17.01.2007

Ainscough launches on line rental auction

Martin Ainscough of Ainscough Crane Hire has launched what he claims to be the U.K.’s first on-line hire auction, www.onestophire.com Limited, a web based business where potential customers can place rental enquiries on the web site free of charge.

Enquiries are sent electronically to suppliers who match the geographical area and product requirement. Suppliers can then choose to bid against each other for the work giving the customer the lowest price available on the day.

Ainscough is clear to point out that onestophire.com is a totally separate business from his crane hire company. Ainscough Crane Hire will simply bid for work on the site along with other companies.
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The One Stop management team (L-R) Andy Stafford, Carole Rigby, Ian Booth, Neil Partridge, Martin Ainscough, Ian Fisher, Danielle Hitchen & Jonathan Marsden.

He also said “I believe this web site allows large companies such as ours to get enquiries that we might not otherwise be considered for, and it also gives the smaller hire Companies a platform to compete with the big companies for certain products and areas”.

“I do not believe this web site will affect national contracts where large customers want a guaranteed supply at a fixed price. We are not just targeting the plant hire industry but also the labour and car and tool hire industries. In fact, eventually we hope to include virtually anything that it is possible to hire.“

Andy Stafford, a director of the new company added “This is a totally new concept for the hire industry but we feel there is great potential in the business as it saves customers having to ring around for price and availability and allows suppliers to bid for work based on supply and demand. There will never be a charge to the customers for this service and they can use the web site just as a price comparison should they so wish”.

“The suppliers can use the web site free of charge for a trial period and without any obligation to supply. When we prove to suppliers that they gain new business by using this web site we will then negotiate a small charge for each enquiry that turns into an offer. No supplier will ever pay anything, unless they have agreed in advance to do so. This is only the start and we are looking to expand the products offered over the coming months. I would urge anyone who supplies or hires anything to just log on and have a no obligation play on the system. “