31.10.2005

Hewden invest £15 million in IT

Hewden, Europe’s largest equipment rental company, has announced that it is investing £14.8 million in a new IT, broadband and intranet system to improve customer service.

The spend includes a £13.8 million investment in a new IT system for its UK operation and a further £1 million for broadband and intranet improvements. The investment, is claimed to set a new record for spending on customer service systems within the UK construction hire sector and is intended to significantly improve the quality customer information and services, while reducing transaction costs.
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Doug Sprout of Hewden (left) with Tom Slavin, Account Manager Intentia

Brian Sherlock, Managing Director of Hewden, said: “We are determined to move quality of customer service to a new level, and that means giving our people the practical support they need to be better and faster than the competition in responding to and anticipating customer needs. We have also listened to our customers, and they want to get the information they need in real time and direct, whether that’s their trading history, the products they have on hire with us by type, site or depot or information on product availability, fitness for purpose and performance.”

“We have traditionally outgunned the competition by greater investment every year in new and state of the art equipment for hire, quality and range of products and, given our size, reach. We don’t intend to stop there; Hewden will establish a clear lead in customer service and this investment proves we are serious. It also gives us a significant competitive edge in terms of lower transaction costs and better information on asset optimisation and the performance and profitability of individual depots and products.”

The company also announced that its IT upgrade will include an off the shelf enterprise rental software solution from Intentia, in a deal worth between £1.4 million and £3.5 million to Intentia. Hewden expects to have chosen hardware and systems services providers by the end of the year.

Doug Sprout, Executive Director of Support Services for the UK arm of Hewden’s parent company, Finning International Inc, will be leading the implementation team. He says: “We need to create an IT infrastructure appropriate to a business that has changed significantly in recent years. Over the last 12 months Hewden has integrated its tool and plant hire operations into one organisation and created single customer service points for customers hiring from more than one of its 360 service delivery centres or across its Tool and Plant, Access, Cranes, Services, Hoists and Power businesses.

“The new technology, combined with the other structural and business process changes we have made, will mean that our most important asset, the Hewden workforce, is fully supported in delivering the best possible results for customers.”