Corporate Engagements
NOVEL
Overview
-
MANAGER DIRECTOR
-
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
A UK based company, operating in the product hire space for construction, in Professional or DIY tools, support devices for exibitions, stadiums and events.
Operating at a board level reporting to HSS Hire, John Gill (CEO), my participation was to align group purchasing CAPEX of materials and products, but also the OPEX of the satellite branches all over the UK in preparation of the pending centralisation of the material engineering centre based in Oxford.
With control of the groups in the technical engineering division, procurement, and branches, the activities included an understanding of material use, performance in use, cost of ownership, to generate a business model to procure or support design of products that would endure the 'Hire Market'.
Operating in line with business models to support;
DIY MARKET
-
Standard hire tools for construction
-
Garden tools
-
Assessories and consumables
PROFESSIONAL MARKET
-
Construction tools
-
Compressors and Heavy Demolition
-
Lighting products (as seen on motorways)
-
Platforms and access equipment
-
Power generators & power distribution
-
Safety equipment for access tunnels and hazard areas
-
Assessories and consumables for professional contracts
With an annual spend of £80M the correct use of finances and materials became a matter of calculated risk, and a detail technical review of the best product designs with the supplier to ensure that the material was the adequate but more importantly designed with my support for the rigors of the hire business.
HSS Hire proved to be an organisation with a vision before their time.
With technical direction the introduction of 'Hybrid Lighting' was due to take over the existing diesel powered conventional lighting, alongside a number of energy efficient products that supported a significantly higher capability.
Working alongside and in synergy with the clients, Military, Naval MOD, Naval Commercial, Government Construction, Events, Stadiums and so much more, allowed a technical evaluation of the products, and allowed supplier engagement and client satisfaction at a significantly higher level.
The British Naval Warship (Destroyer Class) HMS Dragon.
The support of HSS-Hire products and materials selected by the technical team and the client teams in unison, to support the scheduled maintenance routines in dry dock.
Working alongside 'Product Manufacturers' allowed HSS-Hire through my activities to select bespoke materials and products that were designed to overcome weaknesses. Really innovating to the next level, products were robust, and incorporated technologies uncommon for the 'Tools Industry' but reserved for automotive technologies, introduced to reduce 'cost of ownership' and improve material perfromance by an average of 300%, but in some cases up to 900%!
Typical examples;
-
Hybrid Electric Lighting; Designed and manufactured in Italy, redesigned by HSS Technical for combined introduction, with improved safety, and performance.
-
Cut off saws; Designed and manufactured in Switzerland, redesigned by HSS Technical for, improved engine lifecycle, combined introduction to the global marketplace.
-
Ladders; Designed and manufactured in UK, redesigned by HSS Technical, bespoke for HSS-Hire improving material performance and loss of material by damage in use and transport.
-
LED Lighting; Introduction of specific material designed by HSS Technical manufactured in China, bespoke to HSS-Hire allowing absolute robustness and safety in use and transportation.
There are many examples, where material selection, or design, led by the technical division under my leadership created a significant drive in cost reduction in use and ownership. In some cases the new products were so robust and improved over the standard item, that it could be used, in direct comparison to the standard equivalent, without failure 2000% longer to give a cost performance yield for the business. The total productivity amounting in the region of 600% in a 3 year period.
Typical example of a "Site Hybrid Tower Light".
This technology uses the latest in semiconductor LED lighting for high efficiency illumination. Most importantly, it offers 'stand alone' performance and illumination through an on-board high capacity battery, charged automatically by an optimised diesel engine powered charger.
This configuration allows silent use, stand-alone (without connection to grid) and carbon efficient dynamics.