It is great to be back again visiting hirers to encourage them to attend the hire industry’s annual event, albeit wearing a different shirt this year!
The Team at Altrad Belle are delighted to have won the tender to carry out the National Visitor Campaign for EHS 2026! Scott Herne, Colin Andrews, Danny Pinder, Rob Godfrey and I will be travelling the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland during the coming weeks and months to encourage hirers to take a day or two away from the depot, look for new product ideas, catch up with old friends from within the industry and take advantage of numerous Show Only Deals. Our Marketing Manager, Paul Buxton, will be providing regular updates on LinkedIn and our MD, Ray Neilson, will be getting involved to further bolster our efforts.
My own visits to date have taken me to Skipton, Bolton, Liverpool, Halifax, Huddersfield, Ulverston, Blackpool and North Wales.
Fittingly, my very first visit of the year was to the proud winners of the 2025 Multi Depot Passionate Hire Award, SHC Hire Centres in Skipton, where I caught up with Managing Director, Matthew Wilson, pictured with Saffy McLeish, Regional Operations Manager.
Matthew commented, “We had a great time at the Show and attended the Hire United meeting, which gave us a great opportunity to catch up with lots of our friends from within the industry. We spent a lot of time catching up with our current suppliers and looking out for new products and ideas to further enhance the company. To top it off, winning the award gave everyone at SHC a tremendous boost, to be judged and recognised as a leading company within our industry is amazing!” We made some significant purchases at the show, including five DX1000HT 1-tonne high-tip dumpers and two Premier XT 5/3½ site mixers from Belle."
Steve McKenzie
Throughout September and October, I have been doing my first Executive Hire Show visits in Swansea, Bristol, Somerset and Exeter, so really covering some good ground in the Southwest, meeting some of the amazing and passionate hirers that make our industry so special.
I had a great time with Guy and Craig at Knight and Brenchley in Gorseinon, Swansea area, showing them a few new gadgets from Altrad Belle (took them a while to figure out what our new MixerLock was!) and discussing their plans for the show.
Mike at Kellaway Hire in Bristol, as always, greets everyone who walks through his door with a broad smile and is really looking forward to his annual trip to Coventry for the national show. In Somerset, Nick and Patch from Eagle Plant and I spent the morning putting all the world's problems to rights... and maybe discussed a few things about business.
But I think the most memorable visit would have to be the first one of the year's hire show appointments. Going in to see Sam, Ben, and Sarah at Tool Care Hire, on a glorious sunny day (so much so we could barely open our eyes for the picture), and meeting the new addition to the team, the brilliant Ted the Dog. I may have to add Dog treats to the usual pack of biscuits I bring round on my visits.
I'm looking forward to what November brings and the great visits I'm sure to have then.
Rob Godfrey
My visits to date have taken me to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Livingston, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Musselburgh, and Duns.
The response so far has been positive, with several hirers intending to make the long journey to Coventry to look at new products and suppliers, while catching up with the exhibitors that whom they already work closely.
I called in and caught up with the team at Lothian Hire Centre and spoke to the owner, Margaret Wilson. Margaret is going to do her best to get to the show and is hoping to travel down with friends from another hire company.
Scott Herne
We are looking forward to the 2026 show and will be on the lookout for new innovative products and great deals!