief Operating Officer for the Preston Group of Companies said while the COVID-19 shutdown has been a difficult time, the past six months has also been incredibly busy for the company. He said the shutdown actually provided the necessary time and headspace to really focus on how to grow the business overall.

First up was to formalise the Preston Group and sort the business into three pillars of operation: Hire and Rental; Mechanical; and to create Yello Equipment as the newly appointed Sany authorised dealer in NSW and Queensland.

The hire and rental pillar encompasses Preston Hire in Australia and New Zealand, Preston Rentals in the USA and Canada and its rental alliance partner in Europe.

“The New Zealand market has been difficult for us this year with the COVID-19 shutdown. We’ve had complete shutdown in New Zealand and no access to that market since early in the year.

“We have intent to open multiple branches in the New Zealand market but have been forced to take a slower approach this year.

“We are currently growing the business from our Auckland base and have now decided to open a new branch in Christchurch in the South Island.

“At the same time, we have been expanding our Preston Rentals operations in North America, where we have been operating for over 10 years now. During those 10 years, P66

Preston Hire’s Markus Preston and COO David Serg

from time-to-time we have put product into Canada from our US base but recently decided to ramp up and grow our North American business and to really service the Canadian market by opening a branch there.

“We also recently added cranes for the first time into our Preston Rentals business in the USA,” David said.

The Mechanical pillar is the Preston Group equipment servicing department which has grown to service external equipment 80% of the time while 20% of the operation is devoted to caretaking Preston equipment. This includes access companies, crane companies, airport equipment and mining equipment, among other equipment, David said.

“Our SuperService Centre in Underwood in Queensland has been in operation for over two years now and has been one of those businesses that just grew from servicing our own equipment.

“We have expanded heavily into cranes and crane rentals. Cranes are high risk equipment and we wanted to do something a little different than just having some technicians on site to service our equipment. That saw the growth and development of our SuperService Centres which have expanded and are now operating in Brisbane and Sydney and Melbourne out of Preston Hire branches.”

The establishment of Yello Equipment is the third pillar of development for the company as the authorised Sany heavy equipment dealer for NSW and Queensland.

“The Sany Group is one of the largest equipment manufacturers in China and we have established a dealership here in Australia which has been trading since August.

“Currently Yellow Equipment is based in Underwood in Queensland out of the Preston Hire premises and also in Smithfield in Sydney where we have leased a share property and are offering a range of excavators.

“We are working hard to continue to grow and develop Yello Equipment and we look forward to opportunities for further expansion soon,” David said.

“Our name is becoming more wellknown internationally and we have enormous opportunities now.

“It has taken us years to get off the ground but now we have grown and developed to have greater opportunities.

“And this aligns with our values of being individual and doing our own thing. We definitely see we have amazing potential for growing the business overall moving forward.” n Visit: www.prestongroup.com.au and www.yelloequipment.com and www.sservice.com.au

HIRE & RENTAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

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