Issuu

NOV 2019

VOL21 NO.2

ONNECTING YOU O YOUR FLEET

IN THIS ISSUE

All you need to know about effective credit management – Part 1 – see p16

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

Impacts for hire as temporary fencing Standards changes loom – p14

Measures to protect your business and yourself – HLB Mann Judd tells us how – p24

ATO debt can lead to taxing times – see p19

50 years serving rural events market – p50

Women in Hire – empowering women – p22GENIELIFT.COM.AU 3 Features inside: Vehicles Trailers | 1800 &788 633 p26; Power, Pumps & Lighting p53; Forklifts p61

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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 Vice President: Braden Murrin Tel: 0407 429 423 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 Tel: 08 6258 4195 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 and Rental News – 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

Contents

Regulars 4 Association News 6 Industry News 12 Industry in Focus 27 Access in Action 45 Events in Focus 64 Equipment 66 Calendar of Events

Features

Temporary fencing Standards changes to bring significant impact for hire

Why an employee share and option scheme can be a great idea – Bartier Perry tells us how

Business Health – Time to take stock

Empowering women working in hire

FEATURE: HVAC NOV 2019

VOL21 NO.2

CONNECTING YOU TO YOUR FLEET

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

PROFILE: 30 years in hire began with a portable toilet

FEATURE: Vehicles & Trailers

IN THIS ISSUE

All you need to know about effective credit management – Part 1 – see p16

Impacts for hire as Temporary fencing Standards changes loom – p14

Measures to protect your business and yourself – HLB Mann Judd tells us how – p24

ATO debt can lead to taxing times – see p19

50 years serving rural events market – p50

Women in Hire – empowering women – p22GENIELIFT.COM.AU 3 Features inside: Vehicles Trailers | 1800 &788 633 p26; Power, Pumps & Lighting p53; Forklifts p61

On the cover

LiftConnect Cover - HR News.indd 1

FEATURE: Power, Pumps & Lighting

6,384 (Audit period March 2019) CAB Member since March 2010 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

Mobile Kitchens & Catering

FEATURE: Forklifts

30/8/19 12:01 pm

New Genie Lift Connect Telematics program Genie has launched its new Genie Lift Connect Telematics program focused on actionable information, flexibility and transparency. The Genie Lift Connect program enables a rental business to gauge how its equipment is performing, how often a piece is being utilised and where each unit is or when it is ready for machine maintenance. The new technology will suit rental fleets from 10 – 10,000 machines. Visit: www.genielift.com

ASSOCIATION NEWS

President’s message

It’s all about connectivity – in systems and in life

ow much has the way we run and manage our businesses changed in the past 20 years? Just two decades ago, we barely had the internet, computers, or email and the way we communicated, documented and shared information was vastly different; every worker was basically limited to working from 9am-5pm. The change has been phenomenal, which brings me to a dilemma I faced recently in my business. We recently switched all our office systems to a cloud-based management system. The benefits we received from implementing this system were amazing. We had a new platform for email, documents, messaging and calendar entries, plus greater connectivity. And the real winner was flexibility – enabling our staff to access our business information and connect from anywhere, anytime. However, our system went down due to some computer glitch with the internet provider, and I’m sure I will never really find out exactly what the so-called glitch was. We lost all telephones and internet connectivity for 24 hours, followed by a second day of about eight hours outage, which was a nightmare. No one could ring us and we couldn’t ring anyone back, not

even the internet provider because all their telephone systems were also offline. We had no way to access the internet or our emails and we became completely incapable of communicating, effectively shutting down our business for the duration. Some colourful language later, we are now making changes to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We will split our systems, especially our phone system from the cloud based management system, to ensure our customers can reach us via telephone at any time. Technology is a wonderful thing while it is working and everyone had been telling me how great the cloud is, but beware, not all clouds have a silver lining! In the event of business interruption, your HRIA Insurance brokers can offer insurance policies that protect your businesses from lost income such as the disruption that occurred to our business. Please contact your local representative at your next state meeting or via the HRIA National office. On the subject of connectivity, the HRIA recently launched the Hire & Rental News website. This is a great resource for all members to check what is happening in the world of hire and rental and is complemented by the new format of our newsletters, which will now come to you twice a month with links to the new website. The new HRIA logo was announced in May just prior to HIRE19 and you would have seen the roll out of the logo across

New awards announced for HIRE20 in Adelaide

cknowledging the inspiring input from our industry’s aspiring leaders and women working in hire, two new awards have been announced by the HRIA for the Hire Industry Excellence Awards at next year’s industry Convention, HIRE20. The HRIA Woman of Influence Award will recognise women who have made an extraordinary contribution to the hire industry that is worthy of special recognition. Nominees will be assessed on criteria including: length of time in the hire industry; specifics of the ‘extraordinary contribution’ they have made over the years, P4

roles held by the nominee within the industry; and participation in industry events and initiatives. The Young Professional of the Year Award will recognise outstanding achievement in members of the Young Professionals Network who have participated in the Young Professionals Network Pilot Development Program or the Leadership Development Program. More information will be released soon. n

communications and at state and national meetings and events. This logo gives the Association a modern and fresh look we can all be proud of and ties in with the new EWPA and TSHA logos, ensuring the look of the three Associations works well side by side, as do the actual Associations. I personally am thrilled with the new look that has been developed by the National Office and look forward to moving ahead with more projects on the Association’s Strategic Plan. The next stage is to update and relaunch our main website, making it easier for members to connect with all the benefits of HRIA membership to assist them in running their businesses. While we are talking about connecting with people, I would also like to share with you a very interesting and engaging guest speaker at our SA state breakfast meeting recently, Anthony Hart. His topic was mental health, which is something I and the HRIA Board are very keen to support and spread the message to as many of our members as possible. His story is an amazing one. He literally jumped out of a 17 storey building in Sydney with the plan to end it all – but amazingly survived. Now he travels the country telling his story. With our industry being fast-paced and 24/7, we all need to be mindful of this and not be frightened to discuss issues openly with our colleagues, family and friends. We all need to bring the discussion of mental health into the mainstream, to remove the stigma and to spread the word it is always a good idea to check in with your co-workers and ask: How is everything going? Are you OK? Since this is our November issue, I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy festive season and a great start to the New Year. Please save the date for our next convention, HIRE20, 26 - 28 May 2020 in my hometown, Adelaide. I am hoping we can make this a memorable convention for all. See you in 2020!

Mark Burton HRIA National President

Visit: www.hire20.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

The HRIA Apprenticeship & Traineeship Scheme (HATS)

he HRIA has launched a pilot HRIA Apprenticeship & Traineeship Scheme (HATS) jointly developed with National Training Organisation and VERTO after tailoring the Certificate III in Business to the hire and rental industry. Designed to provide further education opportunities to staff working within the hire and rental industry, HATS will be launched

initially in NSW and made available to HRIA members, EWPA and TSHA members. HATS will build employees capabilities while minimally impacting on business. Government incentives and payroll tax exemptions are available, creating a training surplus while having motivated staff will improve staff retention rates and build a competitive edge.

New leadership responds to changing business Royal Wolf has restructured its Executive Committee with a combination of new appointments and internal promotions.

ew Executive General Manager Australia, Simon Gillies has a background in hire and will be responsible for the Australian customer service centre network, working with the five regional managers. “There are lots of moving parts that integrate with one another in the customer service centres; equipment availability, staff engagement, staff training and reporting; that when done well will impact the customer in a positive way,” Simon said. “Although our brand is strong in the market; we have a great product range, the best distribution network, and dedicated staff who are experts in their field; there are lots of people who don’t know everything we do. Solving that disconnect is part of the solution to growing our business.” Viv Kennelly is the new Executive General Manager National Accounts, with oversight of the top 300 Royal Wolf accounts.

Pictured left to right: top row – Paul Creighton – Executive General Manger New Zealand; Viv Kennelly – Executive General Manager National Accounts; Simon Gillies – Executive General Manager Australia. Front row: Audrey Galbraith – Executive General Manager – Operations, Neil Littlewood – CEO, Royal Wolf, Greg Baker – Chief Financial Officer

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

Viv will work to develop account managers’ communication, relationship building and demonstration skills in order to better service these vital key accounts. He plans to “develop the skill set of our national account managers, so we all have a planned, proactive approach to the relationships with key customers.” Paul Creighton, Executive General Manager – New Zealand, who has been with the company for 15 years, said: “I’m responsible for connecting with customers, setting the framework with our internal teams and focusing the business on customers; that’s our number one priority.” “There are a number of initiatives across the company that we’ll be implementing, such as technology of processing systems and pushing that change through the business, engaging with the teams and ensuring the business grows.” He also has a key goal around new training and coaching for the sales teams. Audrey Galbraith, Australasia’s Executive General Manager of Operations will support the Executive General Managers. “The Royal Wolf team knows sales are only effective and repeated if the company has the operations side of the business performing at its peak. It is my team’s responsibility to do this. We need to ensure the right processes are in place; my team is continuing to deliver quality solutions based on the sale’s team’s promises,” she said. Royal Wolf specialises in the design, hire, sale and modification of new and refurbished shipping containers. n Visit: www.royalwolf.com.au

Staff will be given the opportunity to learn and develop skills within their industry while receiving a nationally recognised qualification. Units have been selected to best suit the hire and rental industry and cover: • Safety and WHS; • Sales and Customer Service; • Teamwork and workplace diversity; • Operations and process; • Personal work priorities and development. More details on the HRIA Apprenticeship & Traineeship Scheme including costs, eligibility, course duration and content can be found below. n Visit: www.hireandrental.com.au

Active Hire’s Brian A Telfer passes

ong-time hire industry and HRIA member, Brian Telfer died early in September and is well remembered by his business partners, industry friends and family. Brian was General Manager of Active Hire in Queensland until four years ago when he retired but his legacy lives on, business partner and friend Allan Rutherford said. “Brian was a basic sort of bloke, honest and straight forward and he was the best hire technician the industry has seen,” Allan said. He grew up working in his father and family’s service station and mechanical repairs shop, eventually becoming a fitter and turner. Brian worked for Kennards Hire in Queensland in one of their earliest store fronts in Queensland. He stayed there for a couple of years before taking up an opportunity with Budget Rent A Car in Sydney. Business partner Allan met Brian in Sydney when Allan was running his own hire company and was in partnership with his good friend John Brookfield who ran a sales and equipment import business also in Sydney. “John and I started in hire in Sydney in 1973. In March 1981 bought a business in Queensland called Scott’s Hire in Rocklea and we needed someone who knew the Queensland market and understood hire. So we brought Brian into the business. “Brian was the ultimate hire technician. He was always interested in machinery. He started his hire career at the back of the business, working in the wash bays and yard and checkin area. There is no substitute for that kind of industry knowledge,” Allan said. “Brian started in hire back when it was a fledgling industry and back when there was real sharing of information and industry knowledge that was universal. “He carried his passion for hire through to become President of the Queensland Association for some years.” There was no funeral as per Brian’s wishes. Thanks for your service Brian. n P5

INDUSTRY NEWS

Yanmar acquires ASV Holdings

ubber-tracked compact track loaders and wheeled skid steer loader manufacturer, ASV Holdings has been acquired by Yanmar America Corporation for $70.70 million. ASV Holdings’ patented

Posi-Track rubber tracked multi-level suspension undercarriage system provides a competitive market differentiator for its Compact Track Loader (CTL) offering power, performance and serviceability. Its wheeled Skid

Steer Loaders (SSLs) also share the common brand attributes. Yanmar was the first to succeed in making a compact diesel engine of a practical size in 1933. Then, with industrial diesel engines as the cornerstone of its enterprise, Yanmar has continued to expand its product range, services, and expertise to deliver total solutions as an industrial equipment manufacturer. n Visit: www.yanmar.com

ASV Holdings has been acquired by Yanmar America Corporation

Dust and slurry range combats fine dust contaminants

T Nathan Carroll State Sales and Operations Manager for Intafloors and Stuart Reynolds, National Sales Manager for Makinex

Partner of the Year and new WA partner for Makinex

akinex has awarded one of its key resellers – Intafloors – the Makinex Product Partner of the Year for 2019. The award is based a set of criteria including: breadth of range; sales, collaborative marketing; and brand association. Rory Kennard, Makinex CEO said: “Not only have Intafloors experienced strong sales of Makinex products, but they’ve also been very active in marketing our range, especially on their social media platforms. “Congratulations to Nathan Carrol and the Intafloors Team P6

and we look forward to another great year ahead,” Rory said. Plus, Makinex has welcomed PowerVac as its newest cleaning industry partner based in WA. “PowerVac is WA’s leading supplier and service agent for quality cleaning equipment and supplies,” Rory said. “They will be ranging the Makinex Dual Pressure Washer 4000 and 2500 and we look forward to supplying PowerVac so they can help their customers clean large surface areas efficiently and safely.” n Visit: www.makinex.com.au

he Husqvarna dust and slurry range includes the S-line, W-line and A-line of professional dust extractors, slurry vacs and portable air cleaners. The Husqvarna S-line consists of professional dust extractors designed to meet strict demands and are suitable for construction and restoration jobs, as well as for use with hand-held power tools. These compact, lightweight machines are equipped with one, two or three powerful single-phase electric motors with separate cooling and are capable of running continuously all day. The Jet Pulse cleaning of the conical main filter guarantees the dust is continuously collected while the Longopac collecting bag enables dust-free disposal. All of the machines have been designed for HEPA H13 filters which are individually tested and certified. This results in superior and safer dust collection, even with fine sanding and gypsum dust, Husqvarna’s Andrew Nightingale said. “The Husqvarna W-Line of slurry vacs is designed for the toughest jobs a slurry vacuum cleaner can handle,” Andrew said. “Where most wet/combi vacs can only handle water, the W-Line can manage liquids such as concrete slurry, oils and machining coolants. The unique combination of a three-stage filter system, large-volume, filter and float system with well-considered pump solutions, the W-Line delivers uninterrupted, highcapacity slurry evacuation all day long.

“The Husqvarna A-Line includes the most advanced and versatile portable air cleaners available on the market. They are tested and certified for use as both Air Cleaners and Negative Air Machines, making them the ideal complement to your dust and slurry management equipment, as well as in other applications where good air quality is essential.” n Visit: www.husqvarnagroup.com

New Working with Silica Guide released

he latest version of the National Working with Silica Guide (Working with silica and silica containing products – National guidance material) was released in September. The guide helps operators to understand and make decisions about protecting workers from exposure to silica dust. It provides general information about controlling the risks of working with silica and detailed information about controlling the risks of working with silica containing products that may contain very high levels of silica and pose a significant risk to the health of workers. n Visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Redstar rebrands to Atlas CEA Redstar Equipment is being rebranded with Atlas Copco generators, portable air compressors and lighting towers now to be distributed under the CEA banner.

ylton Taylor, CEO of CEA, said the company is consolidating its brands by making Atlas Copco part of the CEA brand. CEA is the exclusive distributor of JCB construction and agricultural machinery as well as Dynapac compaction and paving equipment. “Our mission is one of continuous growth and expansion with CEA as a market leading distributor of

globally recognised equipment brands, dedicated to enhancing our service and product offerings for customers in the rental, construction, mining and agricultural industry,” Hylton said. “Customers of Redstar Equipment will continue to receive the same quality service, after sales support and market leading Atlas Copco products. The only difference they will notice is the change

Redstar Equipment is being rebranded with Atlas Copco generators, portable air compressors and lighting towers now to be distributed under the CEA banner

from Redstar to the Atlas CEA brand. Under one brand, we are in a better position to manage the marketing, distribution and overall servicing of all our suppliers’ equipment and give our customers clarity on which entity they are dealing with. This initiative will bring greater recognition to the CEA name and ultimately, we expect will deliver long terms benefits to our dealers, branches and customers,” Hylton said. Atlas CEA will continue to operate out of its four branches and continue to

expand its dealer network. Although day-to-day operations of the new division will be unchanged, the Sydney CEA dealership is relocating to a new $27 million facility in Horningsea Park later this year. The facility at Bringelly Business Hub, Leppington, totals 22,000m 2 and will house a workshop, warehouse and operational areas, including a 1,575m2 showroom. n Contact: 07 3274 8456 or visit: www.atlascea.com.au

Pink Boots Hire business partner donates to help those facing cancer

s a partner with ‘profit for purpose’ construction equipment hire business, Pink Boots Hire, Melbourne based towing company Towz4u will donate one dollar from every invoice raised to Pink Boots Hire to help people going through cancer.

Pink Boots Hire has the vision ‘to improve the well-being and make a difference in the lives of people going through cancer’ after co-founder Jessica Gilchrist personally battled the disease. According to Jessica, an estimated 145,000 new cases of cancer will be

Graham from Towz4u and Jessica Gilchrist from Pink Boots Hire

diagnosed in Australia this year, with that number set to rise to 150,000 by 2020. “I am so grateful for the support Graham has chosen to give us. Ever since I started this business with my father and brother in 2016 the generosity and backing from clients and suppliers has been incredible,” Jessica said. According to statistics published by Impact Investing Australia and related by Pink Boots Hire: • In Australia, there are over 20,000 social enterprises delivering positive social, cultural or environmental impact directly or via the income streams they derive; • A growing number of ‘profit with purpose’ Australian businesses, including the rising movement of Certified B Corporations, are making a meaningful contribution to tackling social and environmental challenges; • Certified B Companies are a new kind of business that balance purpose and profit. Oliver Russell social impact branding agency CEO & Founder said: “Earning a pay check, making money is not enough anymore. Making money is actually a consequence to doing good in the world.” n Contact: 0418 334 539 or visit: www.pinkbootshire.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

inspHire appoints Australasian sales manager inspHire has appointed Nigel Swavley as its new Australasian Sales Manager in line with its ambitious growth plans for the region following the company’s acquisition of Australian based reseller, Elev8 Australia.

igel brings 25 years’ experience in the IT and hire industries from his former position at Coates Hire plus eight years’ experience working with inspHire as a Senior Project Manager at Elev8 Australia. “I’m thrilled to be playing my part in driving inspHire through the next stage of business growth. Working once again with the highly experienced, professional and customer focused inspHire team was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss, especially as the potential for inspHire in the Australasian market is

inspHire Sales Manager Nigel Swavley

enormous,” Nigel said. Nigel also takes an active role in the local community as a volunteer Search Team Leader for the State Emergency Service. This includes preparing for and responding to natural disasters as well as cliff and cave searches, land rescues and much more. inspHire Sales Director, Martin Bestwick said: “I’m incredibly pleased to officially welcome Nigel back into the inspHire Family. His deep understanding of our systems, customers and the marketplace will be an invaluable asset in strengthening our presence

Increased productivity from refreshed Resource Planner MCS Rental Software’s newly refreshed Resource Planner within MCS-rm hire management software enables hire businesses

to accurately plan resources, from availability and workload of teams, to estimating journey times and task optimisation. Clint Hook, Managing Director for MCS Australia said the refreshed Resource Planner will help hire businesses increase their productivity. “Rental companies can make sure deadlines are consistently met by visualising future resource demands, as well as receiving live status updates of workers in the field,” Clint said. “Allocating the right employee with the relevant skillset MCS Rental Software’s newly refreshed Resource Planner works within MCS-rm hire and qualifications management software means a hire company P10

throughout the Australasian region. Nigel re-joins at what is a time of great opportunity for the business, now as part of the Kerridge Commercial Systems group, we have available to us a vast expanse of new resources and products which is already having a positive impact on both our growth aspirations globally and the wider services we can offer our existing customer base.” n Visit: www.insphire.com

can ensure they deliver fantastic customer service and get the job done right first time. “The MCS Resource Planner helps teams to collaborate, enabling hire companies to respect their customers’ deadlines. Resource planners can match tasks to skill sets and allow them to handle ever-changing priorities with ease. Not only will the company be able to give superior levels of customer service, they’ll get happier, more engaged team members too.” The Resource Planner enables a hire company to plan tasks ahead of schedule, making any ad-hoc amendments or additions to resource schedules. Planners will get a better view of where their resources could be better utilised and it will highlight any available and spare resources that could be allocated to outstanding tasks, Clint said. “Companies with a mobile workforce can use the Resource Planner to their advantage. “The Resource Planner automatically calculates tasks with journey times for drivers and engineers moving between job sites, giving realistic arrival times, so you can manage your mobile resources in the most efficient way. “Plus, when remote teams are using MCS Mobile apps, they can provide the office with frequent job status updates of completed activities, giving planners an up-to-date view of their achievements and your current resource availability.” n Contact: 02 9477 1355 or visit: www.mcsanz.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry-first calibration laboratory Featuring state-of-the-art calibration instruments to service gear, Kennards Hire has opened its first fully operational calibration laboratory to strengthen the offering of its Test & Measure business unit.

ocated at its recently improved East Brisbane facility, which was the first Kennards Hire Test & Measure to open in 2015, the new lab is temperature, pressure and dust controlled. It is built on just 150m2 and has a team of three, sharing the site with the company’s general hire branch. Providing testing, safety and measurement solutions, Kennards Hire’s range of instrumentation and equipment caters to the electrical, data and communications, plumbing, civil and utilities, HVAC, environmental and occupational hygiene, mining and oil and gas, and general industrial industries. Kennards Hire’s Environmental Specialist, Chris Lynch, said: “It’s vital to have a facility that allows us to help our customers promptly while supplying a high quality

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

product that produces reliable results.” “The new lab is temperature and dust controlled to test and store various water quality analysis instruments. It features a serviceable ‘well’ pump testing rig to clean, leak test and pressure test the pumps. The lab also has a revolutionary intrinsically-safe fume hood to extract any hazardous gases when testing and calibrating gas analysis instruments such as PIDs, landfill, confined space and methane gas analysers.” Leo De Sousa, Product Manager of Test & Measure, said: “Innovation is the vanguard of business development and customer service here at Kennards Hire, and we’re very excited to have this brand new lab to test and calibrate instrumentation equipment that aid our environmental and occupational hygiene product range.”

Kennards Hire has opened its first fully operational calibration laboratory

“Being the first of its kind for our entire branch network and the Australian equipment hire industry, we’ve now got the in-house ability to keep our range of highly technical instruments accurate to industry standards and compliance, meaning better services and more precise results to make our customers’ jobs easy.” n Contact: 07 3873 7900 or visit: www.kennards.com.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Kennards innovates with new ‘Branch of the Future’ prototype Kennards Hire has opened its first Branch of the Future prototype at a brand new site in Airport West which has room to implement and install innovative future technologies.

The team at Kennards’ new prototype ‘Branch of the Future’ at Airport West

he prototype branch’s unique features include a 12m high vertical storage machine with a storage capacity of 122sqm of equipment, new modular

plant rooms and return area in the 2500sqm, purpose-built site which is initiating future best-practice service delivery. The prototype store opening was joined

by a hybrid branch in Port Melbourne, bringing the state count to 29 branches. Kennards Hire uses customer demand as a guide to opening new sites and has been enjoying a steady increase of branches across Victoria in line with the demand for hire tools and industry equipment from tradies, builders, construction companies, homeowners and DIYers and the ongoing construction boom. The more industry focused Lift & Shift branch has moved from Abbotsford to Port Melbourne and now shares a brand new site with the former South Melbourne Branch. The new Port Melbourne site stretches over 3200sqm and has access to major arterials. With Lift & Shift moving to Port Melbourne, the Abbotsford site is now home to a brand new general hire branch, carrying a range of tools such as demolition hammers, concrete saws, excavators and scissor lifts. Abbotsford is difficult to navigate during peak hour, so Kennards Hire has increased its presence in this area and the introduction of general hire products in Abbotsford increases Kennards Hire’s inner city footprint to five branches. Kennards Hire now also has a dedicated Site Solutions business in Thomastown. This unit specialises in site equipment such as site sheds and offices, portable security cameras, dust monitoring, generators, fuel cells, toilets, ablution blocks, fencing, ground mats and trench shoring. The team at Site Solutions don’t just hire the equipment, they also offer services such as site set up, along with automated waste removal and refuelling. With growth over the past 12 months, this new subsidiary business unit is prime for further expansion,” Victorian General Manager, Lance Hawes said. n Visit: www.kennards.com.au

Port Hedland’s Big Wheelbarrow gets a new neighbour

ustom built on 5,000m2 of land right next to the iconic Big Wheelbarrow Kennards Hire Port Hedland has moved to a new, purpose-built site and will house an even larger range of gear, The new build introduces a drive through facility so customers can load and unload equipment undercover, with a high roof that allows for most service trucks to access the loading zone. The yard is more than double the size of the previous site, and customers can expect a smoother and safer traffic flow during peak times when picking up or dropping off equipment. Kennards Hire Port Hedland stocks specialist gear, including mine shut down equipment like 185 and 400cfm air compressors, air vantage and vantage welders with LN25 wire feeder attachments, 5kva to 100kva generators and concrete cutting equipment as well as general equipment. Branch Manager, Dylan Moebius, said: “We’re always looking for ways to improve our branch network. Our brand

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now located at 13 Steel Loop, Wedgefield new, purpose-built site means we can help WA. The branch is open 6 days a week, from customers more efficiently and effortlessly, 7am – 5pm weekdays and 7.30am – 12pm regardless of their project or needs.” every Saturday. n “As an official partner of the West Coast Eagles and sponsors of the South Hedland Contact 08 9160 3300 or visit: Swans Football Club, we love to throw our www.kennards.com.au support behind the community whenever the opportunity arises. Our team has provided gear to a number of initiatives and events over the years like the Hedland BMX regional competition, Royal Flying Doctor Service Christmas fundraiser and Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce.” Kennards Hire Kennards Hire Port Hedland has moved to a new, purpose-built site next to the iconic Big Wheelbarrow Port Hedland is HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Significant impact for hire feared with Temp Fencing Standards changes Changes to the Temporary Fencing Standards review committee could have significant impacts for the hire industry.

he Temporary Fencing Standards review committee had been in effect for two years, but has now been reconstituted with new organisations. It is feared the new organisations want to introduce references to standards designed for permanent structures and stringent testing regimes which could mean the majority of the existing 4.5 million fence panels in Australia may no longer comply with Australian Standards. The debate around the revised Australian Standards for Temporary Fencing and Hoarding – AS4687 –reached a new level with Standards Australia deciding to re-constitute the CE-008 Chainlink Fabric Security Fences and Gates technical committee. Effectively this means Standards Australia has effectively disbanded the committee and formed a new one. Standards Australia said in a statement to current committee members: “This is being done as the committee is not balanced and does not have a broad stakeholder membership.” This is despite Standards Australia noting the committee was balanced when the project commenced in May 2017. The original committee had nine nominating organisations and with the reconstitution, now has fifteen however the committee also has an additional project, High Security Anti-Intruder Fences. Standards Australia has not divulged how many organisations were approached to sit on the new committee however the HRIA has lost one seat (we had two) and at least two other nominating organisations have lost their seats. There is concern among current committee members around why a new committee needed to be formed especially since the first committee reached consensus in July 2018 and again in February 2019 which is documented within the minutes. Standards Australia said it had “sustained technical objections” but has not responded to emails from any committee member who has attempted to seek clarity. Standards Australia did however state the unresolved technical matters were: P14

• Referencing to the AS 1770 series (which is believed to mean AS 1170 – which is a standard for structural design actions, but no clarification was received); • Changing the of the wind loading speed (Region A – from 15m/s to 25m/s); • Changes needed to be made in the pool fencing section. Christie McCormack from Titan Hoarding Systems Australia said: “Increasing wind loads and treating temporary structures with the same rigor as permanent structures could cause significant commercial impacts for hire industry members and their clients. “It could also increase safety risks to both employees and the public, decrease competition and could cost many people their jobs.” “The Temporary Fencing Association of Australasia has estimated there are over four million temporary fence panels in the market so the impacts of such an unrealistic standard are widespread.” “If wind speed rating requirements for temporary fencing panels are significantly increased it has the potential to decimate the industry. It will basically mean most fences will need to meet what is currently only deemed required for cyclonic winds,” Christie said. “Each panel will need to be braced which will significantly increase costs to hire businesses (stock, storage, transport, labour, insurances etc). It will also (in my opinion) increase the risk to public safety because the majority of customers will not want to pay for the increased cost, and reputable organisations will quote to the standard while ‘cowboys’ will end up installing fencing without any regard to standards. “There is also a significant impact on the environment (manufacture, transport etc) and the very real potential for workplace injuries because, under the proposed changes to temporary fencing, installers and warehouse staff will need to handle more stock which are extremely heavy. “The new committee members have suggested they want references to AS1170 and AS1170.2 which are structural design actions general principles and wind action

standards and are blurring the lines between temporary and permanent. The implications of this are widespread. They also want AS 4100, AS4600 & AS1163 referenced – these standards refer to steel and steel structures. “There are currently around 4.5 million fence panels within the industry, most of which would have been manufactured in China so if the new committee gets a clause through whereby Australian steel needs to be used or steel needs to be tested to the proposed standard or rating, most companies and temp fencing product won’t comply. The current standard does reference AS 1163 but the new committee has suggested they want the testing section to be much more stringent in the new standard. Batch testing of components is being pushed which would be almost impossible for any fencing business to complete and would again, add significant cost to a low margin hire product. “Finally, there are no companies manufacturing temporary fencing within Australia anymore so wanting to reference so many steel standards is not commercially viable. “To date, the two objecting members have not substantiated their claims wind speeds need to be increased or demonstrated there is any risk with the guidelines of the current standard.” Increasing wind speed loadings will basically mean no banner mesh (advertising) could be affixed to any fence, all fences would require substantial bracing and weights (significantly increasing labour, transport, engineering and operational costs) making it a much more expensive product – potentially driving clients to use permanent fencing in lieu, Christie said. “Another issue with the re-constitution of the committee is the committee will be dealing with two Standards – AS 4687 (Temporary Fencing & Hoarding) and a new standard for High Security Anti Intruder Fence. These two standards have little (if any) cross over of technical knowledge therefore a committee formed to review High Security Anti Intruder Fence will be responsible for an unrelated Temporary Fencing & Hoarding standard.” “I want to encourage all members to write to Standards Australia and express their concerns and let them know the way this project has been handled is unacceptable. Standards Australia have failed to follow their own guides and members have lost trust in Standards Australia and its procedures. “Even if the end result is a workable standard, the project timeline restarts so it could be another two-three years before an updated standard is adopted. It has already taken four years to get to this point,” Christie said. n Contact Christie McCormack on 0407 732 099 or contact Standards Australia on 02 9237 6054.

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

‘You want a piece of this?’ Why an employee share and option scheme can be a great idea – By Eric Kwan, Senior Associate and Greg Blewitt, Partner at Bartier Perry

ne of the key challenges for any employer is aligning the interests of staff with those of the business. A commonly overlooked but powerful mechanism for this is an employee share and option scheme, or ESOP for short. ESOPs align employee and business goals by allowing staff to share, through part equity ownership, in the fruits of their labour. A well designed ESOP can also: • Motivate key employees to build sustainable longterm value; • Help retain key employees and corporate knowledge without impacting on

working capital or cash; • Allow businesses to spend less on salaries; • Play a key part in attracting new and important talent; • Potentially be a tax efficient means

of remuneration through tax concessions; and • Form part of succession planning. Although ESOPs are mostly used by smaller start-ups where capital restraints are a challenge, many large companies, including public companies, also use them. They include: • Seven Group Holdings Limited, the ultimate holding company of Coates Hire; • Eclipx Group, who operate FleetPartners, FleetPlus and Eclipx Commercial; • Emeco Group, which also owns Matilda Equipment. Recent legislative changes have also made ESOPs more appealing to a wider range of businesses. ESOPs are typically custom built to match the company’s specific objectives. Before putting one together, it’s worth asking these questions: • What will I share through an ESOP? • Which employees should I invite to join the ESOP? • Who should I seek advice from before going ahead? To get the most out of your ESOP, it is important to engage experienced advisors early to help you decide on what’s needed and plan the best course forward. n Contact: 02 8281 7940 or visit: www.bartier.com.au

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Effective Credit Management – Part 1 By Mark Logue, joint Managing Director, AMPAC Debt Recovery

his article discusses the importance of credit risk management for all businesses that provide trade credit. Here we discuss the cost of bad debts, the correct approach to opening a new account and the role of a collection agency in recovering overdue debts. A businesses’ accounts receivable is often one of its largest assets and provides the cash-flow necessary to prosper and grow in these challenging and changing times. Quality credit management is a key element of strong cash flow. If practiced correctly, it will support the company’s cash flow requirements and contribute to growth and profitability by minimising the incidence of overdue accounts and bad debts. The key elements of quality credit management revolve around: • Credit documentation; • Account set-up and maintenance; • Verification of customer information; • Overdue account procedures. We will outline a quality approach to credit risk management which can be adapted to suit the specific requirements of almost any business, particularly those in the SME market. Whenever an organisation provides credit, there is a risk the account may not be paid on time. In addition, the longer a debt remains outstanding, the likelihood of it never being paid increases. Quality credit management is a combination of good internal procedures, quality documentation and swift, decisive action. Below is a table which identifies the cost to business of writing off bad debts and illustrates the additional sales revenue

required to offset a bad debt. As can be seen, if a business generates a profit of 10% and suffers a bad debt of $10,000, it will need to increase sales by $100,000 to negate the effect of the bad debt. What is not represented here is the indirect costs associated with carrying the bad debt. These indirect costs include the cost of replacement capital, the labour costs associated with chasing the debt and the opportunities lost as a result of diverting labour to chase overdue accounts. The good news however is it is not expensive to improve the management of credit. An investment of time and a commitment to implementing quality practices, procedures and documentation will pay handsome dividends almost immediately.

The Role of a Debt Collection Agency A key part of a good credit policy involves selecting the right partners to assist you along the way. This includes your choice of collection agency. Generally, the services of a collection agency will include: • Recommending the most appropriate and cost effective debt recovery strategy for each matter; • Issuing written and telephone demands for payment; • Locating debtors and conducting field calls when required; • Handling inbound debtor queries resulting from the demand process; • Establishing and managing both formal and informal debtor payment

Table: The Impact of Bad Debts on Sales Loss

Net Profit Percentage 2%

10%

$1,000

$50,000

$33,300

$25,000

$20,000

$16,660

$12,500

$10,000

$5,000

$250,000

$166,667

$125,000

$100,000

$83,333

$62,500

$50,000

$10,000

$500,000

$333,333

$250,000

$200,000

$166,667

$125,000

$100,000

$15,000

$750,000

$500,000

$375,000

$300,000

$250,000

$187,500

$150,000

$20,000

$1,000,000

$666,667

$500,000

$400,000

$333,333

$250,000

$200,000

$50,000

$2,500,000

$1,666,667

$1,250,000

$1,000,000

$833,333

$625,000

$500,000

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arrangements; • Commencing legal action and carrying out enforcement when necessary; • Identification of debtor assets; • Reporting on the performance of individual matters as well as the overall portfolio; • Liaising with field agents, process servers, solicitors and the Courts; • Carrying out searches of company and property registers; and • Assisting clients to improve their terms of trade where appropriate. Note: The introduction of the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (PPSA) in 2012 has meant many organisations have had to update their terms and conditions of trade to allow them to register their Security Interest in property, goods or equipment. The registration of a Security Interest replaces an organisation’s previous ability to retain title over goods by including a Retention of Title Clause in their terms and conditions.

Opening a New Credit Account One of the most important aspects of credit management occurs at the beginning of the business relationship. The quality and accuracy of information obtained prior to extending credit often determines how successful an organisation will be at recovering its debt. The account set-up procedure should include a checklist to ensure each new account is established consistently and all paperwork and account verification procedures are followed. The purpose of developing a structured approach to opening new accounts is to filter high-risk debtors and reduce that risk and at the same time, identify quality customers with whom sales opportunities can be optimised. As a minimum, the following processes should be introduced: • A credit application must be completed, signed and returned by the prospective client. If information you request is not supplied, the account shouldn’t be opened until all the information is provided. The Accounts Receivable Officer should contact the new customer by telephone in order to obtain any missing information, following which, the verification process can commence. • The legal structure of each new entity should be verified before the account is opened. Correct identification of an organisations legal name, ACN and/or ABN will save time and money down the track if an account becomes overdue. If information obtained from the client varies from the information in the credit reporting database, this should be clarified with the client before opening the new account. • Check the company name and ACN with ASIC, to ensure it is incorporated and the details supplied are correct. HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

entity is in fact a trustee company and should be set up that way in our system. • Consider conducting a credit check to identify adverse information such as reportable court actions and payment defaults. • If trade references are obtained, they should be checked to verify the customer’s capacity and willingness to pay. • As soon as all the required information is obtained and verified, the new account is ready to opened. As a supplier, you should never feel pressured into opening a new account until you are satisfied the prospective customer is worthy of your credit. Finally, keep credit on the agenda at management meetings. Discuss major accounts regularly, as well as the slow payers. Encourage everyone to be on the lookout for warning signs a business is struggling and act swiftly and decisively if problems are identified. Mark Logue is a debt collection specialist and the joint managing director of AMPAC Debt Recovery. He has more than 30 years experience in the debt recovery and credit reporting sector, covering all segments of industry and commerce throughout Australia and overseas. n Also do an ABN search on the company name and if you find the ABN’s last nine

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

numbers are completely different from the ACN, then you have identified the

Contact: 0409 749 709 or: m.logue@4ampac.com.au

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Time to take Stock? By Richard van der Merwe and David Hinchey

ith 2020 upon us, it’s important we take the time to stop and think about the health of your businesses and devote some time to performing a proper ‘health check’. We observe a lot of businesses owners getting stuck in the detail of their busy lives and continuing to beaver away on the immediate issues confronting them each day. Inevitably they fail to stop and reflect upon whether the path they are on still remains relevant and importantly whether they are still relevant to their target customers. So, with this issue, we remind you of the key things the most successful businesses (of all sizes) have in place. 1) Strategy – A clear view of how they are going to win in the market they are playing in. That is: what is it your target customers want and how do they want it; what competitors operate in this space and how strong/slick are they; how is it you can bring the product to be; what alternatives exist for the customer and how will you differentiate; and finally, what risks might emerge in the market you are targeting? This helps owners define and reconfirm on what basis they can be successful. It also forms the key building block of the next issue. 2) Vision – A properly articulated view of what the business might look like in five or 10 years. That is: what products,

what market share; how many stores and where; what other channels; what total revenue, what profit? With this ideal future state business in mind, the business can then strategise what inroads it can and should make this year to achieve that longer-term vision. Annual Plan – This is more than just a document; it is a process that involves key stakeholders in the business and gets them on board with your view of what can be achieved in the future. With a collective view of the vision of the business, these stakeholders should assist to strategise those plans and actions required to achieve the next step. Having their input also solicits ownership of the action items. Resources – will obviously be required to deliver the planned actions and both physical and financial resources available to business are limited. The plan should prioritise actions key to future success. Budget – the plan should be translated and documented in the form of a financial forecast which contemplates anticipated future profits, cash and balance sheet positions. Embed the plan – Sell the plan and your future vision of the business to your staff. With your people having a clear view of what is expected of them in order for the business to achieve the plan, you will be

surprised at the increased productivity and focus they will bring to their role. Focus can also be heightened through undertaking staff appraisal meetings and/ or introducing score card goals for staff which will form the basis of future staff appraisal assessments. 7) People – Employ for attitude and ensure staff reward and recognition systems are aligned to achievement of plan goals. 8) Operating rhythm – Embed a regular check in for reporting against the plan. This means a review of actual performance against the financial budget, but also against the agreed plan actions and staff score card targets throughout the year. This drives accountability across all levels of the business and ensures you stay on track. 9) Values/Culture/Standards – A documented policy of how the business wishes to operate. That is, minimum behavioural or performance standards; expectations for how staff are expected to engage with clients/staff/suppliers; and a statement about how the business expects to operate with respect to community and social impact. There are strong reasons for optimism including the housing downturn coming to an end and the improving wealth effect, along with tax cuts for lower and middle income earners, as well as the significant infrastructure pipeline. All should bode well for future sales revenues. This article contains general information only and is not intended to provide advice. n Contact Fordham Business Advisors on 03 9611 6611 or info@fordhamgroup.com.au

Propel company growth by 10X with better information Chris Pendray, Business Development – Australia, SAP DS asks the hire industry: what if you could propel the growth of your organization to 10X levels, simply by giving your information an upgrade?

e said it starts with asking deeper questions; questions that reflect a holistic awareness of both the internal and external drivers of revenue. And he offers questions, which he said, if answered accurately, timely, and repeatedly, will propel an organisation’s growth in 2020 and beyond. 1. The 80/20 Rule: Who are the top 20% of customers responsible for 80% of your profits? Answering this question requires tracking each customer’s direct and indirect costs, such as business development, service, support and returns, as well as factoring in customer longevity. Once answered, put in place a VIP program to leverage the momentum from this valuable cohort. After all,

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it’s much cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one. 2. Business Development Blueprint: How many business development activities must we achieve today to hit our revenue goals tomorrow? Answering this question requires a clearly-defined sales process, benchmark conversion rates from one step in the process to another, and most importantly – tracking! Then, based on existing conversion rates, you can back your way into the target number of activities needed to achieve desired quotas. Also use these findings to gauge hiring needs, as well as to benchmark employee performance for training and coaching purposes. 3. Smart Marketing Campaigns: How

can we upsell the right customer at the right time with the right products? Answering this question to its fullest potential unlocks significant revenue opportunities. For example, you could create a cross-sell campaign by analysing which pieces of rental equipment are rented together. Seasonality campaigns can be executed by forecasting, stocking, and then advertising the most in-demand rental equipment. We do business in an exciting era, where leaders can ask deeper, more targeted questions, and reap the benefits of their answers. What’s more is world-leading software designed to track this information is now extremely affordable for even small businesses. SAP DS is an SAP OEM provider specialising in the rental, equipment, and manufacturing industries. n Contact: 02 8313 7195 or visit: www.sap-ds.com

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

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It is a taxing time By Wayne Williams, Finance Broker at Finance Queensland

hen faced with a tax bill we are seeing an increasing number of businesses entering into an arrangement with the ATO to pay the debt off over time. This type of arrangement can be attractive to a business because: • No security is required; • Rebates of interest paid can be negotiated; • There is limited credit assessment and it retains cash in the business. While these are compelling reasons, there may be broader implications. One area owners need to think about prior to entering into an ATO arrangement is if the business will require any further lending. The reason for this, simply put, is lenders take a poor view of any outstanding tax liability. Tax debt in any form (remember this extends to GST, PAYG, Income Tax and SGC liability as well) is viewed as a red flag and an indicator a business is having difficulty paying their commitments when they come due. While mitigants can be offered and the situation explained, many lenders will automatically decline a loan application in these circumstances or at the very least treat it as a higher risk application and increase the applicable interest rate. This can start to negate some of the benefits of entering into an arrangement. Some will rationalise this approach saying: “it is a short term fix,” or “I will just pay the tax before I make a loan application and there

will be no long term impacts.” Unfortunately this may not be the case. It is now common for lenders to ask for ATO Tax Portal statement and a 12 month running sheet as part of their assessment and any history of tax arrears may result in a loan application being declined. Your accountant is a trusted adviser and will help you setup and run a tax effective business structure, and your finance broker is a trusted adviser and understands the nuances of lenders and their various policies and how they can be used to maximum effect in your business. It is a simple rule but easily forgotten in the rush to get things done; make sure you take a step back, get advice from your team of advisers and get the right solution for your business. A business in this situation is typically short on working capital which can be caused by many factors including: • Business growth; • Using cash to fund capital expenditure; • Reduced profit margins; • Over investment in stock; • Debtor days being extended. To some extent these factors can be controlled by the business and again working with your finance broker there are a range of finance options available to assist with increasing the availability of cash in your business including trade and debtor finance, equipment finance and traditional facilities such as an overdraft or term loan.

One area you have less control over is bad debts. A business providing their services on terms is always exposed to the risk of their debtors being unable to pay. Since the GFC some 10 years ago we have seen Australia go through different cycles. Initially the mining boom, through to a housing led recovery and price spikes in Sydney and Melbourne, followed by the current all-time low interest rates, some leading indicators suggesting a recession may be on the horizon, some commentators looking to the Government to kickstart infrastructure spending against the overseas backdrop of trade wars / civil unrest in Hong Kong and economic upheaval in the UK, and Australian GDP the lowest for 18 years (June 19 Qtr). With all this in mind it could be argued there is more uncertainty about the immediate future than any time in the last decade. Business goes on and will continue to do so but what can you as a business owner do to protect the downside? While bad debts are out of your control, this is only true to the extent you can’t stop them from going into liquidation, but you have absolute control over whether you extend trade terms and you can proactively manage the account to look for signs of distress from increasingly late payments etc. The first step is to review your assessment process for providing trade terms to your clients and make sure this is robust and you have steps to mitigate any risk such as: • Retention of title (if applicable) is addressed on your documentation and this is supported by a PPSR registration process; • Consider a personal guarantee option from directors to support a company account; • Have access to a credit reporting agency to assist due diligence; • Ensure you have triggers built in to review terms when appropriate, eg: o In the event of late payments; o Unusual activity (eg: large unexplained increase in orders). While these will steps will help create a stronger business and reduce incidence of bad debts the risk will always remain, so a final step to consider to offset any losses is to take out debtor insurance. This is type of cover is becoming increasingly popular and can cover up to 95% of the amount owed if a bad debt is incurred. It is also highly flexible and can be tailored to your business needs for example by insuring only a specific debtor concentration. In terms of providing a comprehensive solution, some businesses also incorporate options for credit reporting and collections services. Again the notion of a trusted adviser in your business becomes relevant and if you don’t have a relationship with someone in the field of general insurance it is a good time to start talking to your network and begin the discussion. n Contact: 0418 510 467 or visit: www.financeqld.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

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Empowering women working in hire Tackling male chauvinism, building her own hire business, undertaking an MBA and working in marketing is just another day in the life of Ryno Hire Director, Kris Lennard. Here we take a peek inside the world of a true ambassador for the Women in Hire program.

ale chauvinism is nothing new to Kris Lennard, who before she started her own construction equipment

hire business Ryno Hire with her partner five odd years ago, worked in motor vehicle sales – an industry rife with chauvinism, she said.

“I had to work twice as hard as the men to get half the recognition,” she said. And Kris said she feels being predominantly male dominated, the hire industry has ‘a bit of that’ as well, however the hire industry is rapidly changing that mentality. And the HRIA Women in Hire program is leading the way and helping change some of those lingering ‘old fashioned’ mentality. As a mentor this year in the ground-breaking Women in Hire program and a mentee last year, Kris said she felt the Women in Hire program is about empowering women in their career and in a male dominated industry. “Plus it is a networking and bonding program for me. I felt myself grow in confidence during

my first year in the program and confidence throughout the program this year as a mentor. “There needs to be more women working in hire and the program is a powerful step in the right direction. It’s a reminder to everyone women are working in this industry as well.”

Eye opening early days in hire Kris said the early years of working in Ryno Hire were eye opening. “My partner, Chris is a diesel fitter by trade and was working for a Kubota dealer as a service manager. He had the chance to purchase an old Kubota K008 mini excavator to ‘tinker’ with. But once he had rebuilt it, a client asked if he could hire it to do

Kris Lennard and her partner started Ryno Hire five years ago and Kris is a true ambassador for the Women in Hire program

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HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

some work.” That was the start of Ryno Hire. But since it was new business, both partners continued to work in other employment. Kris had previously left the car sales industry and opened her own dog training business which she successfully ran for five years prior to Ryno Hire’s inception. She ended that business because it was just too time consuming and went to university instead to complete her Bachelor of Business, majoring in marketing. Both Kris and Chris looked after the Ryno Hire business and bought a couple more machines which eventually got to the point where they were both working in the business full time. Kris said as a full partner in a small business she had to fulfil all the roles, same as her partner; she did machine washing, prepping and loading, went out breakdowns to change tyres and hoses and whatever else was required. “I did cop my share of chauvinism from customers who would ask to speak to the manager when I answered the phone and they heard a woman on the other end. I’m only a small woman, so when customers saw me I guess some doubt was anticipated.” But Kris wanted to put her degree to good use and so stepped out of Ryno Hire to get a job as a Marketing Manager. She stayed in that role for 12 months while her partner stayed in the growing Ryno Hire business. It was at this time Kris decided to enrol to do her MBA (Master of Business Administration). However, life had other plans and the day after being accepted into uni, Kris was diagnosed with breast cancer in early December 2017.

being so young, there was no real reason to worry. Therefore, no biopsy was done.” Kris said she was alerted to the pea sized lump because it was painful and a constant annoyance. She let it go for a couple of months because of her doctor’s input and because she was busy, working full time and

“

began working part-time for Viking Rentals as their Marketing Manager. “My MBA enrolment and classes helped me get through my chemo,” Kris said. “And I am now more than halfway through my MBA.”

Reaping the benefits

The Women in Hire program has been highly beneficial for Kris. “My mentor last year in the Women in Hire program was the Operations Manager for Viking Hire. This year I am mentor to the Operations Manager at Preston Hire. “My favourite part of the program was the environment; the social environment Aileen and Dee created. They made all the participants feel comfortable and were encouraging and inviting. That is very important to the success of the program.” Today, Ryno Hire has around 30 machines in its fleet and is growing fast, specialising in mini excavators, loaders, tippers and compactors, among other construction equipment. Based in Everton Hills on

I did cop my share of chauvinism from customers who would ask to speak to the manager when I answered the phone and they heard a woman on the other end. I’m only a small woman, so when customers saw me I guess some doubt was anticipated.

Change of plans

“I found a lump in my breast in the September of 2017 but the radiologist told me it was normal to feel lumps in breast tissue and

”

working in Ryno Hire. But by late November, the lump had grown to the size of a bean and this time it was biopsied. The result was an aggressive form of breast cancer. Within one week of the cancer diagnosis, she was having surgery to remove the lump and a couple of lymph nodes. 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. The chemo had been ineffective and the cancer had come back. “There was a 2% chance I would get the breast cancer diagnosis I got at my age; and for it to reoccur; I was told less than 1% chance for that to happen. I guess someone has to be the statistic.” Kris underwent another surgery to remove the cancer and a further six months of chemotherapy which she completed in July this year. While all this was going on, Kris didn’t put aside her career. She started her MBA and she

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

“

don’t do 24 hours hires. We offer customers day hires where they get the hire from early am until later in the afternoon or evenings, unless they want it longer of course. We also offer extended hires on weekends. We get told by clientele our customer service is some of the best in the industry, that and we really maintain our equipment which makes a difference. “We also operate out of a shed and we store all our equipment inside which helps keep the rental fleet in good condition. As if working part time in two businesses – Viking Rentals and Ryno Hire, working on her studies and participating in the Women in Hire program is not enough, Kris has also taken on the role of Model Ambassador for the SoBrave project which raises much needed awareness and funds for women under 40 with breast cancer. “If not for organisations like SoBrave 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 SoBrave and Ryno Hire is this year a white table sponsor for the Charity’s annual launch Gala dinner.” Kris is hopeful she can encourage more sponsorship and fund raising for such a worthwhile cause. One of the fundraising efforts of the project is a calendar featuring survivors of breast cancer painted in colourful body paint. Kris has been given a date for her body painting and said she will be appearing in the 2021 calendar. Something to watch out for! To donate to the SoBrave project visit the website: www.sobrave.com.au/ campaigns/krissobrave/ n

My favourite part of the program was the environment; the social environment Aileen and Dee created. They made all the participants feel comfortable and were encouraging and inviting. That is very important to the success of the program.

”

the north side of Brisbane, the business services coast to coast (Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast), several employees now, and an apprentice undertaking a diesel fitter trade. “We run our business differently to other hire companies – probably because we didn’t come from a hire background. As a standard, we

Contact Kris Lennard: 0431 935 306 or visit: www.rynohire.com.au

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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

Rough seas ahead: Take measures to protect your business and yourself By Matthew Hocking, Advisory from HLB Mann Judd

n late 2017, the Safe Harbour provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 became law, offering protection to Australian Company Directors from Insolvent Trading where appropriate actions were undertaken to attempt to turnaround distressed businesses. Australia has had an unprecedented period of economic growth spanning 30 years, many have not lived through a recession or have become complacent about how tough they can be. The Australian economy is facing turbulent times in the near future with many economic analysts/commentators predicting Australia may go into

recession in the next 12-18 months. There is contracting demand in a number of sectors reliant upon hire/rental equipment including apartment construction and mining. This may inhibit industry turnover/growth and create greater competition in other sectors. Consequently, pressure on profitability/working capital may increase as declining revenue and increased competition will lower margins and operating cash flows. Given there is inherent uncertainty regarding our short term economic future, business owners should consider taking measures to protect their

businesses and personal position in the event of business distress and possibly failure. This is particularly important when owners may need to sacrifice wealth or assets to meet shortfalls. In our experience, when a business begins to experience financial distress many business owners will battle on trying to turn the ship around; however, those who seek professional advice give themselves more options and time to determine the pathway back to profitability, getting a clear view of what needs to be done and how it can be funded. As outlined above, there is now a statutory process known as ‘Safe Harbour’ Directors can implement to explore options while protecting themselves against insolvent trading (personal) liability.

What is Safe Harbour? Safe Harbour is an informal process that can be used by Directors to consider turnaround options that does not need to be communicated with key stakeholders (eg: customers, employees, creditors and regulators) (ASX rules disclosure rules for listed entities still apply). The purpose of Safe Harbour is to: “drive cultural change among company directors by encouraging them to keep control of their company, engage early with possible insolvency and take reasonable risks to facilitate the company’s recovery instead of simply placing the company prematurely into voluntary

administration or liquidation.” (Explanatory Memorandum to the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Invectives No 2) Bill 2017 (Cth) 3). Directors can be personally liable for any loss suffered by a company if a business has continued to trade while insolvent; however, Safe Harbour provides protection against a Director’s personal insolvent trading liability if: • At a particular time after a director starts to suspect the company is or may become insolvent, he or she starts developing one or more courses of action that are reasonably likely to lead to a better outcome; and • That debt is incurred in connection with that course of action and during a specified time period. Further detail regarding what is required for Directors to rely on the Safe Harbour provisions is explained in the diagram.

Establishing Safe Harbour A summary of the Safe Harbour Process is outlined in the diagram below. The Safe Harbour Process has proven to be an effective mechanism providing directors time to: • identify issues; • consider available options; • undertake appropriate planning; and • facilitate the turnaround of their business. Sometimes a successful turnaround isn’t achievable for a number of reasons many of which are out of the control of the directors and/or management. The directors will need to review the solvency of the business and may determine it is appropriate to appoint voluntary administrators. There are many success stories of the restructure of companies through the voluntary administration process that are continuing to operate today. Should your business be facing issues, dealing with issues proactively and taking professional advice can assist directors to make informed decisions with respect to available recovery options while protecting their personal position. n Contact: 02 9020 4000, email: mhocking@hlbnsw.com.au or visit: www.hlb.com.au

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HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

RAISE HIRE EXPECTATIONS WITH DIECI TELEHANDLERS When you choose a Dieci Telehandler for your rental fleet youâ€™re choosing a machine that has been Italian engineered for quality and locally customised to meet the high expectations of Australian rental customers. From our nimble Apollo 2.5 tonne through to the massive Hercules 21 tonne, including a full rotational range, there is sure to be a Dieci Telehandler to meet the demands of your rental customers.

APOLLO

DEDALUS

ZEUS

RUNNER

ICARUS

SAMSON

2.5 tonne 5.78 m

3.0 tonne 6.35 - 8.70 m

3.3 - 4.0 tonne 7.00 - 10.60 m

4.0 tonne 12.20 m

4.0 tonne 16.70 m

7.0 tonne 9.50 m

www.dieci.com.au

VEHICLES & TRAILERS

Cracking the Trailer Code – Are you legal? There is concern in the hire industry up to 80-90% of equipment suppliers and rental companies in Australia are sending out overloaded trailers which could lead to fines, loss of points on licences and the potential for litigation because insurance becomes null and void if the trailer is overloaded.

hese worrying facts were recently brought to the attention of HRIA members at a Victorian meeting when Kerr’s Hire’s Jarrod Kerr presented the facts. Here is what he had to tell us. The issue is vehicle and trailer overloading and this is happening because the Australian Standards are very confusing regarding trailers and load, Jarrod said. “This is made even more difficult when trailer manufactures and suppliers are using or supplying parts that are imported from New Zealand, which while they meet Australian Standards, change the trailer weight ratings.” Jarrod explained the requirements (and terminology) in Australia. Tare – Tare Mass is the total mass of the unloaded trailer. GTM – Gross Trailer Mass is the maximum allowable weight specified by the manufacturer over the axles of the trailer. Ball mass – is the mass the trailer imparts on the tow hitch of the vehicle. Generally speaking, 7-10% of ATM (see below) must not exceed the vehicle’s maximum ball mass. ATM – Aggregate Trailer Mass is the maximum allowable weight specified by the manufacturer for the total weight of the trailer including the load. ATM = Tare Mass + full load. ATM = GTM + Ball Mass. Towing Capacity of Vehicle - The maximum towing capacity specified by the vehicle manufacturer equates to the trailer’s ATM.

The Vehicle Standards Bulletin 1 (VSB1) – Brakes The braking systems are calculated on the weight on the axles, Jarrod said. GTM = the maximum allowable weight specified by the manufacturer on the axles of the trailer Up to 2000kg GTM – For trailers up to 2000kg GTM, an efficient braking system P26

(generally an over-run hydraulic or cable system) is considered to have brakes operating on the wheels of at least one axle. Over-run brakes may only be used on trailers that do not exceed two tonnes GTM. Over 2000kg GTM – Every trailer over 2000kg GTM must have brakes operating on all wheels (most commonly an electric brake system). The brake system must cause immediate application of the trailer brakes in the event of the trailer becoming detached from the towing vehicle. Under these circumstances, the brakes must remain applied for at least 15 minutes.

The AS4177.3 Caravan and Light Towing Trailer – Tow Couplings The Australian Standard states trailer tow couplings can only be rated in only three different weight ratings and must be marked accordingly. Tow Couplings A coupling body complying with AS 4177.3 must be marked with: • the manufacturer’s name or trademark; • the mark ‘50’; • the maximum rating for the coupling body in one of the following, as applicable, o 750 kg intended for trailers with an ATM not exceeding 750kg ; or o 2000 kg intended for trailers with an ATM not exceeding 2000kg; or o 3500 kg intended for trailers with an ATM not exceeding 3500kg; • a code to indicate the serial number, batch, production date, or similar; • the words ‘DO NOT WELD’ if the coupling body is manufactured from nonweldable materials; • the words ‘WELD ONLY’ if the coupling body is specifically designed to be attached by welding only;

items like tie downs and spare wheels etc. Check your Tare Trailer Mass – An aluminium trailer can weigh between 290320kg but they have been weighed as heavy as 370kg properly weighed. These weights can even be more for steel trailers. Check your machine ID plates – The ID plate on the machine is generally the shipping weight which is 10 % fuel, may or may not include buckets and definitely doesn’t include any mud or dirt. This is not a good reference it is best to physically weight the machine.

So how does this apply in the real world?

The below table is based on a trailer excavator combination with the total mass of the excavator all buckets and trailer on a 2000kg ATM rated trailer with Over-run brakes and a 2000kg rated tow coupling weighed on a weigh bridge. 1.7 tonne machine with full fuel – 1695kg 300 Dig Bucket – 32kg 450 Dig Bucket – 40kg Mud Bucket – 71kg Mud & Dirt on the machine – 40kg Aluminium Trailer – 320kg 1695 + 32 + 40 + 71 + 40 + 320 = Total mass 2198kg Overloaded by 198kg

The facts • Forget GTM and worry more about ATM. The towing capacity of a vehicle is calculated on ATM and the ball load is added to the payload of the vehicle and this must not be exceeded too. • The confusion surrounding the claim the ball weight is not taken into account on a 2000kg ATM trailer is wrong; 3500kg tow coupling ratings are based on ATM not GTM. So why would the 2000kg be different? • Why can’t I just put a 3500 & 2500kg Over-run couplings from NZ? You can have a trailer with an Over-run braking system that is over 2000kg ATM, but the trailer needs a Federal Identification Plate Approval number for the complete trailer and the hitch and be compliant with ADR 38/05 through UNECE Regulation 13 approval, Otherwise Over-run brakes cannot be used on a trailer that has an ATM greater than 2000kg. • Let’s stop pushing the boundaries with 2000kg GTM with imported couplings

VIN ID plates and manufacturers ID plates?

Check your VIN Identification Plate The identification plate is not always correct, trailer manufacturers are not required to provide weigh bridge certificates when registering and normally do not include bolt on HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

VEHICLES & TRAILERS

from NZ. This solution works on the fact the machine weight doesn’t change and the position of the machine is always the same, this is very hard to ensure in the rental industry. Why not give our trailers some breathing space. • The vehicle standards are changing and will now include trailer and caravan manufacturers. Expect changes and the closing of loop holes.

What do you need to look into?

Ask for the certificate – If you have a trailer that has Over-run brakes and is over 2000kg ATM it needs to be certified by ADR 38/05. The whole trailer needs to be certified not just the coupling. Check your ID plate – tare weights of trailers and machines are not always what they seem and you must not exceed the ATM of the trailer. Take your fully loaded trailer to a weigh bridge for clarification. Everything needs to be accounted for – Eg: Spare tyre, tie downs, mud and dirt needs

to be accounted for. What is the worst case scenario? Give yourselves a 50-60kg buffer. It’s not just excavators – Check your mini loaders, tracked loaders, scissor lifts, ride on rollers, generators between 1500 -1700kgs.

What can happen if you don’t comply? Fines – ATM over weight in excess of 5% and less 10% = two points and $322 or 10 points and $1612 for companies. It increases the more you are over. Insurance – You may not be covered if you are aware you are overloaded or haven’t made steps to change. Negligence – Chain of Responsibility, court cases, accidents and possible deaths. This has hit the caravan industry and will hit us.

What can be done to fix it? Purchase new compliant trailers – An electric brake trailer can in increase ATM up to 3500kg. However it is a requirement a brake

Advanced Fatigue Management booklet for more flexible work and rest hours The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released An Introduction to Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) booklet to provide simple information for operators seeking access to more flexible work and rest hours.

HVR Fatigue Specialist Andreas Blahous said: “AFM can be a powerful tool that allows businesses to unlock flexibility in their operations while reducing complexity and improving safety. “The flexibility available within AFM gives operators peace of mind through more control over work and rest hours; places a focus on risk management and can result in a significant return on investment. “This booklet provides an introduction to some core aspects of AFM including information about the key benefits, requirements and application process. “There are currently more than 50 AFM accredited operators across Australia and we want to see those numbers grow through making the process simpler and promoting the benefits.” As a non-prescriptive approach to work and rest hours AFM allows the NHVR to give flexible work and rest arrangements to operators who adopt a risk management approach to managing driver fatigue. In AFM, you propose your own work and rest HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

hours based on your individual needs rather than using the hours stated by Standard Hours or Basic Fatigue Management (BFM). To be granted AFM accreditation, businesses and drivers must demonstrate to the NHVR they understand the risks these hours can create and must demonstrate they can and will take steps to off-set these risks. The NHVR uses seven fatigue risk principles to judge the likelihood the proposed hours will cause driver fatigue and 10 AFM standards to assess the adequacy of your fatigue risk management system. Earlier this year, the NHVR released the first in a series of AFM booklets, showing examples of operating limits and countermeasures in use. “Fatigue reform is one of the most critical areas for reform as part of the HVNL Review and it’s one of the most discussed topics when we meet with drivers and businesses.” n An Introduction to Advanced Fatigue Management is available at www.nhvr.gov.au/afm

controller is fitted to the tow vehicle and the driver can adjust the brakes from the driver’s seat. Wireless brake controllers are now available, brands like Gredo and Elec Brake. Upgrade your trailers to be compliant – If needed replace axles, brakes and tow couplings and speak to the manufacturer of the trailer and or registered engineer about this upgrade. You will need to update the records with the state road authority to be complaint. Be a united force – we all need to work together to ensure our customers don’t shop around for companies that don’t care and are willing to take the risk. At time of going to press, Jarrod was awaiting further input from The Department of Infrastructure. We will run further comment on this subject in our February issue. If you’d like to contribute to the conversation email: allieleo@bigpond.net.au n Contact: The Department of Infrastructure or visit: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/ vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb1/index.aspx

Dangerous new road rule dropped A road rule introduced in September last year in NSW requiring motorists to slow to 40km/h when passing emergency vehicles has now been amended in NSW.

he State Government implemented trial is now over following motorist backlash. From September 26, 2019, motorists on roads with a sign posted limit of 90km/h or more now only need to reduce their speed to a level ‘reasonable for the circumstances’. The rule has also been expanded to include tow trucks and roadside assistance vehicles. Drivers still need to slow to 40km/h on roads with a speed limit or 80km/h or less. But they can maintain their speed if the hazard is on the other side of the road and traffic is separated by a median strip or physical barrier. Guidelines released by NSW RMS said: “Motorists must also provide sufficient space between their vehicle and the stationary tow truck, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights. This will include changing lanes on a multi-lane road if it is safe to do so.” n P27

VEHICLES & TRAILERS

Tow tractors open doors to transport efficiencies

the loading bay where they’d be loaded onto trucks before delivering to our customers. “That mightn’t sound like a big deal in itself but when you’re moving one unit at a time over a fair distance that really starts to add up. We’d have guys out there walking 15 to 20kms through the yard in a day.” Wideline reached out to Toyota Material Handling Two new electric-powered Toyota CTB6 Australia’s (TMHA’s) Newcastle area sales manager, Allan sit-down type towing tractors have markedly Peacock, to discuss the feasibility increased productivity and reduced potential of its ideas for improving its material handling systems. for injury by replacing manual trolleys for “Allan attended site and Australian door and window manufacturer, got a feel for how we were Wideline Windows & Doors. moving product around the yard. He examined the physical dimensions and weights of our he new Toyota towing carry product from point A to product range, the terrain and tractors debuted point B,” Wideline Supply Chain the environment. He ultimately at Wideline’s main Manager, Eli Kent said. recommended the Toyota CTB6 production site at “We had a steady stream of sit-down type tractors as the best Tuggerah on the NSW Central guys moving a single door or fit-for-purpose and assisted with Coast to carry stock from its window at a time – all the way their fit-out,” Eli said. assembly warehouse to its from our assembly site over to Wideline specially designed transport dock. and engineered The company had trailer-style previously relied on trolleys for manual trolleys, or pure hitching to a manual handling, to Toyota tractor, shift stock – a systemallowing of-work identified for multiple improvement. frames to be “Prior to the Toyota transported towing tractors, the simultaneously. ‘tow-tugs’, our dispatch “Whereas team had to manually before there load a trolley up with would be product and push by multiple trips Two new electric-powered Toyota CTB6 sit-down type towing tractors now carry hand, or they would from point-tofor Wideline reducing manual handling physically lift and point with a

little trolley bearing just a single item, now multiple frames can all be loaded and delivered in a single trip,” Eli said. “Now, 90% of our products are moved on the trailers using the tow-tugs. Only the smallest and most fragile products are moved by manual trolley or by hand because they might get damaged.” With only 10% of product now moved individually, Wideline has increased productivity and reduced potential for injury. “It means our guys are freed up to focus on other duties. It has also brought other benefits such as increased safety because they’re not manually handling products as much, reduced our downtime, and associated costs of injury. “Not to mention the guys love driving the tugs. It’s less time on their feet so their job is a lot easier. They’re all for it.” Wideline recently opened a new vertical paint line where it powder-coats its extrusions and profiles, for which it commissioned a new Toyota 3.0 tonne 32-8FG30 counterbalance forklift with telescopic reach forks that was designed for that environment. It allows laden trucks to reverse into the inside of the factory so the forklift can unload a full truck all from one side, as opposed to the truck having to turn around. n Contact: 1800 425 438 or visit: www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

Automated vehicles bring new challenges

wo policy papers on the future regulation of automated vehicles (AVs) in Australia, covering motor accident injury insurance for AV crashes and government access to Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) AV data have been released by the National Transport Commission (NTC). The papers identify privacy protections as a major consideration for AV data. Along with information about the car’s inputs, automated cars are expected to gather data from a user’s location to their commuting habits, entertainment choices and even potentially biometric information. At the recent Transport and Infrastructure Council meeting, Ministers recognised C-ITS and AV technology will generate new data that could be used for a range of public benefits and noted the importance of safeguarding the privacy of individuals. P28

NTC Executive Leader, Future Technologies, Marcus Burke said automated vehicles offer significant potential safety and mobility benefits. But Australians will not be able to access these benefits unless we have a legal framework in place for their safe operation. The meeting also agreed on the need for a national approach to the application of motor accident injury insurance to AVs. This reflects strong support from governments, insurers, manufacturers and other stakeholders for a consistent approach to ensure no person is worse off if injured in an automated vehicle crash. “There is a need to provide access to compensation for injuries caused by an automated driving system, while ensuring responsible parties remain liable. This will provide certainty to industry and the public,” Marcus said. “There is also potential for government

access to C-ITS to improve decision-making and deliver benefits to the public, but this access needs to be balanced with sufficient privacy protections. “These are important issues that need to be addressed to support the safe deployment of automated vehicles in Australia,” Marcus said. The NTC will take recommendations to ministers by November 2020 on all key legislative policy elements required to support a nationally-consistent approach to the commercial deployment of AVs in Australia. For more information please see the Regulating government access to C-ITS and automated vehicle data and Motor accident injury insurance and automated vehicles pages on the NTC website. Visit: www.ntc.gov.au/about-ntc

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

NOV 2019

VOL21 NO.2 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ELEVATING WORK PLATFORM ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC www.ewpa.com.au

DESIGNED FOR RENTAL

IN THIS ISSUE

EWPA supports DV awareness – p36

Tech is the new game changer – p30

New President for Skyjack – 34

New vertical mast from Haulotte a ‘cracker little machine’ – p32

Genie appoints new managers – p38

Ahern International opens three new facilities – p34

Tadano completes acquisition – p38 Feature: Trailer & Truck mounted EWPs – p40

ACCESS IN ACTION

President’s message happened, that shaped the future 100 years

Looking back and looking forward ago and it will be interesting to see what we – technology is the game changer achieve in the 2020s.

his is our last issue before we move into the 2020s, so I thought I’d look back to see what was happening around Australia in the 1920s. Here are 20 events that caught my attention in the box below. Some themes that captured media attention were aviation, construction, technology, politics, social and sporting events; not that different to what we see in the news today. These are just a few things that 1920 Aug Warragul: Official opening of Princes Highway. 1920 Dec Perth: First successful flight from Melbourne to Perth. 1921 Mar Perth: Edith Cowan becomes first woman elected to an Australian parliament. 1921 Dec Hobart: Opening of Cadbury factory in Claremont. 1922 Nov Queensland: First Qantas flight with regular service between Charleville and Cloncurry. 1922 Dec Sydney: Smith Family Welfare Organisation was founded. 1923 Apr Sydney: The Country Women’s Association (CWA) holds its first annual conference. 1923 Dec Townsville to Mt Isa railway completed in Queensland. 1924 Jan Canberra: First cabinet meeting held in the capital. 1924 Jun Sydney: First human voice successfully transmitted from London to Australia from Marconi’s experimental station. 1925 Mar Sydney: Foundation stone of North Shore section of Harbour Bridge laid.

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In the world of access equipment, we will see technology playing an everincreasing role in the way our machines will look and operate over the next decade. Already, the telematics and the connectivity of EWPs help manufacturers, rental companies and end users have a better understanding of performance, preventative maintenance and safe operation. With the amount of change taking place, it is important the EWPA and its members stay on top of all the issues. This can be achieved when members actively engage with the Association, whether through their 1925 Mar Geelong: Ford Motor Company of Canada buys 100 acre site for two auto plants. 1926 Nov General Motors opens assembly plants in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. 1926 Dec Sydney: First section of the electric underground railway opens between Central Station and St James. 1927 Mar Melbourne: Final sitting of Federal Parliament before the move to Canberra. 1927 Dec Melbourne: Victorian batsman William Ponsford makes world’s highest score of 437 in a first-class cricket match against Queensland. 1928 Feb Darwin: Australian airman Bert Hinkler completes first solo flight from England to Australia. 1928 Jun Brisbane: Charles Kingsford Smith and companions complete last leg of flight from America to Australia. 1929 Jul Sydney: 3-0 series win for Australia against All Blacks in the Rugby Union test. 1929 Aug Adelaide: Rail link from Alice Springs completed.

local state committee, attending meetings, participating in training, reading our newsletters and magazine or contacting the national office. We now have an exciting new channel for members and the general public to hear all that is happening in the form of a dedicated news website – Hire and Rental News. www.hireandrentalnews.com.au The website, which was launched at the end of August, complements the highly respected Hire & Rental Magazine and aims to make life a little easier. The site frequently features useful content, relevant to access and general rental equipment. The next project to improve EWPA communications and the end user’s interaction with us will be the main Association website. Most of you would have seen the new EWPA logo announcement in May and have also noticed the new look appearing in emails from the EWPA and at State and National meetings. The new logo reflects the changes and evolution of the industry with a contemporary new look. The new EWPA website will be designed to allow easier access to safety information as well as stationery ordering, Yellow Card information and trainers. By updating the website, people will find it much easier to find the information they need, when they need it. The National Office will continue to improve the website moving forward and are always open to suggestions and feedback, so please don’t hesitate to contact myself or the National Office. Thanks to all the members for their support in what has been a busy and positive year for the EWPA. Thank you to the National Office and our Board Members for the tireless work they do behind the scenes to provide up to date information that will improve our industry. I wish you all the best for the Christmas period and look forward to seeing many of you at Association meetings and events in the 2020s.

Doug Rawlings President EWPA

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

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: 0410 704 979 Operations Director: Nicolas Chiew Tel: 0410 468 468 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 TECHNICAL DIRECTOR – OPERATIONS Peter Davis Tel: 02 8796 50551

Contents

telehandler Hot topics 34 Dieci’s range custom fitted

Eco friendly alternative to ladders – the new JLG EcoLift

Ahern International opens three new facilities

Mobile first a priority for Skyjack’s new website

NOV 2019

VOL21 NO.2 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ELEVATING WORK PLATFORM ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC www.ewpa.com.au

DESIGNED FOR RENTAL

FEATURE: Trailer & Truck mounted

EWPS

IN THIS ISSUE

New President for Skyjack

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR – ENGINEERING Peter Wenn Tel: 03 9568 7211

EWPA sponsors DV awareness – p36

Scaffold Solutions new fibreglass deck

Tech is the new game changer – p30

New President for Skyjack – 34

New vertical mast from Haulotte a ‘cracker little machine’ – p32

Genie appoints new managers – p38

Ahern International opens three new facilities – p34

Tadano completes acquisition – p38 Feature: Trailer & Truck mounted EWPs – p40

On the cover Simple and Reliable Access Solutions

COMMITTEE Dean Halliwell Tel: 0408 403 783 Bob Mules Tel: 0402 982 999 James Nightingale Tel: 1800 457 145

TELESCOPIC HANDLER ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (TSHA)

Lessons DV teaches us about interpersonal workplace dynamics

INTERIM PRESIDENT: Stuart Walker Tel: 0418 849 107 EWPA & TSHA PO Box 1304, Mona Vale NSW 1660 Tel: 02 9998 2222 Email: info@ewpa.com.au Web: www.ewpa.com.au Opinions published in Hire and Rental News 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

Skyjack provides companies with quality-engineered, simple and reliable access and material handling equipment globally so they can maximize utilisation and their return on investment. As an industryleader with roots in scissor lifts, Skyjack has evolved over the years and now manufactures all core classes of vertical mast lifts, scissor lifts, telescopic booms, articulating booms and, in the North American market, telehandlers. Our team understands the importance of maximized uptime, so they’re designed to provide just that. All major service points are easily accessible, making for straightforward repairs. Visit: www.skyjack.com

Specialising in the Design and Manufacture of Chassis Mounted Aerial Work Platforms from 10 to 75 Metre

Australia and New Zealand

www.socage.it

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

www.accessservice.com.au

1300 272 111

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ACCESS IN ACTION

A safe, eco-friendly alternative to ladders With the safety and efficiency of conventional access lifts and the convenience and environmentally friendliness of ladders JLG’s EcoLift Series features a patented stored-power lift/ lower system which requires no on-site power.

ll the power needed for their operation is generated by the operator through a simple-to-use hand lever, JLG Australia’s Managing Director Bob Mules said. “This does away with the need for power leads, wires and harnesses, and means the access lifts have no need for batteries or hydraulics,” Bob said. “With EcoLifts in operation, ‘dead battery’ calls and replacements become a thing of the past, the need for battery maintenance is eliminated and operational time is maximised. Plus, the absence of any hydraulic system translates into no hoses, no leak points and no refills which, in turn, results in lower environmental impact,” he said.

EcoLifts deliver clean, green operation. They have low maintenance requirements, run at a low total operating cost and offer the potential for 24/7 use, Bob said. EcoLift are available in two models; the 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 for greater confidence while working with both hands. In addition, 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. The larger EcoLift 70 weighs 305kg and its platform measures 0.85m x 0.65m. It has a maximum platform height of 2.20m and a working height of 4.20m. Measuring around 0.7m in width and featuring caster wheels, the JLG EcoLift70-3Q-RT has a access lifts patented stored-power lift/lower system which requires no on-site fit through power standard doorways and are easy to maneuver. When not in operational mode, the EcoLift 50 has a stowed width of 0.7m and a stowed height of 1.55m, while the EcoLift 70 has a stowed length of 1.28m, stowed width of 0.76m and stowed height of 1.94m. “EcoLifts improve efficiency, deliver low total cost of operation and set the standard for eco-friendly access equipment,” Bob said. Visit: www.jlg.com.au

Small and manoeuvrable 8m scissor is a cracker

ith a load capacity of up to 230kgs and the ability to work efficiently and confidently up to 8m, Haulotte’s new machine in its vertical mast range, the Star 8S is ‘one cracker little machine’, according to satisfied customer, General Equipment Rentals. General Equipment Rentals’ Sales Manager, Bruce Roberts said demand for smaller width scissors is booming and growing. “We get a lot of requests for smaller scissors capable of operating in real tight areas

The Star 8S has a load capacity of up to 230kgs and the ability to work efficiently and confidently up to 8m

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and the 8m height capability is just perfect for our business,” Bruce said. Launched early this year globally and now available in Australia, the Star 8S will fit through standard doorways or into freight elevators, has great manoeuvrability, with a very tight turning radius and zero tail swing, and will drive at full height with deck extended. A lightweight machine for low floor bearing for use indoor and outdoor on slab floors, it is the first in its range to offer both lateral and longitudinal fork lifting meaning it can be lifted length wise or width wise during transport. Its automatic protection system against potholes means the Star 8S can get over numerous obstacles and cross slopes of 25%. The Star 8S also includes direct electric drive with maintenance-free AC motors which are renowned for their reliability and robustness.. With its speed of 4.5km/h, the Star 8S has a non-skid step integrated into the machine’s design to allow a safe entry in the platform and the basket extension offers additional space and a further reach of 40cm. Plus it can operate in winds up to 45km/hr. Equipped with deep-cycle batteries, Haulotte’s Star 8S vertical mast is equipped with the on-board diagnostic tool Haulotte Activ’Screen which provides operators with

key information. All pins, nuts and metal parts have been specially treated to ensure optimum resistance to corrosion. The two batteries swing out trays open easily. To optimise downtime costs, a quick-open inspection hatch allows easy access to the hydraulic block. It also features an intuitive control box with battery level indicator in platform And a 4-stage-cylinder mast: no chain, no cable. “We have just got our first hire for the Star 8S and it is for use in a shopping centre. The Star 8S will be perfect for working on kiosks inside the centre, for plumbing, fire safety and similar jobs where you need high manoeuvrability in tight spaces. “The Star 8S is a small manoeuvrable scissor where a 19ft scissor is just too big. We love its’ incredibly small footprint.” With other Haulotte machines in their fleet, including the Star 6 and Star 10, the Star 8S rounds out the range for General Equipment Rentals. “We use each one for different applications and they are very popular,” Bruce said. “We got the two Star 8S machines initially but we can already see demand outstripping us, so we’ve just ordered another two.” n Contact: 1300 207 683 or visit: www.haulotte.com

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

INCREASED PLATFORM CAPACITY FOR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY.

JLG 660SJ TELESCOPIC BOOM LIFT Features: • • • • • • • • •

4WD & 4WS Puncture proof non-marking lug tyres Large (0.91 m x 2.44 m) platform Enhanced lift speeds Simultaneous operation of lift, telescope and swing 20.02 m platform height 5° multi-axis tilt sensor Non-parallel linkage lift mechanism Deutz Tier 4i diesel engine

JLG 660SJ Telescopic Boom Lift Boasting a platform capacity of 340 kg (restricted) and 250 kg (unrestricted), JLG’s new 660SJ telescopic boom lift lets operators carry the tools and materials they need to get the job done safely and efficiently.

New Zealand - 09 276 1728 www.jlg.com.au

ACCESS IN ACTION

Ahern International opens three new facilities Ahern International has recently expanded its operations around the globe with three new facilities opening in Ireland, Japan and Argentina.

grand opening ceremony was held at Ahern Ireland’s official opening in Rathcoole, County Dublin with more than 60 customers, suppliers, media and industry contacts attending tours of the recently refurbished and fully stocked 2,286m2 facility’s workshop, parts warehouse, yard and office space. Under the direction of Andrew Fishburn, Ahern Ireland will be managed by David Roddy who takes on an expanded role from his current position as Business Development Manager for Snorkel UK. As part of the grand opening, Ahern Ireland launched their new

dedicated website: www.ahernireland.ie Ahern Japan has opened a new 500m2 (5,400ft2) custombuilt facility and branch in Osaka which is more than double the size of the original Osaka branch, located a few minutes’ drive away. The new facility is part of the Ahern International division owned by Don Ahern and will support the business as it grows its presence in the region, enabling them to hold larger stocks of new machines and spare parts, as well as an expanded workshop for pre-delivery inspections and equipment repairs and rebuilds. The official grand opening

New President for Skyjack Brad Boehler has stepped down as president of Skyjack, accepting a position with Skyjack’s parent company Linamar. Brad played an integral role in setting Skyjack up for the

success and growth the company has experienced over the past few years. Ken McDougall, who previously served as Skyjack President will again assume the position as President and continue the momentum that’s helped place the company as one of the world’s leading OEMs. McDougall comes with in-depth knowledge of Skyjack’s corporate values, the industry and customers. Looking forward, Skyjack has new invigorated products being introduced within the next few years, and Ken said he is excited to bolster those product launches and continue to work with the team at Skyjack. n

Ken McDougall will resume the position of Skyjack President

Visit: www.skyjack.com

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The Ahern Ireland team cut the ribbon. From left to right: Karl Creighton, Customer Service Coordinator; Angela Murray, Customer Administration Coordinator; Andrew Fishburn, Managing Director; Alec Boyle, Lead Engineer; Barry Nicholson, Finance; Matthew Elvin, CEO; and David Roddy, Sales Director

of the new facility included an open house event for key customers and stakeholders and was attended by Snorkel CEO, Matthew Elvin. Founded in 2000, and formerly known as Snorkel Japan, the distribution entity, with three locations in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka, was rebranded as Ahern Japan in 2014. With a newly-refurbished 2,000m2 facility incorporating a showroom and offices, spare parts warehouse, workshops for pre-delivery inspections, repairs and rebuilds, and warehousing for new equipment, plus 5,000m2 yard, Ahern International has launched Ahern Argentina. The new facility in Tigre, in

the north of Buenos Aires, is the second Ahern International entity in Latin America and the eighth Ahern International business, joining Ahern Australia, Ahern Canada, Ahern Chile, Ahern Deutschland, Ahern Ibérica, Ahern Ireland, and Ahern Japan. Ahern Argentina launched a dedicated website. Available in both Spanish and English, visitors can browse the product lines of Xtreme, Snorkel and Ruthmann Bluelift products, and submit a quick-online quote request, as well as access technical manuals and contact information. n Visit: www.ahernargentina.com.ar

Telehandlers custom fitted to customer requirements With 148 models, Dieci’s telehandler range starts with the 2.5tonne Apollo, designed for construction sites and general pick and carry operations, to the 21tonne Hercules, engineered for big construction jobs, plus a rotational range of Dieci telehandlers suited to all sectors. All Dieci telehandler models can be custom fitted with a range of attachments such as forks, buckets, jibs, winches, rotators, man baskets and pipe grabs, as well as agricultural tools, adding versatility. Dieci Australia will also custom-engineer and manufacture an attachment to suit the hire customers’ requirements for jobs requiring specialised or unique attachments.

With all Dieci telehandlers being compliant to Australian Standards and workplace safety rules, Dieci Australia’s Anthony Lockwood said servicing the hire industry is a major part of what the company does. “With a national footprint and a full range of telehandlers we will deliver with or without custom attachments and suit equipment to any hire customers’ needs, anywhere in Australia. “So, whether your hire customer is in the Perth, Sydney or anywhere in between, all our telehandlers have the power, attributes and options to suit all your needs,” Anthony said. n Visit: www.awdgrp.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

A QUIET REVOLUTION IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY

✔ Low weight ✔ Compact ✔ Efﬁcient ✔ Economical ✔ Versatile

OR CALL 1300 4 NIFTY

ACCESS IN ACTION

Lessons DV teaches us about interpersonal workplace dynamics The EWPA is this year focusing on raising awareness of Domestic Violence (DV) and invited Bronwyn Williams, the Founder and Director of Backstory Consultancy to engage with members to shed some light on this difficult subject.

he Backstory website tells us: One of the difficulties with abuse, particularly that which is not physical, is its hiddenness. The abuse is hard to recognise when you’re in it, hard to explain once you’ve left and the road to recovery can be long. With her own journey through domestic abuse, from survivor to thriver, Bronwyn brings a breadth and depth of wisdom, learning and insight through three programs. The EWPA is proud to support Backstory in 2019. Here Bronwyn gives us a look at what domestic violence is and why it is important businesses understand emotional intelligence and the importance of training staff in handling themselves. There are few people who would be unaware of the issue of domestic violence in Australia. From campaigners such as Rosie Battie and White Ribbon Day to Destroy the Joint and Counting Dead Women (groups which highlight the number of women killed by men intimately known to them – 34 in Australia at time of writing, in week 36 of 2019, and 71 in 2018, more than one per week) awareness of domestic violence is speedily growing. And with it, questions are raised about what can be done to stem the violence, what causes men (primarily) to use violence against the women they are in relationship with, and how we can help. For those, like myself, who have their own experience of domestic abuse, or who work in the field, answers are not easily given because the issue is a complex one. Domestic abuse, domestic violence, family violence takes a variety of forms, and usually more than one type of abuse is present in any given situation. All abuse, whatever form it takes, is about power and control and is a violation of human rights. First there is the obvious, physical violence. The next physically violent, but more hidden, abuse is sexual abuse which includes coercive sexual practices and marital rape. Another more overt form of abuse is verbal abuse where angry yelling immediately comes to mind, but which also includes continual criticism and humiliation, and attacks on a person’s P36

intelligence or parenting. Emotional abuse includes blaming the victim for all the problems in a relationship, undermining a partner’s self-esteem, intentionally embarrassing a partner in public, name calling, emotional detachment and withdrawal. Financial abuse occurs when one partner controls all the finances in a relationship, prevents their partner from working and having independent income, provides inadequate funds to cover household needs, uses a partner’s credit card without permission, or refuses to work or contribute to household expenses. In social abuse one partner isolates the other from friends and family by monitoring their phone calls, deciding which friends and family their partner can talk to, continually criticising the partner’s family, or moving the person away so they no longer have any contact with their support networks. Spiritual abuse happens when one partner prevents the other from practising their religion, ridicules a person’s religious beliefs or uses the tenets of that religion to control and hurt. While physical and sexual abuse is largely carried out by men, all other forms of abuse are committed by both men and women. It is right we are concerned, individually and corporately, about domestic abuse because it can impact anyone, as victim or perpetrator. At its heart, abuse is a relationship issue. Abusers often learn their behaviours by watching the interplay of relationships in the family they grew up in. Similarly, victims learn being yelled at, coerced sexually or being hit is part of a normal relationship. Culture also normalises abuse in relationships. So, what can we do individually and corporately? The first step is for each of us to grow in understanding ourselves and developing our emotional intelligence. Many workplaces are recognising just as is it important to train staff in the skills necessary for handling machinery or using technology, it is equally important to train staff in handling themselves. Some of us are more naturally reflective and take time to think about why we respond to various situations and people, and seek to

Bronwyn Williams, Founder and Director of Backstory Consultancy

change behaviours and responses we see are not healthy or helpful. And some of us need assistance in doing this, which is where training in emotional intelligence brings huge benefits for workplaces as staff understand more fully the interpersonal dynamics at play in. Flowing out of emotional intelligence is self-leadership in which each person takes responsibility for their actions, responses and reactions. A common phrase abusers use is, “See what you made me do”, uttered after they’ve hurt their partner. The victim did not ‘make’ the abuser do anything. The victim did not ‘make’ the abuser angry. Our actions and emotions are our own. Emotions come unbidden in response to different situations – sometimes it’s impossible not to laugh when others are laughing and, also, we can feel angry or frustrated at other people’s behaviour and words. But our responses are our own – we can choose how we respond to any stimulus or trigger and learning to modify our behaviour is part of the maturing process. A third step is to understand the unconscious biases each of us bring to any workplace or relationship. Unconscious bias happens outside our control and occurs automatically when our brains make a quick judgement about another person. Biases form as part of our cultural or generational heritage; baby boomers and millenials certainly view the world differently, as do white and Aboriginal Australians and those born in other countries. Gender roles and norms also play a part in bias. It’s not easy to confront our biases but doing so is essential to foster healthy working and interpersonal relationships. We all have a part to play in bringing domestic and workplace abuse (bullying and harassment) to an end. Because abuse is about how we relate to each other, learning to understand ourselves goes a long way towards building healthy relationships and workplaces. n Contact Bronwyn Williams at: bron@backstory.com.au or visit: www.backstory.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

STAR 8S VERTICAL MAST

haulotte.com.au

HAULOTTE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, 46 Greens Road, Dandenong South - Vic - 3175 Australia Tel.: 1300 207 683- Fax: +61 3 9792 1011 -sales@haulotte.com Australian Business Number 43 086 901 699

ACCESS IN ACTION

Genie appoints new managers

erex AWP has appointed Mike Podziewski as Country Manager of its equipment financing business for Terex Financial Services (TFS) and has been noted as having ‘cut his teeth in the access equipment industry in Australia and New Zealand’. Mike is currently the Genie Regional Sales Manager for NSW / New Zealand, Terex AWP, and will be replaced by James Millen, who has been serving in the role of Genie Customer Support Manager, NSW/ACT, Terex AWP. Kurt Kinder, Genie National Sales Manager, Terex AWP, said: “Mike’s strong sales background

will be a massive advantage in his new role. Mike comes to the new role with a deep understanding of

Terex AWP has appointed Mike Podziewski as Country Manager of its equipment financing business for Terex Financial Services

our customers, their businesses, equipment financing and cash flow needs, as well as in-depth knowledge of how the market works. “A career banker won’t have this level of hands-on industry experience. In contrast, Mike has significant equipment financing exposure through his roles with Genie and Youngman Richardson & Co (YRCO). TFS is an alternate lender for rental customers unable to find the time to manage the financials involved in the equipment purchasing process or have been refused funding by a bank. “By choosing us, our clients can be confident their financial documentation will be drawn up and invoices paid on time because we are handling this through Genie,” Mike said. TFS sources its funding from four local and international lenders enabling competitive rates and fee

Mobile first a priority for Skyjack’s new website

kyjack’s newly revamped website was designed with new technology, international audiences, and mobile first roles in mind and focuses on its product pages. Each product page now features familiarisation videos, photo and rendering libraries, BIM models where applicable, and more to come. “To keep a positive user experience for our visitors and ultimately our customers, we created a one-click process to access all of the information on any given product, right there on the product page,” Christina Evans, Multimedia and Promotions Coordinator at Skyjack said. Outside of the product pages Skyjack

also created a full Q&A page where visitors can find answers to the top questions posed to its team. This includes how to order parts, safety-related questions and contact information. The company also created www.skyjack.com/ansi-update for its North American customers, providing a Q&A and downloadable resources focusing on the new ANSI standards. “By designing multiple channels for visitors to get to the most frequented pages, we’re easily guiding them to what they’re looking for,” Chantal Theoret, Global Marketing Communications Manager at Skyjack said. “As a company with customers operating in over 15 different time zones, we had to simplify the path to information for our visitors so they’re able to access what they need in real time. “We pride ourselves on being simply reliable and, after viewing our website analytics, we found a few ways that we could improve the user experience and get visitors where they need to go with less clicks,” Chantal said. n

structures. Kurt also welcomed James Millen, who originally joined Genie as a Field Service Officer in December 2007, into the Sales Manager role. “With the NSW government proposing an $87 billion four-year infrastructure pipeline we need an experienced hand who can work with our growing client base throughout the entire product lifecycle, from purchase through to repair or replacement. “As Customer Support Manager for NSW/ACT, James demonstrated he has excellent communication, and project management skills. “He led the Genie field service team superbly from our facility in Glendenning and is the best candidate to join our sales team in NSW,” Kurt said. n Visit: www.genielift.com

Tadano completes acquisition of Demag Mobile Cranes Tadano has completed its acquisition of the Demag Mobile Cranes business bringing together two major names in the lifting equipment industry. The expectation was Demag’s transition into the Tadano Group would be seamless with customers able to carry out business as usual. Customers continue to continue to work with the same Demag sales, service and parts contacts just with a different email, changing from ‘@terex.com’ to ‘@tadano. com’. Koichi Tadano, President and CEO of The Tadano Group said: “The Tadano Group’s long-term goal is to become the global leader in the lifting equipment industry and the Demag Mobile Cranes acquisition is one vital step toward achieving that goal. “This change serves as an opportunity to combine our strength to better serve your lifting business. We will leverage synergies between Tadano, Tadano Faun GmbH (TFG), and Demag throughout the value chain, including crane design, procurement, production, and sales support, to further benefit you,” Koichi said. n Visit: www.tadano.com

Visit: www.skyjack.com P38

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

TRAILER & TRUCK MOUNTED EWPS

Driving up productivity Snorkel trailer and truck-mounted EWPs were originally designed for use in the Australian market and are engineered and built in Snorkel’s manufacturing facility in Levin, New Zealand.

ruck and trailer mounted EWPs mean the lifts can be driven or towed between jobs, boosting productivity, and for rental companies, means customers can collect and return the lift themselves, without the need for truck deliveries, Glenn Martin, Managing Director, Ahern Australia / President,

The Snorkel EPV16A trailer boom means customers can collect and return the lift themselves. Snorkel MHP15HD truck mounted boom is mounted on a rigid towable trailer base

Snorkel Asia said. “Snorkel offers a line of three trailermounted EWPs, which includes the MHP13/35 with a 12.6m working height, the MHP13AT with a 12.9m maximum working height and the MHP15HD that can reach a working height of 15.2m,” Glenn said. “As the largest model in the trailermounted family, the Snorkel MHP15HD was first introduced to the Australian market in 1992. Featuring an all-steel construction, the MHP15HD is mounted on a rigid towable trailer base which can be easily towed by a car or commercial vehicle, and quickly set up for work with automatic self-levelling stabiliser legs. “It has a simple three boom design with upper and lower booms and a two metre articulating jib to provide ‘up and over’ capability. The upper boom has full ‘negative angle’ capability, meaning the upper boom and jib can be fully lowered to the ground, even when the lower boom is raised, delivering an extremely manoeuvrable working envelope. “Offering a maximum horizontal outreach of 6.4m, the MHP15HD weighs just 1,760kg and has compact transport dimensions of just 2.1m stowed height and a towing length of 7.45m. “Boasting the largest basket size in its class, the Snorkel MHP15HD provides a wide two-person platform, measuring at 1.25m x 0.78m x 1.07m, and capable of lifting a capacity of

up to 200kg. “The all-steel basket is fitted with recessed LED tail lights and a standard hydraulic platform rotator, allowing for increased manoeuvrability when extended, as well as accessibility to the basket when the operator is next to a wall or obstacle that blocks one of the three egress points. “Fitted with automatic stabilisers legs, as standard, the simple one-touch stabiliser operation enables quick and easy setup, allowing the machine to auto-level even if the legs are on uneven ground. For working in tight spaces, the compact stabiliser footprint is just 3.7m x 3.6m. Offered with a 5.5hp Honda GX160 petrol engine, the MHP15HD is quiet, clean, and has very low running costs. As an extra option, it can be fitted with a diesel engine, 24-volt DC power, 240-volt AC power, or any combination of the two. If it is fitted with a combination of both power options, the sources work independently to provide ‘dual power’ capability. “Sharing the same steel boom set as the MHP15HD is the truck-mounted Snorkel EPV16A, which can be fitted to most 4.5 tonne and greater GVM vehicles, and features 360-degree continuous turntable rotation for ease of positioning. Equipped with a 1.07m x 0.61m platform, it can lift a capacity up to 200kg, and has a maximum working height of 15.8m, with a maximum horizontal outreach of 6.71m at a 7.75m elevation. Weighing just 1,640kg, the EPV16A can be powered either with a gasoline engine or truck-mounted PTO, and features live hydraulics with check valves, and comes with hydraulic outriggers as standard. “Designed to be rugged and reliable with a low total cost of ownership, Snorkel trailer-mounted and truck-mounted EWPs are available to order from Ahern Australia, the official distributor for Snorkel lifts in Australia,” Glenn said. Contact: 1300 900 700 or visit: www.ahernaustralia.com.au

Compact truck mounted EWP easy as Monitor Lift’s E209PX is a compact 20m truck mounted EWP that can be driven on a car licence and mounted on a 4x4 chassis for heavier duty applications. As a registered road going vehicle, the E209PX prevents any hassle with traffic management or permits and up is fast; simply pull up, engage the PTO, climb out of the vehicle and lower the stabiliser legs and you’re right to elevate, Ben Joyce, General Manager at Monitor Lifts said. “The clever double-knuckle boom design of the Monitor E209PX provides an excellent working envelope, from ground level through to working height, with minimal tail swing. The two-man, 220kg SWL is available throughout the entire envelope providing unrestricted outreach,” Ben said. P40

Smooth hydraulic controls allow very precise operation, and also provides for fast boom movements when required. Multiple functions can be made simultaneously. The four vertical heavy duty stabiliser legs allow the truck to set up on all sorts of terrain and provide a sturdy base to ensure 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. Contact: 1800 025 024 or visit: www.monitor.net.au

Monitor Lift’s E209PX is a compact 20m truck mounted EWP that can be driven on a car licence

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

SNORKELâ„¢ 460SJ: MID-SIZE TELESCOPIC BOOM LIFT POWERFUL 4 WHEEL DRIVE | PROPORTIONAL CONTROLS | TRI-ENTRY PLATFORM

THE NEW HEIGHT OF RELIABILITY The Snorkel 460SJ delivers power and precision for excellent rough terrain performance. Powerful four-wheel drive, minimal tailswing and 50% gradeability are combined with fully proportional hydraulics for a robust aerial lift. A modular platform and swing-out engine trays make the diesel telescopic boom lift simple to operate and simple to maintain. For added flexibility, the 460SJ features a 2m jib. For more information, call 1300 900 700 or visit ahernaustralia.com.au.

Sales Service Parts www.ahernaustralia.com.au

TRAILER & TRUCK MOUNTED EWPS AND SCAFFOLDING

Truck mounted EWPs access all areas

ehicle mounted EWP specialists, NiftyLift, launched the latest in its truck mounted range from Ruthmann during HIRE19. The Ruthmann Ecoline RS200 features a working height of 20m, horizontal outreach of 10.7m, plus has a wide, two person platform measuring 1.3m x 0.70m and capable of lifting up to 250kg. Available to suit car licence trucks, or higher GVM trucks that provide payload for tools and equipment, the Ecoline is suited to a large number of trades and contractors. As the exclusive Ruthmann distributor in Australia and New Zealand, Nifty-Lift also features a range of larger Ruthmann units from 30m to 90m. Competitive advantages include superior side reach due to state of the art multi-bevelled boom profile, largest extending work basket available, fully flexible outrigger settings gives greater reach in tight spaces. Fully compliant with AS1418. Nifty-Lift’s NL100LVM ute mounted EWPs are also very popular in rental yards Kevin Power, Nifty-Lift General Manager said. “The NL100LVM is what we call the ‘Access All Areas’ EWP since it is compact and easy to use with push button basket controls with emergency stop button, optimised high strength double boom design for maximum lifespan, and two speed operation,” Kevin said. It features a high strength double boom design, comes with vertical stabilisers for quick setup in confined work areas, is capable of

continuous 360º slew in either direction and features a mechanical basket levelling system to ensure smooth operation. Designed to comply with Australian Standards, including optional low voltage insulation, the NL100LVM also has emergency controls at the base of the EWP plus an emergency hand pump as standard. Its battery electric powered hydraulic system provides reliable operation, with quick battery recharging via 240v GPO, he said. “The versatile NL100LVM is designed for contractors who require a quick and easy to use EWP. Whether for NBN, maintenance, signage or electrical connection works, the NL100LVM offers an outstanding working envelope and onsite flexibility with the comfort and practicality that comes with a utility or small car license cab chassis. Optional Accessories also include: low voltage insulation rating to AS1418.10; battery charging via the vehicle alternator allowing continuous EWP use; a range of bodywork options including toolboxes, cone holders, vices, lighting, towbars and cab protection; and a PTO powered pump (available on truck mounts only). “Our optimised designs ensure greater job site performance coupled with less downtime, giving you higher productivity and lower cost of ownership over the life of the work platform,” Kevin said. “Nifty-Lift has over 25 years experience

Nifty-Lift, launched the truck mounted, 20m non-insulated Ruthmann Ecoline RS200 at HIRE19

designing innovative access solutions. Through extensive industry consultation and the use of cutting-edge engineering software we have produced a range of industry leading models. “We support our work platforms through their entire lifecycle, not just under warranty. The team of highly experienced Nifty-Lift service technicians are available to assist operators, fleet owners and workshops with training, advice, documentation and product upgrades.” n Contact: 03 9725 0077 or visit: www.nifty-lift.com.au

New fibreglass deck for aluminium scaffolding

caffold Solutions has introduced a new fibreglass scaffolding deck to its range and has been trialing it in its hire fleet since it launched late last year. “The new fibreglass deck is long lasting and requires less maintenance, plus it cleans off really well and won’t warp or rot. We found it really easy to clean off rendering and plastering excess after hires,” Joe Cerullo, Managing Director, Scaffold Solutions said. “The fibreglass deck is UV stabilised which will result in longer life. Plus it is a lighter product than timber scaffold decks,” Joe said. Joe showcased the new fiberglass deck at HIRE19 and said word is filtering through to the rental market now about benefits the fibreglass deck offers. Aluminium scaffolding is a good money spinner for rental companies, Joe said, because it can last up to 25 years if it is well cared for and it is low maintenance. P42

“There is no real maintenance required for scaffolding. You need to visually check it and make sure there is no visible damage but that is about it. Plus aluminium scaffolding is lightweight and easily mobile, making it easy to move around on site and to transport,” Joe said. Scaffold Solutions offers a range of scaffolding in sizes from its most popular range of 1.2m wide x 2.4m long; or narrow width at 0.8m x 2.4m long with either timber or fibreglass decks. The company also offers a modular scaffolding system, aluminium Quickstage system which is a versatile and flexible scaffolding system. Joe said Workplace Health & Safety regulations are ensuring safer workplaces with more people and contractors using mobile platforms and scaffolding on site. “WorkSafe are regularly checking work sites and working at height safety for workers on the job and this is resulting in scaffold and

Scaffold Solutions has introduced a new fibreglass scaffolding deck to its range

mobile scaffold systems being more frequently used on job sites.” There are regulations around erecting scaffold and Joe said education is a large part of his role, to ensure the safety of all end users. “To erect a scaffold over 4m platform height, you need a scaffold licence, but this can be obtained by undertaking a scaffold licence course which takes about a week to complete and become certified.” n Contact: 03 9460 1333 or visit: www.scaffoldsolutions.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

NOV 2019

VOL21 VOL22 N OO0 .0 2 5 N

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

Join us at HIRE20 for events members exclusive site tour and workshop plus dedicated “Events in Focus” area within the HIRE20 Exhibition

Visit HIRE20.com.au IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURE: Mobile Kitchens & Catering – p46

Profile – 50 years in rural events – the Bourke Hire story – p50

Profile – 30 years in hire began with a portable toilet – p52

EVENTS IN FOCUS

President’s message

Keep on keeping on – where we are and what we’ve done The Events Division has been busy tackling the key issues we identified as our industry’s most compelling areas for development. It’s been a busy time and we are making progress so here’s an update to keep everyone in the loop. I have been working closely with MST Lawyers to produce a draft Enterprise Agreement, which has been refined several times and is now very close to being submitted. We have finessed some of the items that are ‘above and beyond’ the needs of the industry and cross modelled the current retail award with what is being proposed in the Enterprise Agreement. It has been an interesting challenge but we are close to achieving a positive outcome, with a tailored award or agreement more suitable for our industry’s requirements. DDA compliance with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) is an ongoing issue and committee members are meeting regularly to discuss the Australian Building codes and make sure we are across the latest updates on Standards and compliance requirements regarding temporary structures. While we are addressing VBA regulations, the fire safety compliance of

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marquees and other temporary structures fabrics has been raised by the Victorian Cladding taskforce which now requires fire engineering reports on temporary structures. According to the VBA, if the fabric is non-compliant then the structure cannot be used. This also has an impact on separation between structure and cooking, air conditioning and other electrical items. One of the major issues this has raised for members is there are only a few Fire Engineers willing to do these reports and the time taken to produce these reports is very lengthy. Harry the Hirer has had reports completed and the report they received is 90 pages long but it took 16 months to produce. The flow on effect of this issue is of course with insurance. As a result of this compliance issue, occupancy permits for temporary structures are being delayed. This issue is causing big problems for marquee hire companies in Victoria. We are working with industry to find a solution, and we will update as we learn more. In a major positive for the Events Division, HIRE20 will be extended next year to run over three days with a focus on the Events Division (and Global Access Meeting) on the Tuesday before the Convention begins. We are looking to host an Events Division Tour and workshop on the Tuesday with plans underway to create a focus filled day for all our members. Plus,

we are looking at creating an ‘Events in Focus’ area at HIRE20 which we expect will be near the catering area. Stay tuned for more details as they arise. Another area of focus is to increase our membership and the National Office of the HRIA has been very accommodating, extending information to industry players around the country, extolling the many benefits of membership in the Events Division. So far we have had one new member sign up and well as several others requesting more details. Welcome to our newest member and we hope to be welcoming more members soon. We will continue the drive to extend our reach ongoing. And so as we ramp up into another hectic events season – stay focused and productive and work hard but also remember to check in with your co-workers, team members and friends and ask RU OK? Such a small question but it could have big implications. Have a joyous and lovely festive season and here’s to a great start to a whole new decade – 2020 – can you believe it?

Erin Johnston Events Division President

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

EVENTS IN FOCUS

Royal Wolf picks up two innovation awards Royal Wolf’s Wolf Lock has taken home two Australian Business Awards 2019 for New Product Innovation and for Technology Innovation.

he Wolf Lock is a specialised product developed by Royal Wolf which features a tri-locking system with vault-like security to provide an even higher level of secure, weatherproof storage than a conventional container. It provides a higher level of safety than traditional containers, from removing the risk of people getting locked inside a container through to reducing injury risk when opening and entering a container Neil Littlewood, Royal

Wolf’s Chief Executive Officer said. “Opening a conventional container, with heavy steel doors and a number of large levers, requires a twisting motion using two arms. The Wolf Lock, on the other hand, allows access through a single lever that requires significantly less strength and physicality to work it,” Neil said. There are currently 993 Wolf Lock containers on hire across Australia and New Zealand. Due to the strong growth in market,

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

Royal Wolf CEO Neil Littlewood (left) with Ben Dupres Senior Designer

Wolf Lock is now available in alternate sizes. Both the ABA100 for New Product Innovation and ABA100 winner for Technology Innovation recognise products and services that provide forward-thinking solutions for new and existing market needs. Ben Dupres, Senior Designer at Royal Wolf’s Gordon Head Office, said: “The Wolf Lock

was born out of real customer challenges around safety and accessibility. For me, winning the awards builds my design confidence, reaffirms our team’s ability, and once again demonstrates the excellent attitude towards safety we have here at Royal Wolf.” Visit: www.royalwolf.com.au

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EVENTS IN FOCUS – MOBILE KITCHENS & CATERING

Customised mobile kitchens and site vans Mobile site van manufacturer, Vansite Hire & Manufacturing, based in Queensland saw a gap in the market back in 2012, and could see the potential to produce a superior product in a new and expanding arena. Originally a manufacturing business, the start-up quickly realised the benefit of adding a hire arm to the business. Here Tim Spencer, Executive Manager at Vansite Hire & Manufacturing tells us how they got their start. Q: Where are you based? A: Our manufacturing arm is based at Arundel on Queensland’s Gold Coast, with a holding site for our hire business further north at Jacobs Well. We are also in the process of constructing a new purpose built factory at our Jacobs Well site to help accommodate the growth in the business. Q: What is the driving force behind the company? A: Vansite’s founder, Grant Gasnier, has a history in the building and construction industry and a keen interest in the challenge of developing a product and finding solutions to our customers’ needs. We originally found the majority of our clients came from the mining and exploration sectors, but with the growth in infrastructure works and focus on safety we now service multiple industries including roadworks, rail, councils and farming industries. Q: How many products do you have? A: Vansite Manufacturing and Vansite Hire have a range of products including our smaller 5.5 series site office and our 6.3

series toilet block, but the majority of the product we both sell and hire comes from our 7.2 and 8.7 series range of Industrial Site Offices. These two ranges service the needs of most of our purchasing and hire clients, depending on the size of the crew they wish to accommodate. Our site offices come with a built in generator, toilet, and kitchenette with 12 volt refrigerator, sink, microwave, water cooler and kettle or a cold/hot boil tap. They can be configured with crib room seating or office desks, exterior awning, and of course water tanks and air conditioning. Detailed images, plans and information are available on our website www.vansite.com.au Q: What are the features that sell to customers? A: Our ability to custom build to our clients’ requirements means we can create a product tailored to individual company or industry specifications. Quality, durability and longevity are concepts at the heart of everything we design and build. From gal dipping our chassis, developing solar power and battery storage solutions to designing a

Vansite Hire has the ability to deliver its products Australia wide, from Weipa in far North Queensland to urban projects in Sydney

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van with an in built light tower for night use, we have solutions for every situation and every site. From the very start we have differentiated ourselves from our market competition by ensuring we don’t compromise on the quality of our product. We also work hard to build and maintain our relationships with the companies we work with, striving to provide a high level of customer service to support our product. Q: What are customers looking for in a site van? A: Obviously mobility is paramount, as it allows the flexibility to access remote areas as well as pack down and move at short notice with minimal towing equipment. Beyond that, the toughness to cope with some of the harsh environments our vans are sent to while providing a level of comfort for the crews using them is absolutely necessary. We include all the features needed for the site office to operate autonomously in remote locations – generator power, air conditioning, food preparation area, toilet, water, waste and fuel tanks, internal desks and seating. A lot of the sites in Australia have different standards and requirements depending on whether they service the mining industry or roadworks and infrastructure industry, and the ease of our product is we have developed it to comply with all the different site standards involved. Q: How do they get delivered? A: Vansite Hire has the ability to deliver our product Australia wide for our clients. We have delivered vans to areas as remote as Weipa in far north Queensland and the Pilbara in WA, sites in Central Queensland and the Hunter Valley as well as to major roadworks projects and urban areas such as the West Connex Tunnel in Sydney. Q: How many vans are in your fleet? A: We currently have about 50 hire vans in our fleet but are actively expanding as demand for our product grows. We are open to building vans for long term larger contracts and welcome enquiries and the opportunity to build relationships with prospective clients. Q: What have been some of your more challenging applications? A: The biggest challenge in our business was actually getting started- sourcing funding, building a team, perfecting product design. Constant improvement is a challenge; we are always looking at how we can make our vans lighter, stronger, more durable, more efficient and comply with the most stringent Australian standards from a mining and civil perspective. Every custom van we build is really a challenge in its own right because it requires innovation in design, such as designing a HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

EVENTS IN FOCUS – MOBILE KITCHENS & CATERING

Vaniste has designed a van with an in built light tower for night

van with a light tower, incorporating satellite applications or developing solar solutions. Q: Where are the vans generally used? A: Vansite Hire vans go to many locations throughout Australia, both remote and urban. They are an all in one site application which gives the client the benefit of cost savings due to the fact they have everything they need in one unit - generator, kitchen, office, light tower etc. The van can be towed behind a light truck, or even in some cases a grader, rather than having to set up a site with a

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

implementing the highest electrical standards tilt tray and incur all the transport costs of and the introduction of new technology, having to move a static unit. to allow all vans to comply with any site in Q: What are the trends in site vans? Australia. A: For us the drive to constantly develop our product is what informs the Q: How was HIRE19? ways in which our vans evolve. We strive to A: We thoroughly enjoyed participating be innovative in the way we approach each in the HRIA HIRE19 in Melbourne this new build. One example of this is the recent year and having the opportunity to network addition to our fleet of a van incorporating with both current customers and prospective a light tower, enabling it to be used for clients. It was wonderful to be the recipient of night work without the client incurring the Hire Industry Excellence Awards Supplier the added cost of hiring extra lighting. We of the Year award in our category. are also in the process of adding to our Contact: 07 5563 9724 or visit: fleet a 6.3m toilet block which is designed www.vansite.com.au to cater for up to 80 workers, both male and female, and a 5.5m office van for sites which require a more compact van to cater for smaller site crews. Q: Is there anything you’ve had to add to a site van to meet customer requirement? A: Our site vans have evolved to where they are today through the combination of all the feedback and interaction with our many clients over time, and our proactive approach to design and construction. vans are an all in one site application and have everything needed in one unit We’ve consistently made Vansite generator, kitchen, office, light tower etc changes to our designs,

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EVENTS IN FOCUS – MOBILE KITCHENS & CATERING

Customisable mobile kitchens are more than just temporary infrastructure

ounding a business based on providing temporary food service infrastructure and compliant kitchens in ‘remote’, out of the box locations was almost a given for former caterer to the film industry, Mitch Carter. Mobile Kitchens Director, Mitch started the Brisbane based business after seeing a gap in the market during years of providing back stage catering for the crew and artists for events such as Splendour in the Grass and the Byron Bay Bluesfest. “As a former caterer in the film industry, it was my job to utilise a truck with a full commercial kitchen fit out to service my clientele,” Mitch said. “I took this truck across Australia and in some cases overseas and found it extremely effective in both the local and international markets. When I sold the catering company I kept the truck and saw a niche in the market to provide caterers and

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other food service companies with temporary food service infrastructure for such things as events and refurbishments.” Mobile Kitchens supplies its customisable mobile kitchens in sizes ranging from 6m x 2.4m modules with varying internal configurations, up to 12m x 3m modules (what the company calls its SuperMax) all over Australia and even internationally. The temporary, modular, portable kitchens available for hire or sale can be joined together if required, and custom configured internally to suit equipment, preparation and food storage requirements. Mobile Kitchens is also a fully qualified and licenced building company. “We build all of our modules, in-house and as a result, we’re regularly engaged in project builds for clients seeking a permanent modular solution. “We also have a large range of specific, high end, catering

equipment that supports our fleet, enabling us to offer a custom built solution for every client requirement. This includes things such as combi ovens, bratt pans, oven ranges, and blast chillers which are generally not available to hire anywhere, so our personalised solutions provide what the wider market doesn’t,” Mitch said. “Flexibility and customisation is the name of the game for Mobile Kitchens, which is what sets us apart from our competition. All our modules are completely customisable. Every client has different needs, so this is critical to our offer. Our modules also fit together and can form a large complex of food service infrastructure if need be. Not to mention that all of our kitchen modules are fully air conditioned which as a caterer, I know they want. “Health code and building code compliance is the ultimate requirement for our customers. There are strict requirements and we ensure all are met while retaining ultimate functionality in our modules. “The kitchens are quite simple to load and secure. We have all necessary tools and equipment, plus a large yard and

work shop that allows for the easy moving of gear. “All are generally delivered by truck, rail and sometimes by barge. This can sometimes be an expensive part of the hire equation for our clients, which is where we offer guidance and total transparency when quoting and planning for a job, especially in remote or international locations. We take cost seriously and our clients greatly benefit from our experience in that way,” Mitch said. In terms of what’s new to the market, Mitch said pop-up retail food facilities are a trend he’s seen a lot of over the past few years. “We are always moving and evolving based on client requirements so there are always new and exciting things in the pipeline.” “Mobile Kitchens is based in Brisbane, but we successfully service companies all across Australia and internationally. My dream and solid focus now is to make the company a firm fixture in the US market and repeat our successes over there.” Contact: 07 3162 8927 or 1300 626 326 or visit: www.mobilekitchens.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

EVENTS IN FOCUS – HVAC

Earning stripes in HVAC supply during event season Since its inception in 2001 as a specialist in portable air conditioners catering for HVAC plant breakdowns in the built environment, Cool Breeze Rentals (CBR) has evolved to cater for some of the highest profile, world class events across the country.

“

You don’t just stumble into a Melbourne Cup Carnival or Formula One Grand Prix contract, you must ‘earn your stripes’,” Ashley Martin Cool Breeze Rental’s Victorian State Manger said.

CBR’s HVAC supply attention is focused on safety, compliance and presentation

“CBR’s involvement in the events industry began with somewhat modest offerings. Small Evaporative Coolers at country racing events around Victoria afforded us some invaluable exposure to the events industry and some key stakeholders. Challenges included how much more labour-intensive this field was than our commercial work, but it is an exciting space to be involved in,” Ashley said. CBR’s transition into major events began with the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in 2005 when the company provided air conditioning to approximately 15 individual marquees around the Albert Park street circuit. Today, CBR’s event card is ever growing and currently manages HVAC requirements for: V8 Supercars Championship, Australian Formula One Grand Prix, Melbourne Cup Spring Racing Carnival, Australian Open Golf Championship, Queensland PGA Championship, Fringe World Festival, and for the second time, CBR will supply air conditioning into temporary structures at the 2019 President’s Cup Golf Tournament – Royal Melbourne Golf Course.

New premises for heavy industry air con hire in central Queensland A move to new premises has meant an improvement in production processes and streamlining of operations for Larsen’s Air Conditioning Hire in Central Queensland. The new premises of 1425m 2 under roof, 1500m 2 of concrete yard and hardstand and 120m 2 of administration at 17 Bush Crescent, Parkhurst, in Rockhampton’s industry hub complies with all industry standards, in line with customer requirements. The new depot includes registered covered wash bay facilities, fire reels, hydrant boosters, electrical switchboards, EMR lighting signage and full disability facilities. Larsen’s Air Conditioning Hire’s David Larsen said: “With our main business predominately servicing heavy industry such as power generation via power stations, oil, gas, refineries, mills and coal mining, supplying heavy industry but the small end of it, our HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

clientele demands world standard equipment and high quality in our behind the scenes support. “Compliance in all facets of our operation is paramount, from onsite to depot to office and our new premises add to and improve our performance,” David said. “Simply being able to cope with multiple hire requirements at once without the need for constant handling of equipment in and out of storage meant the switch from the old 600m 2 depot to our new premises has proven to be money well spent,” David said. Specialising in temporary air conditioning equipment for confined space cooling for boilers, pits and tank cleaning to critical areas such as switch rooms and hospital requirements, Larson Air Conditioning Hire is the first choice for temporary cooling solutions in Central Queensland, David said.

“Most events, large and small, tend to run a tight schedule, and it’s imperative we make every effort to have our equipment and crews as prepared as possible and minimise downtime,” Ashley said. “Our attention is focused on safety, compliance and presentation while observing electrical safety standards, servicing, test running air conditioners and maintenance to ensure the climate control balance is faultless. “Supplying HVAC to major events presents different challenges; fitting out structures which aren’t necessarily designed to accommodate air conditioning, from single and double storey marquees, transparent marquees, through to heritage listed buildings. “The introduction of marquees which can be described as temporary buildings was a significant change in the event landscape. Event professionals Harry the Hirer introduced its impressive ‘Absolute structure’ and ‘Triple Storey Structure’ to meet increased client demand but this also subsequently increased the demand for professionally installed air conditioning,” Ashley said. “Major events have not traditionally been known for their minimal carbon footprint and air conditioning is one of the biggest transgressors. In true market disrupting style, solar off-grid and hybrid air conditioners are fast developing and in the not too distant future we hope to see this technology as a viable alternative, offering some real cost saving benefits to the event industry and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to benefit the environment. “The event season for CBR means a significant contribution to local employment. Our Melbourne branch workforce swells by 100% during the spring and summer to cater for the increased workload.” Contact: 1300 885 188 or visit: www.coolbreeze.net.au

“Our equipment is of the utmost quality in design and safety and includes certified lift points, four pole switching, earth leakage, EMR stop and lockable eschan panels, plus we offer a multitude of sizes and design criteria.” Contact: 0448 818 466 or visit: www.larsenhire.com.au

A move to new premises has meant an improvement in production processes and streamlining of operations for Larsen’s Air Conditioning Hire

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EVENTS IN FOCUS

50 years serving rural events market Bourke Hire, an Event Hire business based in Cobram, Victoria, got its start back in 1963 when Kevin Bourke’s brother, Barry was running a farm machinery and fuel agency business and his Portagas distributor wanted to exhibit at a local field day. They required shade for exhibitors so Kevin said he approached George Le Amson’s, a travelling circus group who were prepared to sell two of their rope and pole marquees. This was the beginning of Bourke Hire owned by Kevin.

is brother became ill and retired from the business. At the same time, the first field day was conducted at Henty. They required a Ladies Interest Marquee which Bourke Hire supplied and continued to do so for about the next 50 years until Kevin said they built a shed and no longer required his marquee. This first marquee purchased for Henty was yellow! It was purchased from Geo Pickers, a Brisbane based company and was subsequently sought after for local weddings. Geo Pickers put an ad in the Weekly Times to sell a rope and pole 50’ x 100’ marquee. It had been custom built for use in construction of an oil pipeline heading north from Brisbane. It was no longer required and Kevin saw the potential for its use for on property cattle sales that were becoming popular. At the same time, Kevin realised there was a need for tiered seating in the marquees, so with the help of his friend Andy Wallace,

an engineer, he designed and constructed tiered seating. Made out of steel and well engineered, the tiered seating is still in use today at Bourke Hire. However, before building the seating, when Kevin went to the Victorian Building Authority to ask to see the regulations around requirements for tiered seating, the staff member he saw told him: “You make it and I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. I can’t tell you how to build it, in case I’m wrong.” “We were the first to design and build portable tiered seating,’’Kevin said. “ “Previous tiered seating was structured on bulky, heavy scaffolding.” The seating was used at Kooyong for the Australian Open Tennis on the outside courts, World Bowls Championships held in Melbourne and Australian Open Golf at Royal Melbourne just to name a few. The seating also went on tour with Eddie Charlton, a world champion snooker player.

Bourke Hire was the first to design and build portable tiered seating for events

Kevin and the seating travelled all up the east coast of Australia and then to Darwin. Demand for marquees increased with the development of rural field days such as Henty, Elmore, Speed and Wimmera. Bourke Hire supplied them all and continues to do so to this day. “We evolved and started from nothing,’’Kevin said. “We bought the first two tents and then the business just grew as demand necessitated. “If someone wanted tiered seating, we built it. We didn’t have a lot of money to get started, but what we had we used to meet customer demand. We also purchased marquees to meet demand. “It became so interesting and we could see it heading somewhere. The variety of events and clientele made for an interesting business, including royal tours, sporting events, conferences, military parades and of course weddings.

Industry camaraderie

Bourke Hire serviced all the field days around the region for many years

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Kevin said his hire business was well supported by two other hire businesses operating at the same time: “If I didn’t have enough equipment, I’d get it from them and vice versa,” Kevin said. “Jock McKechnie from Miller Brothers (John Kroger bought Jock out and then Rick Jamieson bought Jack out to form what is now known as Harry the Hirer) was a great friend in those days. I went to him for advice and if I had a request for any equipment I couldn’t meet, Jock would offer much assistance. “Jock also taught me to work with my opposition and how to work together. That was the real foundation of hire – the industry camaraderie. We had a wonderful relationship.” “At that time in Victoria, there were really only about four hire companies operating, including Turners Hire,’’Kevin said. “We all took turns on the Victorian Hire committee for a couple of years.” HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

EVENTS IN FOCUS

Kevin remembers one hire industry convention in particular – a cruise on the P&O liner Oriana. “I got to know a lot of people at the conventions – they were always really great”. Equipment wise, Bourke Hire sourced and made its own equipment, like the tiered seating. “For pegging we used old car axles,’’Kevin said. “ They were great because they were solid steel and wouldn’t bend. We had a thousand or more of them with a head of about 4-6inches and the rope couldn’t slip off over it.” “Structures have changed the market. You can do a lot bigger events with structures than is possible under canvas” Kevin said. “ People still love the rope and pole marquees though, particularly in the country. Bourke Hire are still supplying them on a regular basis.” Kevin’s daughter Fiona and her husband purchased the business 21 years ago keeping it in the family. Kevin says Fiona got

Bourke Hire’s founder, Kevin Bourke said: “People love the peg and pole tents – especially in the country.”

her start in the business cleaning chairs, mopping marquees and helping out on weekends to dismantle smaller marquees. “Fiona and Chris are supplying wedding marquees to the daughters of some of my old clients,”he said. Kevin has recently celebrated his 80th birthday and still enjoys being a part of the

Bourke Hire team. Kevin goes into the office each day and helps out with small jobs and sometimes small deliveries. He enjoys interacting with the young staff members. Contact: 03 5872 1433 or visit: www.bourkehire.com.au

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EVENTS IN FOCUS

Coastal Hire Port Macquarie branch 2019

30 years in hire began with a portable toilet Port Macquarie based Peter and Trish Holmes got their start in hire in the 1980s with a portable toilet business but it was in 2006 when they bought Coastal Hire and Sales, a wellestablished Port Macquarie hire business specialising in site buildings they realised their full potential.

ort Macquarie based Loo Loos Toilet Hire got its start in the 1980s following the introduction of legislation stipulating any building site with the sewer connected was required to have

Coastal Hire Loo Loos Original Sewer Connect Toilets

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a sewer connect toilet hooked up. Peter and Trish Holmes saw the opportunity and made the move into the portable toilet business with the purchase of 25 plastic shells in 1987 from a Sydney based hire company which they converted into sewer connect toilets and painted red. The entrepreneurial couple offered free trials to six of the biggest building companies in town, and from there the toilet hire business snowballed. Peter and Trish and their three kids put in long days in the business, delivering the ‘loos’ in the tray of their red XF Falcon Ute. Eventually the Loo Loos inventory included 120 sewer connect toilets and in 1999 in the lead up to the introduction of GST in Australia and the resulting construction boom, every toilet was out on hire with a waiting list that continued to grow, Peter said. At this time Peter and Trish ‘splashed out’ and bought 10 new Formit PB15 toilets from Pat Keenan. Securing the large Surf Life Saving Carnival at

Bonny Hills Surf Club in 1998 was a turning point for Loo Loos in event hire. “We secured a hire of 10 of our new portable toilets which were all delivered two at a time in the back of our red ute, with each trip around 30kms. Loo Loos then built a trailer with a boat winch which carried about five toilets; what an upgrade,” Peter said. “Eventually in 2005 we took a leap of faith and purchased a brand new 16t Fuso truck that could carry 20 toilets and it had a HIAB!” The business secured some major events contracts including the Air Show at the Port Macquarie Airport in the late 80s, as well as a contract with Ironman Australia, when it first came to Port Macquarie in 2006. “We pushed really hard to secure that event and have done every Ironman Port Macquarie for the past 14 years, because of our quality and our service. Our staff have been brilliant in offering planning support and delivering great service to Ironman and every other major event in Port Macquarie and surrounds.” After purchasing Coastal Hire and Sales in 2006, Peter and Trish sold all their other businesses to focus solely on equipment hire under the Coastal Hire and Sales banner. In 2010 Coastal Hire started building its own site sheds locally in Port Macquarie and by 2011 the site building inventory had reached 180 sheds of all types and sizes. In 2011 the company also expanded to a second branch in Tamworth NSW. The business has continued to expand its product range and has branched out into access equipment, earthmoving, generators, trucks and trailers, as well as a range of smaller tools suited to tradespeople and home renovators. After 30 years in hire, Peter and Trish have now retired but Coastal Hire continues to be locally owned and operated by the Holmes family. The business employs 14 locals and is run by a full-time management team and board of directors. Peter and Trish credit the long-term success of their businesses ‘Loo Loos Toilet Hire’ and ‘Coastal Hire and Sales’ to two principles; great quality products and brilliant service. The businesses committed to ensuring same day turn-around of hire items and supplying fully maintained, safe equipment. They also pride themselves on their ability to be agile, responding to market needs in real time. “Living on a knife’s edge is something you need to become comfortable with; you’ve got to be prepared to make mistakes (sometimes, big ones) and learn from them, and above all, be willing to just give it a good, hard crack,” Peter said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about return on investment. When you make a decision, ask yourself; what will my return on investment be and how long will it take me to get that return?” Visit: www.coastalhire.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Bigger and better to meet high customer demand Business is booming and demand for lighting tower, genset and pumps manufacturer Alight Sykes’ high quality Australian Standard compliant equipment is driving business expansion. Here, Gus Elliott, Allight Sykes CEO tells us what is happening for the Australian OEM.

Environmental responsibility

he order books are full and lighting tower, genset and pumps manufacturer Allight Sykes is experiencing demand not seen in years, driving the company to expand its operations and manufacturing capabilities. Gus Elliott, Allight Sykes CEO said: “We are ramping up; we’ve expanded the business and have increased staff by 400% in our Lansdale facility, taking on apprentices and graduate engineers, so we now have a total of 230 people in our manufacturing plant. “We haven’t slashed our margins; we’ve driven the costs out of the product. Our supply chain today is higher quality and we produce a better product as a result but our equipment is up to 25% less expensive than it was seven years ago,” Gus said. “We have the capacity in our Lansdale plant, now we are all about extending our supply chain.” And the expansion which Gus initiated when he took on the role of CEO back in March this year has been productive. Gus previously headed civil contracting company PGCU Contracting prior to joining the Kerry Stokes held Seven Group business of Allight Sykes, bringing 20 years’ experience in the construction, mining and gas industries. “In March, we were producing around 10-15 lighting towers a month and today we have seen a tenfold increase in our production volumes. We are now moving 110 towers out of our Lansdale plant every month. “Tower demand is high right now. The market was lean between 2014 and 2017 with the mining slump in effect, but we’re now seeing demand high with infrastructure projects underway in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. There is a big demand for our urban range of towers and also in mining with the increase in iron ore tonnage. Mines need more power, more light and they always need to move water. “We are striving to overcome our two biggest challenges this year; keeping up with customer demand and maintaining supply in our supply chain.

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Seven Group holdings; Westrac which is the Caterpillar dealer in NSW and WA; Coates Hire; and Allight Sykes which as an OEM uses Perkins engines and FG Wilson components in its equipment manufacturing. Perkins engines are used in Allight Sykes’ lighting towers, pumps and gensets and are also sold aftermarket. Perkins engines and FG Wilson components are part of the Caterpillar family. “We have also introduced our own research and development business again and we are investing in product development. “We are working to keep our cost base down and that is based on quality, reliability and value of parts. We have sourced some Chinese manufactured components but we do try and source as much of our components here in Australia.”

Allight Sykes CEO said: “We are ramping up; we’ve expanded the business and have increased staff by 400%”

“There are 400 components in a lighting tower and any one component can stop production if it is not available so our supply chain is vital.” Another challenge for the business is competition with Chinese made equipment. “As an OEM, and one of the few manufacturers in this space in Australia, we compete directly with Chinese product. “We understand there is enormous pressure on our customers to find cheaper products. And we can definitely say the Chinese manufactured towers and gensets introduced some challenges to the market. “But our product meets Australian Standards and are high quality with full support. For those customers that moved over to Chinese product, they might have gained a product that was around 30% cheaper initially, but when they consider the whole of life of the equipment, the value just isn’t there. We are now seeing those customers moving back to Australian manufacturers and that is all about reliability, value and quality of the equipment. “Plus we offer full after sales service and back-up. If your supplier is offshore, that can be a problem.” Allight Sykes ties in with the other

“There is no doubt everyone has a responsibility to focus on the environment and diesel emissions are a large consideration. Lower emissions requirements are coming and we’re doing our own research and development on it. “We see lithium batteries are still a few years away, mainly because the lumen output is not up to standard yet. When reviewing lithium battery options, we can’t guarantee the light output reliability – yet. But it will come. “When we are comfortable our product will meet all our specifications and meet customer requirements, we will launch. But till then, our primary focus is to produce reliable light for our customers. “It is also important to note LED light technology has had a big impact on fuel consumption,” Gus said. “LED lighting has reduced the power needed to run them. For example, our LED towers need 0.7litres of diesel per hour to operate. At that rate, we need to service the equipment before we need to refill the fuel tank.”

Power and pumps are pumping “Power generation and pump demand is very similar to the lighting tower demand currently. This is because public infrastructure projects need power, pumps and lighting together generally speaking, Gus said. “The pumps space is very competitive. There are some very good manufacturers out there which continues to drive excellence for us in our product offerings,” Gus said. And technology advances are also proving exciting, he said. “The advancement of connectivity and telemetry and remote operation and operator specs insights gained as a result, are increasing productivity and efficiencies.”. n Contact: 08 9302 7010 or visit: www.allightsykes.com

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Contract win to supply pumps to NPWS Australian Pump Industries has won a multi-million-dollar contract to supply 280 diesel drive Aussie Fire Chief pumps for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) mobile firefighting unit.

its Aussie Fire Chief high pressure pump which it said is one of the finest lightweight portable firefighting pumps, claimed to deliver more water at pressure than competitors. “To drive the pump, we use a Yanmar 4.8hp Model L48 single cylinder diesel engine and close couple the pumps. This makes it a very compact unit, important as space is at a premium on the back of the Land Cruiser ute,” Aussie Pump’s Chief Engineer, John Hales said. The Category 9 firefighters are compact 4WD vehicles. They are an essential tool for fire crews to enable them to access fires in some of the most rugged and remote areas of NSW. ICR’s Engineering Director, Ian Reeks said: “ICR has geared up for the contract by the acquisition of high-tech routing equipment that will enable them to produce a world class firefighting unit. “The Aussie Fire Chief with Yanmar diesel is the heart of the system. We have used a high-tech approach to the design and configuration but, it is the pump that will have to do the work when the chips are down,” Ian said. “One of the things we liked about the Australian Pump Fire Chief is the way the company warrants the pump end for five years,” Ian said. n

THire Industry Mag he contract to build the new Category 9 firefighting vehicles was won by Blayney based ICR Engineering and represents a high-tech approach to providing NSW National Parks with the best equipment available, NSW State Government MP Paul Toole said. Australian Pumps has worked with the NPWS for 25 years supplying a specially configured version of

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POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

More light, less expense Glare-free lighting solutions supplier, Lunar Lighting’s latest development is the 5440W LED Lunar Lighting Tower with an LED efficacy of about 1,185,920 lumens with only a 22Amp power draw.

“

That’s the highest lumens per watt LED tower available on the world market,” Lunar Lighting Director George Ossolinski said. “Our patented LED lighting technology delivers more light using less energy than any other lighting system on the world market,” George said. “The highest lumen output per watt is a massive 218lm/W and our lights are the

Lunar Light’s 2550W LED Lunar Light can be trolley or trailer mounted

brightest meaning you can illuminate a wider area with fewer lights. “Our LED Lunar Lights are also the most energy-efficient, saving money on fuel and transport and the most compact, with a compact 14kg light head compared to typical LED light tower banks at approximately 60kgs,” George said. Lunar Lighting’s LED solutions are available in portable tripod units, trolley mounted or light towers. The 48V DC 2550W LED Lunar Lights trolley-mounted version has an LED Efficacy of 218lm/W and a total LED efficacy of 555,900 lumens. “The 2550W LED Lunar Light incorporates rigid polymer diffusers and is available in a combination of either or all of visible light/infrared light,” George said. “We have a range of input voltage options available, from 24V DC to 48V DC and 90V AC to 305V AC. “The 48VDC light head is more compact, more energy efficient, more powerful and can be supplied on a compact tripod, as a lighting tower or even retrofitted to existing lighting towers, poles, plant and machinery.” A 24V DC to 48V DC or 240V AC 2550W LED Lunar lighting tower version is available as well as a 24V DC to 48V DC or 240V AC 1710W tripod mounted version.

Pressure cleaners are jetting for success

hallenging big box stores like Bunnings with their low cost pressure cleaner DIY style units is a consistent theme for Australian Pump Industries who constantly survey hire outlets to find out more about the changing pattern of how pressure cleaners are used. “Those machines can be purchased for low prices and even a returns policy that encourages ‘weekend warriors’ to buy instead of rent,” Aussie Pumps’ Chief Engineer, John Hales said. “There’s a catch of course. The hundred dollar lightweight P56

machines are just that. They are limited in capability and if rented for a semi-professional job, are bound to result in lost hours and potential ‘Bunnings effect’,” John said. “Australian Pump leads the market in producing machines that do not require operator certification. The latest development is a 5,000psi petrol drive machine (driven by a Honda GX630 twin cylinder electric start engine) in the unique stainless steel ‘Scud’ Aussie design frame that complies with the latest standards as a Class A

With a history spanning over 25 years, Lunar Lighting has a research and development focus with worldwide patents and trademarks on its products. “The LED lighting products reflect years of development, customer feedback and constant upgrading of technology,” George said. “Lunar Lighting has a range of solutions, LED towers and portable lighting systems that outperform conventional LED lighting in several key areas, reducing costs while providing greater flexibility and enabling measurable productivity gains,” he said. Key features of the 2550W LED Lunar Light are: they are dimmable and flicker-free; The LEDs are rated for 50,000 hours and offer even and uniform 360 degree lighting. The polymer diffuser is durable and tough and has a daylight colour temperature of 5400 degrees Kelvin. Light head dimensions are: 57cm H x 43cm D at a weight of 14kgs; with adjustable wattages: 510W – 1020W – 1026W – 1530W – 2550W. Area lit is about 9161m2 at 5m height and min lux of 1; with input voltage options: 12VDC, 24VDC, 48VDC and 90VAC to 305VAC. The lights offer five independent segments of 72 degrees of light, and are fully directional; with operating temperature ranges from -40 degrees to 85 degrees Celsius. The lights offer a total luminous flux of 335,836 lumens after diffuser and driver reductions and typical amperage draw is 10 Amps @ 240V for 2550W; 2 Amps for 510W. The state-of-the-art LEDs have extreme stability and high thermal ability and offer an innovative LED thermal management system with pure aluminium heat sink; and the lights can be retrofitted to conventional lighting towers, poles, plant and machinery. n Contact: 1300 586 271 or visit: www.lunarlighting.com.au

unit. Class A machines do not require operator certification under the new safety standards,” John said. “We worked overtime to develop machines that are aesthetically pleasing but have real WHS advantages over the box designs from the old days,” John said. “The Scud is unique in its ‘no sharps’ design and use of big flat free tyres on steel wheels with bearings for ease of mobility.” John said Aussie’s rental industry surveys indicate three or four different machines in the strict hire industry classifications are all that is necessary. “Offering more than that just confuses the user and can result in them renting the wrong machine for the job,” John said. “Machine maintenance and confusion over gun selection

and nozzle sizes can be another complication that can result in customer complaints about poor performance. Getting the wrong gun with a larger orifice nozzle means less pressure at the machine and less efficiency. It’s a good way to lose a customer,” John said. n Contact: 1800 790 915 or visit: www.pumpsaustralia.com.au

Pumps Australia’s new Smart Drive 4000 pressure washer

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

Hire Management Software

Letâ€™s Change Things Together

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Five new models in genset release To assist compressed air users future-proof their compressed air systems, all refrigerant dryers from Kaeser Compressors will use the new R-513A refrigerant by the end of 2019.

ow a group company of Yanmar subsidiary Himoinsa, Generator Power Australia has released a new range of gensets with the launch of the Contractor Series featuring five models ranging from 13 to 46kVA. The new genset range is designed for prime power applications and is robust, versatile and offers reduced emissions, improved fuel economy and performance, according to Dave Robins, Managing Director of Generator Power. “The strategic alliance allows us to combine internationally recognised manufacturing quality with proven distribution experience to strengthen the company’s competitive advantage,” Dave said. “Himoinsa gensets have been successfully applied in hundreds of projects in Australia.

Together, we are committed to providing exceptional levels of service and to achieve world-class standards in delivering quality, reliable, on-time and competitive one-stop power solutions.” Powered by Yanmar, the TNV engine

Generator Power’s Himoinsa genset HY2W-13 M5 is part of the new Contractor Series

in the Contractor Series offers enhanced durability and reliability with low cost of ownership. “The TNV industrial range reinforces Yanmar’s commitment to creating outstanding high performance engines that continue to exceed our customers expectations over the long term.” The Contractor Series is designed to provide uninterrupted days of operation in all weather extremes and features an anti-corrosion canopy manufactured from galvanised sheet steel. Wide doors designed to provide maximum internal access for maintenance benefits the bottom line through easier servicing. Other standard features include: a heavy duty chassis; a long range bunded fuel tank offering 24 hours operation; radiator service access door; bus bar connection plus protected weatherproof outlets; supersilent acoustic enclosures; and customised options including mining compliance upgrades. Generator Power products are backed with readily available spare parts covering the complete generator package including engine consumables, electrical and acoustic canopy components. n Contact: 1300 767 257 or visit: www.generatorpower.com.au

Future-proof compressed air refrigerant drying The transition to low-GWP refrigerants is part of the Australian HFC phase-down introduced by the Federal Government in January 2018 as part of Australia’s international commitment to the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

aeser said nearly every compressed air station uses refrigeration dryers, since most applications require these machines to deliver a dependable supply of quality dried compressed air. The European F-gas regulation EU 517/2014 which has been in force since 2015 is intended to minimise the emissions of partly-fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) as well as phase-down the sale of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), since both significantly contribute to global warming. This legislation has impacted European manufacturers and operators of compressed air stations because F-gases are used as refrigerants in refrigeration dryers and the refrigerants used up until now are being withdrawn from the market. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol sets a quota on the import of specified high-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants. The HFC phase-down will significantly reduce the amount of highGWP refrigerants in Australia by gradually reducing the import quota from 100% in 2018 to 15% by the end of 2036. P58

“Kaeser is supporting all customers to convert their systems to a more environmentally-friendly alternative,” Peter Eckberg, Kaeser Compressors Australia Managing Director said. “When planning the purchase of a new dryer, consideration should be given to make sure the unit uses a refrigerant that will be easy and cost effective to source for future service work. Some manufacturers use materials that are legal today, but which will eventually become prohibited in some

R-513A refrigerant offers the most future-proof operating solution for refrigeration dryers. All KAESER refrigeration dryers will use this environmentally-friendly and safe alternative by the end of 2019

countries, or which will simply no longer be offered, due to their high global warming potential. “This means those operators who use these materials will soon be faced with the same problem. Kaeser is aware of this issue and is taking early preventative countermeasures accordingly,” Peter said. “It rarely makes sense to retrofit older but functional machines to use new refrigerants. Operators are well advised to take note of the currently-used refrigerants in their equipment and to obtain information regarding alternative strategies. Kaeser’s experienced and certified personnel are available to assist end users. Certified service is advisable for all refrigeration dryers in order to provide different solutions with regards to this subject; this is especially true for older systems where refrigerant conversion is uneconomical. “All Kaeser refrigeration dryers are designed to provide maximum efficiency and energy cost savings. Thanks to the new refrigerant, they are also future-proof for their entire service life when it comes to applicable refrigerant legislation. Moreover, they are exceptionally efficient, require minimal maintenance and are easy and quick to service.” n Contact: 1800 640 611 or visit www.kaeser.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Solar lighting towers give improved ROI LDC Equipment has completely switched its manufacturing to solar lighting towers (SLT) and will no longer have diesel models available.

t’s all about the bottom line. Solar offers many benefits, but the main drawcard is the potential to dramatically improve your bottom line, LDC Equipment General Manager Nik Morcus said. “The initial investment cost of a solar unit is lower and can result in better returns,” Nik said. “Compared to a diesel tower, a solar lighting tower can be paid off much quicker, with no fuel costs and little to no maintenance costs when compared with a diesel unit. “It’s why we completely switched our manufacturing to solar lighting towers for our client base and no longer have diesel models available,” Nik said.

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

LDC Equipment manufactures trailer-mounted solar lighting towers featuring a mast that can be raised up to 6m and allows light to shine brightly up to 30m. Apart from safety features such as wheel locking chains, tamper resistant tail light and a removable draw bar, the SLT features an automatic setup mode which turns the unit on and off with no manpower required. Additionally, SLTs are noiseless and produce no emissions. “The benefits are just too big to ignore,” Nik said. Contact (07) 5529 1188 or visit: www.ldcequipment.com.au

LDC Equipment has completely switched its manufacturing to solar lighting towers

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POWER, PUMPS & LIGHTING

Solar Street Lights – Affordable integrated lighting LDC Equipment’s range of solar powered street lights are ideal for remote projects, providing autonomous lights without the need for external power.

ach solar street light is a fully integrated unit featuring a battery, solar panel and an LED light ranging from 5 to 60 watts. LDC Equipment Manager Nik Morcus said: “The solar street lights are perfect for areas without easy access to power because they can be mounted and installed to almost any

surface easily, without the need for an electrician. “This helps make the solar street light more financially viable compared to many other types of industrial lighting, especially with a 25 year solar lifespan,” Nik said. “Our street lights are fully automated to switch on at dusk and off at dawn allowing users of

Solar powered street lights are ideal for remote projects

the product to set it up once and let the street light do the rest. “There’s also an inbuilt motion sensor allowing the light to increase the amount of light if a person or car in passing by,” Nik said. LDC Equipment solar streets lights are available

in 5w, 15w, 20w, 30w, 40w, 50w and 60w models and are fully solar powered with no ongoing running costs and zero emissions. n Contact 07 5529 1188 or visit: www.ldcequipment.com.au

10% more energy-efficient compressors launched New versions of Atlas Copco’s XAVS 238 and XATS 288 portable compressors have been released by Redstar Equipment featuring a 27% smaller footprint.

ichard Crowe, General Manager of Redstar Equipment said the unique size for 238-288cfm single-axle compressors, which are also 20% lighter, offers flexibility for both transport and usage on site. “Both of the newly released compressors feature the latest Atlas Copco screw element, combined with a new engine, that contribute to a 10% reduction in energy consumption,”

Richard said. The new models include the PACE (Pressure Adjusted through Cognitive Electronics) compressor control system, which extends the operating spectrum for a single compressor from 7 up to 14 bar. Through PACE, one single compressor covers flow demands of up to 16.6m3 /min and pressure ranges, from 7 to 14 bar. “This has a significant impact on utilisation and fleet investment while the extended flow improves efficiency,” Richard said. “This increased versatility boosts the utilisation rate for any rental company,” Richard said. The PACE system is in Atlas Copco’s Xc2003 controller, which has an intuitive colour LCD screen-based user interface. New versions of Atlas Copco’s XAVS 238 and XATS 288 portable compressors have been Operators can easily released by Redstar Equipment change the pressure

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setting with increments of 0.1 bar in three steps. “The system keeps track of compressor utilisation and prompts for planned service interventions,” Richard said. “The Xc2003 maintains the compressor’s environmental resilience with its IP65-rated dust and water protection. “Whether used in sandblasting or shotcrete applications, the smaller footprint and weight of the XATS 288 and XAVS 238 offer many advantages. “Total cost of ownership is further decreased by a 10% increase in energy efficiency, improved serviceability and introduction of the PACE management system.” The compressor-oil service interval is extended to 1000 hours or every two years. “The simple design of the vessel allows operators to change the oil separator within one hour as all service parts can easily be accessed,” Richard said. “Overall, reduced service intervention and longer lifetime of consumables life cuts total cost of operation.” Through extensive laboratory and fieldtesting; the XAT/VS 238-288 offers best in class performance, offering a three-layer protective coating of all bodywork under corrosive category C3 to prevent corrosion and further enhance lifetime and resale value. n Visit: www.redstarequipment.com.au/ machines/portable-air-compressors/

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

ALL THE HIRE & RENTAL EQUIPMENT YOU NEED, UNDER THE ONE ROOF.

ELEVATED WORK PLATFORMS

COUNTER-BALANCE FORKLIFTS

WAREHOUSE EQUIPMENT

SCRUBBERS AND SWEEPERS

Known for market leading counter-balance forklifts and warehouse equipment, Toyota Material Handling is also proud to offer an unparalleled

SKID STEER LOADERS

SCISSOR LIFTS

LEBRATING

range of products suitable for Australian hire and rental companies. With a huge range of forklifts, skid steer loaders, elevated work platforms, and now scissor lifts, scrubbers and sweepers available, chances are we’ve got the equipment that will suit you and your customers.

19 6 8 - 2018

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. That’s the Toyota Advantage.

1800 425 438 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au P61

FORKLIFT

Coates Hire focuses on lower cost of ownership with Toyota forklifts Lower total cost of ownership has been one of the driving forces behind Coates Hire’s recent switch to Toyota Material Handling (TMHA) forklifts as its majority brand, and its uptake of over 600 units in its fleet, nationally.

oates Hire Executive General Manager – Fleet, Peter Davis said: “We’ve been dealing with Toyota Material Handling for a long, long time – close to 20 years, on and off. In the past 10 years, especially, Toyota has made up the majority of our industrial forklift fleet.” He said the shift came after Coates Hire adopted more stringent procurement

TMHA President and CEO, Steve Takacs with Executive General Manager – Fleet, Peter Davis

methodologies. “We’ve always known Toyotas to be a good, solid product, that’s why we’ve had them in our fleet for so long, but more recently we have become stringent in how we procure our equipment. It’s important for us to be in front of the technology and safety curves because for us a forklift is typically a 10 year investment,” Peter said. “We now forecast 12 months-to-two years ahead on equipment requirements. “Recently we’ve gotten into a process where we conduct what we call an RFQ, which is a request for quote. We establish the quantity for our replacement and growth requirements, then we put that out to tender. Toyota has been strongly involved since we’ve been doing them and has been the most successful in large-order tenders.” “A huge part of what we do is ensuring the total cost of ownership over the life of the asset is as low as possible,” Peter said. “We of course need to get the best price we can based on the quantity of our order, but that can easily be undone if we buy inferior equipment and that ends up costing us money throughout its life.

“For us, it’s about minimising maintenance and labour costs all the way through because that can be higher than the original purchase price. And it’s not just how the equipment is serviced, that is actually relatively minor compared with amount of inspections we do. “Our model is typically short-term hire, so we inspect the equipment every time it comes back from a customer, before it goes back out again. So that happens more frequently than servicing and because of that it has to be efficient. So the machines must be designed to access and check easily, and Toyota forklifts tick that box.” TMHA President and CEO, Steve Takacs said another value proposition is disposability. “Coates looks at repair and maintenance costs over the total life of a product, but they also look at disposability at end-of-life. They do well out of them financially during the service and also when they retire them because it’s well recognised our forklifts retain a very high resale value compared with other products in the market. There’s a very high demand for orange forklifts, even at the end of their peak life.” “Price is only one component of Coates’ procurement process,” he said. “They look at our infrastructure, our ability to support them Australia-wide, and that’s another key advantage. They have 600 of our forklifts around the country and we’re everywhere they are.” Steve said TMHA has recently expanded its product portfolio. “In recent times we have increased our product offerings such as scissor lifts and vertical lifts, electric burden carriers, sweepers and so-on, which Coates can adopt as we continue to build our relationship in the future.” n Contact: 1800 425 438 or visit: www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

Forklifts tip the scales on efficient waste handling

pecialising in attachment design to increase the flexibility of forklifts, East West Engineering has a range of materials handling equipment including wheelie bin tippers to improve the productivity and efficiency of waste handling. Using a forklift is more efficient than manually moving waste by hand, and is also much safer, eliminating back stress and strain, muscle and joint injury, Nino Tenaglia, Sales Manager at East West Engineering said. “Forklift bin tipper attachments provide a quick, simple and safe method for lifting, moving and tipping wheelie bins and Nally bins, with both mechanical and hydraulic operation options available,” Nino said. “We also have a sideways wheelie bin tipper to suit narrow clearance areas and one used by a forklifts fitted with a rotator.” “Fork skip tipping bins are an affordable option with a manual pushover operation P62

to suit light waste and goods. Available in different capacities, sizes and styles, forklift tipping bins are built tough to withstand industrial, manufacturing and construction waste. “Forklift tipping bins are available as selfdumping or lever release operation, with the self-dumping bins well suited to heavy loads. The lever release bins are easy to operate from the driver’s seat via a pull cord. There are tipping bin models designed to suit the tipping of liquid product, and others for more solid waste such as general waste, construction waste, aggregate or granulated product. “Drop bottom bins are perfect for complete emptying of waste into a larger bin or dump truck. There are models to suit cardboard, recyclable materials and heavy duty version for all waste materials. “Some forklift bins can also be fitted with wheels and crane lugs for complete

manoeuvrability,” Nino said. n Contact: 1800 061 998 or visit: www.eastwesteng.com.au

Forklift bin tipper attachments provide a quick, simple and safe method for lifting

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

FORKLIFT

New Yale UX Counterbalance forklift for use outdoors and indoors

New forklift range delivers simply efficient solutions With six different capacities from 1.5-3.5 tonnes, forklifts and warehousing solutions manufacturer, Yale has introduced its new UX Series of counterbalance lift trucks in the Asia Pacific.

ale pallet trucks and stackers provide affordable, reliable and cost-effective handling solutions in applications where they are required to work intermittently as required over a working week, typically up to 1,000 hours a year.

“The new Yale UX Series has been developed for low-hour applications and is priced accordingly. Its uncomplicated design results in easy operation and service that eliminate non-core features that add complexity and unnecessary maintenances

costs for particular applications,” Hyster-Yale Asia-Pacific Managing Director, Tony Fagg said. “The rationale of this ‘Yale – Simply Efficient’ range has at its core the understanding that, if your forklift usage is only around four hours a day, you don’t need a more expensive forklift that has been designed to handle all day, every day applications. “But what such users do want, and which is provided by the new UX range, is a strong global brand backed by a professional dealer and service network across Asia-Pacific,” he said. The Yale dealer and service network extends across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Korea and Taiwan. n Contact: 02 9795 3842 or visit: www.yale.com

1919 - 2019: bursting with 100 years of tradition & innovation Carl Kaeser opened his machine shop in Germany in 1919. 100 years later and KAESER is now a global supplier of compressed air solutions that remains true to its origins. In fact a rich history of tradition and innovation to this day allows us to continue to push the boundaries of compressed air technology!

maintenance, with an operating cost savings potential of up to 20 percent*. And, all KAESER products are ready to take advantage of the future-orientated benefits of Industrie 4.0. The result; more compressed air and more savings!

You can be assured that when you choose a KAESER MOBILAIR portable compressor, from design to manufacture, it has been developed for optimum efficiency, reliability and ease of

Let us help you optimise your compressed air systems energy efficiency today, just phone 1800 640 611. Savings may vary depending on utilisation

1800 640 611 au.kaeser.com

Keep up-to-date with our global centenary celebrations on LinkedIn and Facebook. Just search #kaeser100

KAESER HP_HRIA_Nov 19.indd 1

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

1/08/2019 9:50:17 AM

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FORKLIFT

Forklift Jibs for every lifting and shifting task East West Engineering offers a range of forklift jibs, one the most common lifting attachments used to lift and shift a load, making it easier, faster and safer to perform materials handling tasks.

orklift jibs are designed for quick connection to the forklift, allowing flexible operational lifting choices. They are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, which can make selecting the right one difficult, Nino Tenaglia, Sales Manager at East West Engineering said. “First you must determine the application. This includes the load, environment, lifting requirements and machinery the jib will be attached to,” Nino said. “Understanding this will help you to assess the mandatory requirements such as the minimum and maximum length or height of the boom required to lift and manoeuvre the load onsite. Or whether a tilted boom is needed for added height advantage; the lifting capacity of the machine considering the working load limit at each extended position.” Some of the common

jib attachments East West Engineering design and supply include: Telescopic Jibs – Fixed in a horizontal position, the Telescopic Jib is an easy to use general purpose jib suited to most lifting and maintenance requirements. This jib is available in 2.5, 4.75 and 10 tonne capacities and include short models (FJCS25, FJCS50, SFJCS100) for use in confined spaces and requiring a 2m reach as well as long models (FJCL25, FJCL50, SFJCL100) that extend 3.5m for longer reach lifts and material loads; Tiltable Telescopic Jibs – The most versatile jib in the range, the Tiltable Telescopic Jib includes a tilt facility to allow lifting of various load sizes including those that require extra lift height to compensate for the lost length of the hook and sling. This jib is available in a short (TJSC25) and long (TJCL25) 2.5 tonne capacity

model and a long 4.75 tonne capacity model (TJCL50); Angled Telescopic Jibs – The Angled Telescopic Jib is the affordable, all-rounder that gives the versatility of a slight incline which helps compensate for the lost length of the hook and sling, without the need to manually tilt the boom. This jib is available in 3.5 (FJA350), 4.7 (FJA470) and 7.5 (FJA750) tonne models and allows use in confined spaces; Hook Point Jib – The most basic and affordable jib, the FSJ200 Hook Point Jib is designed with two hook positions, 500mm apart, allowing general lifting functionality. This model suits light loads that can be picked up and placed close to the forklift; Tow Jib – The dual purpose FST200 Tow Jib offers the same basic lifting functionality of the Hook Point Jib but comes fitted with a 50mm tow ball to shift loads weighing up to 500kg (subject to the forklift manufacturer’s approval). In addition to these general purpose jibs Nino said, there are jibs designed to suit a particular load or lifting application, such as: Bulk Bag Jib – Designed to safely lift and transport bulk bags, the FBB300 Bulk Bag Jib includes fork pockets and crane lugs to allow the easy transfer of loaded bulk bags from forklift to crane and vice versa; Battery Jib – The FSB200

Battery Jib is designed to assist in the safe removal and replacement of battery packs by forklift and overhead crane. “At East West Engineering we can design and manufacture lifting equipment to suit most applications,” Nino said. “Just remember, forklift attachments are only safe and efficient if you select the right equipment for the job.” n Contact: 1800 061 998 or visit: www.eastwesteng.com.au

Forklift jibs are designed for quick connection to the forklift

New forklift attachment expands customer options

Uphire recently added an Oktopus forklift attachment to its fleet

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phire is continuing to expand its range of equipment, recently adding an Oktopus forklift attachment designed for the installation of glass and cool room paneling to its fleet of more than 600 machines. The Oktopus, named because of its many sucker pads, uses a flexible air pressure system to move panels vertically and horizontally. While the Oktopus is an attachment, it can also work independently of the vehicle and is powered by its own rechargeable battery supply. Owner and Managing Director of Uphire, Nigel McKinley said the new forklift attachment makes it easier for customers to perform tasks many would tackle daily. “Imagine the increase to efficiency when fixing glass into position and eliminating the hassle of multiple people who would otherwise have to hoist or hold the glass in place,” Nigel said. “We are extremely proud of the business we have built,” Nigel said.

“Becoming the first point of call for many businesses looking to hire access equipment is something we have worked hard to achieve. We’ve built strong relationships with our clients who value our dedication to customer service and getting the job done.” In the eight years since the business began, Uphire has grown to a fleet of over 600 machines, moved into larger workshops and increased in size to over 20 employees. Adding to its original fleet of access equipment including boom lifts, scissor lifts, vertical lifts, truck-mounted booms, forklifts and telehandlers, Uphire now also has a fleet of traffic vehicles and other solar powered portable equipment. This includes Variable Message Signs (VMS) Boards and Solar Hybrid Lighting Towers. These sustainably powered pieces of equipment are sourced from Uphire’s sister company, Innov8 Equipment. n Contact: 1300 874 473 or visit: www.uphire.com.au

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

EQUIPMENT

New container slip-sheet loading system

new container slip-sheet (CSS) loading system designed and engineered for the fast and efficient loading of 20” and 40” containers with a maximum capacity of 30,000kg (30T) is now available in Australia from Combilift. The CSS allows for the rapid loading and unloading of containers with a fully loaded 40” container capable of being loaded in as little as six minutes and will increase operator safety and minimising product damage,

Adaptalift said. The CSS guides goods safely into containers via a free standing platform with a dual-directional motor-driven pulling mechanism that moves a Hardox 500 steel sheet. When the container is fully loaded a hydraulic rear gate fixed to the end of the platform holds the load in place within the container while the slip-sheet is removed and the container is closed and locked

Professional equipment chainsaws, pruners and blowers

hindaiwa’s latest range of professional chainsaws are now available in Australia through Briggs & Stratton dealers following the exclusive distribution agreement between the two in Australia last year. With vibration-reduction systems, easy-access air filters, automatic oilers and inertia chain brakes fitted as standard, Shindaiwa’s 451S chainsaw has high power and lower emissions with a 45cc professional grade, two-stroke engine. The new, stratified two-stroke engine enables more power with the same emission levels as a conventional engine; without the use of a catalytic converter. User friendly with drop prevention nuts, momentary off switch and Soft Start technology, the 451S has an ergonomic design. Maintenance is via a side access chain tensioner for quick chain adjustments, tool-less oil/fuel caps for easy refilling and G-Force Engine Air Pre-Cleaner to reduce engine exposure to dirt and debris. The 390X chainsaw has a 38.4cc engine at a dry weight of just 4.5kg. The 390X features Shindaiwa’s trademark Soft Start technology; a spring assisted system allowing users to start petrol engines with ease. The newest of the range, the PT262S pole pruner with

telescopic shaft is built for control and precision. Featuring an ergonomic loop handle with rubber grip for comfort and handling, ribbed fiberglass outer shaft for rigidity and control and soft-start for reduced effort starting and also boasts an automatic, adjustable oiler to match cutting conditions, with a side access chain tensioner for quick chain adjustments. Maintenance is facilitated by a tool-less air filter cover for easy access and commercial-grade felt air filter for proved filtration. The EB770 backpack blower produces an impressive air volume of 1290m3/h with an air speed of 376km/h. The ergonomic design features a new padded harness, accompanied by the ventilated back pad for operator comfort. For user safety, Shindaiwa employs an adjustable throttle trigger lockout which locks it in the idling position until the user has a proper grip around the handle. With an adjustable throttle control, the EB770 can be customised to each user. With a five-year domestic warranty and two-year professional warranty, the Shindaiwa professional range is available through Briggs & Stratton dealers nationally. n Visit: www.shindaiwa.com/aus/

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

The new container slip-sheet loading system can load a container in as little as six minutes

for transport. With its versatility to manoeuvre both standard and long loads the CSS is suitable for applications in a wide variety of industries. n Contact 03 9547 8000 or visit: www.aalhyster.com.au

Yamaguchi tracked mini dumpers

apanese manufactured Yamaguchi tracked mini dumpers powered by Kubota diesel engines are now available in Australia from Semco Equipment Sales. “These mini tracked dumpers are ideal where it is not efficient or practical to use an excavator or a compact track loader to move material,” Semco’s Graham Murphy said. “With their narrow width and functionality, they can be safely driven through very tight alleyways. “With their all-terrain tracks and a choice of models, together with swivel and high lift options, these handy dumpers can save backbreaking work and speed up the material movement cycle.” “These Yamaguchi tracked machines run on a narrower track width than wheeled models and have a lower centre of gravity which has the benefit of increased stability, even while carrying capacity loads,” Graham said. “Another benefit is their ability to traverse construction trenches; a task which is impossible with wheeled machines without the placement of bridging. Their minimal ground disturbance is beneficial in many of Australia’s coastal areas where there are canals, waterways, soft or sandy terrain or surfaces that

are unstable. The initial product line-up includes two pedestrian operated models: the 380kg WB06 TrackBarrow which carries a payload of 600kg and can fit through a 780mm wide opening and the 465kg WB 06 HL high lift TrackBarrow will fit through a 725mm wide opening with the ability to lift its 600kg payload up to 1320mm and tip into a skip.” only 18.6 1K PA ground pressure when empty and weighs 1380kg. Contact: 1800 685 525 or visit: www.semco.com.au

Yamaguchi WB06 Highlift

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EQUIPMENT

Safer, easier and faster handling of concrete pipes by crane

new CQM Concrete Pipe Lifter from East West Engineering makes it easier, faster and safer to lift, transport and place pipe sections by overhead crane. According to Nino Tenaglia, Sales Manager at East West Engineering the CQM Concrete Pipe Lifter is simple to operate, and the hook design allows the load to be lifted and balanced by moving the lifting ring between the loaded and unloaded positions. “Moving and placing concrete pipes can be time consuming and at times, difficult,” Nino said. “Rather than using specialised lifting attachments that make light work of

handling heavy, oddly shaped items by crane, many sites will make do with the use of slings and straps. While securing a sling around either end of a concrete pipe may be common practice, it is definitely not the most efficient,” he said. “Available in 1.25/2.5T capacity models, the pipe lifter is fitted with a shock absorbing rubber buffer pad to prevent damage to the end of the pipe,” Nino said. “Injuries caused by manual handling and lifting in the workplace have always been a major concern and should be avoided where practicable. These risks are much greater in the construction industry where typically

East West Engineering CQM Concrete Pipe Lifter attachment for cranes

there are more instances of manual handling. “East West Engineering designs specialised lifting attachments to suit a variety of applications and loads. Our range includes mechanical and hydraulic attachments that increase productivity, efficiency and safety when handling materials with a forklift, crane, loader, telehandler and other equipment,” Nino said. n Contact: 1800 061 998 or visit: www.eastwesteng.com.au/cqm

GPS tracking solutions can help track, monitor and recover

igital Matter’s next generation Oyster2 is a versatile and rugged 2G/4G LTE Cat-M1/ Nb-IoT asset tracker, featuring a new built-in battery life meter for remote device health monitoring and accurate battery life predictions. Digital Matter’s GPS tracking solutions can help track, monitor and recover non-powered assets, monitor usage and over-usage times, schedule proactive maintenance alerts. Mitch Hirsh, Architecture & Strategy Manager at Kennards Hire said the Oyster2 has been ideal for its asset tracking. “The battery life is exceptional, and back-end integration was surprisingly easy,” Mitch said. Engineered with IP67 waterproof and dust resistant nylon glass housing for durability, the compact tracking device is powered by three user-replaceable off-the-shelf AA Lithium batteries, or Lithium Thionyl Chloride (LTC) batteries for tracking in extreme temperatures. Depending on how often location updates are required (configurable by users), the P66

batteries can last up to seven years before replacing at once daily updates, or up to one year at once hourly updates, Stuart German, Director of Business Development at Digital Matter said. “Operating on the latest low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN), 4G LTE Cat-M1/ Nb-IoT connectivity comes with some major performance and cost benefits: 4G devices are future-

Digital Matter’s GPS tracking solutions can help track, monitor and recover non-powered assets

proofed, with major Australian Telcos beginning phase out of 3G networks across the country,” Stuart said. “Battery powered tracking

devices also boast up to three times the battery life of 3G devices due to substantially decreased power consumption, offer increased signal range. “The Oyster2 is designed for use on our intuitive tracking platform Telematics Guru, featuring live and historical trip maps, recovery mode, geofence management, proactive maintenance reports and alerts, and more. Or, if you are already using tracking software, our devices also integrate easily with third-party platforms,” Stuart said. Visit: www.digitalmatter.com

Correction: Pumps Australia SAB Series and Run Dry pumps In the August issue of Hire and Rental Magazine we inadvertently switched the images for the two Pumps Australia stories on p60.

So here are the images again in the correct order and we apologise for any confusion caused. n

Pumps Australia run dry series 2 (left); Pumps Australia run dry series powerclean (centre); Pumps Australia Volcano4000 Stand Alone Boiler (right)

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

When disaster strikes... Youâ€™ll be Prepared Accidents happen more than you think. The Australian insurance industryÂ pays $147.5m in claims each working day. Make sure you have the right cover for your circumstance with HRIA Insurance Brokers. The preferred insurance partner of the association, HRIA Insurance Brokers provide added value for members by leveraging expert industry knowledge through the direct input from the HRIA coupled with specialist insurance advice.

1300 020 162 PSC Insurance Brokers (Aust) Pty Ltd T/as HRIA Insurance Brokers. (AFSL 342385). Please refer to our Financial Services Guide on our website for information on our products and services and how we are remunerated.

KUBOTA IMPRESSIVE HORSEPOWER Kubota SQ series powers the Royal Melbourne Showâ€™s equestrian community

The Royal Melbourne Showâ€™s best-of-the-best agricultural showcase has been delighting visitors for 162 years with its equestrian events, shearing, wood chopping demonstrations and much more. And, for over 17 years, Kubota generators have been there behind the scenes, working tirelessly to make sure the show runs smoothly for everyone involved. When you need portable power you can rely on, then insist on a Kubota diesel generator to deliver power, when and where you need it.

Call now for your nearest dealer.

1800 334 653 | kubota.com.au