Nursing business

Nursing a Forklift Company

April 2007

Albutt Forklifts wasn’t sick but after 13 years as an A&E Nurse, Chris Thompson reckoned he could improve the health of this regional plant hirer with some TLC!

“A good friend of mine wanted to sell the business whilst keeping some interest in it. And I was looking to come out of the NHS Sector. So it seemed like a good fit.” There might not seem an obvious synergy between A&E and Plant Hire (both thrive on controlled panic!), but Chris’s hands-on methods have definitely worked, as the company has thrived. Based near Evesham, Albutt offers a specialised service to local users, concentrating on telescopic handlers and a couple of boom access platforms.

Very typical is the Kanes Foods site at Middle Littleton, where Chris has a Merlo Panoramic P40.16KS on hire to steel contractors, Allen Fabrications. “What we offer is service” says Chris “And keeping to a local repeat customer base means we are available at the drop of a hat and we’ll provide a machine with operator if required. Sometimes, that’s me!”

Chris inherited a mixed fleet of telehandlers, but now 6 of his 13 machines are Merlo. He was just concluding the deal for a new 6m P32.6 with Mike Pullin of Tewkesbury dealer, P and D Engineering. “I think the Merlo product far outstrips the others” says Chris “They are very easy to use and much lighter and compact than competitive handlers. All of our sites seem to lack space and being able to easily and safely manoeuvre is a huge advantage.”

As much of Albutt’s business is very local, the 40 km/h travel speed of his P40.16KS and 13m P38.13 Plus machines is vital. Being able to travel quickly and safely on the roads means he can respond much easier to those emergency calls. Exchanging one kind of emergency for another has broadened Chris’s experience (as a farmer’s son he knew machinery), but enables his people skills to expand the business. Typical of a regional hirer, his customers depend upon quality and timeliness of service, not the lowest cost.