26
AWARDSSHORTLISTS&ERACONVENTION
IRNAPRIL-MAY 2014
notable for AFI’s investment in safety. It more than
doubled the number of training days to 1302 – for
its 348 employees – and has reduced the number
of personal injury and road accidents by a third
compared to 2012.
Its commitment to safety extends beyond its own
workforce. During the year AFI launched anupdated
version of its SmartZone system, which controls
andmonitors the use of powered access machines.
SmartZone uses a smart card recognition system to
only allows operators with valid training to operate
amachine.
GAPGroup (UK)
GAP Group’s diversification project continued
successfully in 2013, with the Glasgow, UK-based
company investing further in its specialist divisions.
Its new lifting division was a prime driver behind
its growth last year, with six new depots and
revenues more than doubling. The non-mechanical
plant division also grew, by 95% in revenue terms.
These specialist businesses helped GAP grow its
annual sales by 22% in 2013.
In support of the lifting division, in 2013 GAP
established a dedicated Test, Inspect and Certify
team. This led to the company winning significant
inspection and rental contracts for the Ministry
of Defense naval base at Portsmouth and with
SouthernWater.
The company is committed to an apprenticeship
scheme that it has been running for several years.
In 2013 it recruited 14 new apprentices, taking the
total employed to 61. Every depot in the network
employs at least one apprentice and all apprentices
have the option to be employed by GAP when their
training is completed.
Loxam (France)
Despite difficult market condition in its home
market of France 2013 was something of a ‘year of
action’ for Loxam.
It shifted to the single Loxam Rentals brand for
its general rentals operations (merging the Laho
Equipement, Loueurs de France and Locarest
operations in France), continued the expansion
of its city-centre LoxamCity stores with five new
openings, and expanded its Loxam Laho Tec
business, which offers suspended access, access
towers and formwork.
Loxam also opened up a potentially significant
distribution channel through partnerships with DIY
and builders merchants networks Leroy Merlin and
Weldom. By the end of 2013 it had established 81
‘corner stores’ in Leroy Merlin locations and 32 in
Weldombranches.
The DIY stories and LoxamCity initiatives were
part of a wider plan to be ‘closer to the customer’,
with other initiatives including LoxamDrive, which
allows customers to reserve equipment by phoneor
onlineandpick it upat thebranchof their choosing.
Loxam remains Europe’s largest rental business,
with revenues of €805 million in 2013 and EBITDA
profits of €239 million. It continued to expand its
international operations in 2013with theacquisition
of Dansklift, and aerial platform business with
depots inDenmark, Norway and Sweden.
SMALL/MID-SIZEDRENTAL
COMPANY OF THE YEAR
(REVENUE <€15M)
Crestchic (UK)
Crestchic Loadbanks is a UK company that rents
loadbanks for testing power supplies, primarily in
sectors such as oil and gas, marine, data centres
and power generation. In addition to its UK depots
it has offices in France, Germany, the Netherlands,
Dubai, Singapore, NorthAmerica andBrazil.
During 2013 – the company’s 30th year – Crestchic
invested heavily, opening a new £2.5 million rental
facility close to its headquarters, providing a single
base for its international loadbank rental operation.
The facility – which has reduced lead times by
50% - candeployunits from30kW for aday’s rental
up to a 50 MVA high voltage package to the other
side of the world for an extended project. The new
rental yard has helped Crestchic increase customer
retention rates to 95%.
The company also added new products to its
range, including a 6 MW, 20 ft containerised
loadbank; a ‘first of its kind’ microprocessor
controlled DC loadbank for testing battery banks
and UPS systems; and the Modus control system,
allowing customers to control a loadbank via their
ownon-site control system.
Revenues increased by 5% during the year, and
the company says it is targetingdouble that growth
rate this year. “The investment made in 2013 into
new facilities, products, technologies and the
team has expanded Crestchic’s presence on the
international stage”, says the company.
Dromad Hire (Republic of Ireland)
The winner of this award last year Dromad Hire
has had another successful year, expanding its
Fitness4GHire brand, adding parts supply to its
activities and reporting a 32% increase in revenues
in 2013.
In the face of Ireland’s severe downturn following
the financial crisis, Dromad established a new
operation renting fitness equipment to sports
centres, hospitals andother customers.
Last year it further expanded this operation by
establishing a franchise for the Fitness4Hire brand,
and now has three independent franchises around
the country offeringnext-day delivery.
The company has also established a parts supply
operation by joining forces with UK parts supplier
IPS. Dromad is now offering 10000 parts to the Irish
rental market through IPS Ireland.
GGRGroup (UK)
This specialist mini-crane and vacuum lifting
specialist continues to expand its business, with
revenues in 2013 growing 12% to £8.5million and a
26% increase in the number of customers to more
than 1300.
The family-owned business added to its range of
niche products during the year, offering for the first
time the new Unic Eco-095 – offering fume-free,
zero noise lifting in enclosed spaces – and also the
20 t electric Galizia F200E pick and carry crane.
The company’s fleet now comprises 155 spider
cranes, 55 pick and carry cranes, 470 vacuum lifts,
85 cladding lifters and 50glazing robots.
GAP Group
GGRGroup
DromadHire
