Further underlining its determination to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to what it can offer the marketplace, Northern Ireland-based Balloo Hire recently purchased two brand new Genie® S®-80 TraX™ boom lifts: the first of their kind to be available in the island of Ireland.
“We’re committed to meeting our customers’ requirements, so when we identify a possible opportunity within the marketplace, we’re quick to act,” explains Colin Magee, Powered Access Manager. “We have a well-established partnership with Genie and were the first to bring their smaller boom lift, the S-65, to Ireland about ten years ago, so leapt at the chance to purchase their 80m version. We knew they would be an instant success.”
And so it has proved, with the two new Genie S-80s already seeing significant demand, particularly within the utilities market, as well as in Northern Ireland’s thriving TV and film sector. “We had a waiting list of customers prepared for their arrival,” adds Mr Magee. “We feel it’s vital to offer a real point of difference within the marketplace and to be at the leading edge of the technologies we provide to our customer base.”
Since Balloo Hire’s acquisition of the booms, Genie has provided strong support including technical expertise. “Our engineers underwent comprehensive training from Genie, so are totally comfortable with the equipment and know them inside-out. Since the booms have arrived, they’ve been kept extremely busy.
“We never buy anything in ones, which is why we bought two, and given the success of the products so far, we have plans to purchase more.”
It’s not just its customer base that Balloo Hire is proving popular with, as the company has also attracted industry recognition after being named Plant Hire Company of the Year at the prestigious Plant and Civil Engineer Awards, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast in November last year. The annual event is widely regarded as Ireland’s premier platform for those operating across all sectors of the industry.
With eight locations throughout the country, Balloo Hire is now widely seen as the prime choice for all rental needs across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In response to increasing demand and in-line with its desire to meet Its customer sustainability objectives for green, eco-friendly equipment, the company now holds over 11,000 fully electric/ hybrid products. With investment of over £20m in the last five years on its sustainability journey, it continues to deliver an industry-leading product range to meet customer demand. Its goal is to have a battery alternative to every diesel machine it owns, helping to create a more sustainable Northern Ireland.
To really drive home its emphasis on sustainability, the Balloo Hire team recently held a customer showcase event for its sustainable hire equipment at the iconic H&W Building in Belfast, highlighting the various eco-friendly options available for hire, ranging from electric powered tools to hybrid generators. “We have been noted in various press publications as the first company in the UK and Ireland to bring in products such as 80ft Battery Boom Lifts, All Battery 6m Teleporters, All Battery 1.5t diggers, Battery and Hybrid Lighting Towers and Battery Storage units.
“When everyone else was buying diesel, we decided to go electric, even though this raised eyebrows at the time. Now we’re firmly at the forefront of the sustainable marketplace and customers are actively requesting electric machines and leaving diesel equipment behind. It’s a real point of difference we can provide.”
Balloo Hire’s determination to keep investing in its fleet is backed up by the growing opportunities it is seeing within the marketplace, which in turn has seen it adding to its bricks and mortar too.
“In response to the growing demand for equipment rental in the west of Ireland, we added an additional two acres of space to our Omagh depot this year,” says Mr Magee. “This is an expansion that not only benefits local business and individuals, but also created additional employment in the surrounding area. It also enables us to run a large fleet of vehicles from this location to speed up delivery times.
“Alongside our parent company, Briggs Equipment NI, we held a free event to mark the depot opening; inviting families, friends, and customers from across the local area to join in the festivities and discover what makes our hire depot a cornerstone in the construction and manufacturing industries and across the local community.
“Customers got hands-on with a wide range of our hire machinery, test driving the brand-new Kubota diggers, experiencing the heights from our Genie boom lift range, and learning something new from hire experts onsite. We’re dedicated to supporting the communities we serve, and this initiative demonstrated that commitment.”
With the additional space having help bolster its overall operation, Balloo Hire is well placed to make the most of the current economic climate.
“The market is very buoyant and we are seeing an upward growth trend. 2023 was challenging for everybody, but we navigated our way through it and 2024 has started well for us, so we’re optimistic about what the next 12 months will hold.
“Looking ahead, we want to grow what we’ve already established and move into different sectors. We have a wonderful opportunity to keep expanding.”
Thanks to its willingness to invest in all areas of its operation, Balloo Hire certainly looks well set to keep captalising on the growth opportunities that are coming its way.