15.03.2019
Entwistle steps down at Ainscough
Janet Entwistle is to step down as chief executive of the UK's largest crane rental company - Ainscough Crane Hire. She took over in September 2016 following the resignation of Robin Richardson.
A company announcement said: “Janet has strengthened Ainscough’s position as the UK’s leading lifting services business, delivering quality premium services to its customers. Ainscough has continued to deliver a strong profitable performance in challenging market conditions. Janet has been working with the board to build longer term plans for the business to deliver future success and growth.”
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Janet Entwistle
Entwistle - who was elected as chairman of the UK's Construction Plant-hire Association’s (CPA) Crane Interest Group six months ago - said: “I have been proud to be CEO of Ainscough Crane Hire and have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the company. I leave behind a great team and a strong business. I wish them and everyone in the business every success in the future.”
The statement from the company added: “The Ainscough board would like to thank Janet for her commitment and will now take forward the plans they have developed for the future. Although Janet will now step back from the business, she will support the board over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.”
ghost
"A company announcement...." Most definitely not. This is Ainscough now blowing smoke up its own rear. Ainscough's position hasn't been strong for a number of years. Their mantra was always the customer is first - a fair policy for any business - but these are empty words. If that were the case, they'd be backing these words up with actions. There are smaller companies doing a far better job. If Ainscough supplied the service commensurate with their prices, then that would be fair enough but they don't. If the customer is always first was their mantra, they'd give the customer what they want not what Ainscough dictate. Why have they, for instance, failed to make the Bockers work? For the simple reason that it's 8 hours hire or nothing. The type of customer that would utilise these cranes don't generally want 8 hours. They might want a few packs of roof trusses put up - maybe a few hours - perhaps 3. They might only want a few false chimneys put up - fine - do that whilst on the way back from the three hour hire putting up trusses - give the customer what they want. What they don't want is a company claiming to be the best in the business and then turning up in cranes that are nudging 14 years old or more and leaking like a sieve. Sure, their heavy cranes division is possibly the envy of the UK crane market but the lack of investment is telling - old cranes in the general fleet, operators disillusioned because they are on a pay freeze after rejecting a pay cut - and for what? For speculators to show a company in "profit" (?) so a few can walk away with a bonus for doing relatively little whilst upsetting the people who the company is built on. Entwistle hasn't made a right decision int the time she was with Ainscough which is why I get the feeling that this decision to leave wasn't hers. She may have been proud to be CEO and enjoyed her time there but that's what happens when conceit blurs your vision because many other people aren't proud at all. The announcement says the company has delivered a strong, profitable performance - on what basis? It's not invested significantly in new equipment and God knows it needs to, it's made a raft of operators redundant, (how many actually took voluntary, in addition to the ream that left last year?) So rather than made a significant increase in profits, it's been selling the family silver, so to speak, to stave off financial issues. Smoke and mirrors - and as for chairman of the crane interest group - what does a barrister know about the grass root nuances of the crane industry? It's a bit like making the university janitor an authority on particle physics. Employers don't like blank spaces in a CV so how is she going to explain this away because there's nothing to be proud of here.
Lifting
First for?
HolyGrale
Whose first.