The Hire Guys are a group of independently operated hire yards in Perth. Over the past 10 years, the group has expanded its service to include not only the rental of construction equipment, but also the sale of quality used equipment.
The recent boom in the construction and mining industries in Australia, particularly in Western Australia, has made sourcing equipment difficult.
Steve Burnell, Managing Director of The Hire Guys, was one of the people on the hunt for quality used equipment at a good price.
“The Hire Guys is undergoing rapid expansion, and I was frustrated by the lack of equipment,” explains Burnell.
During an online search, Burnell found the IronPlanet website. IronPlanet is the world’s leading online auction company, and has been operating successfully in the US since 2000.
“The product inventory on IronPlanet made my search a lot easier,” says Burnell. “They had a big range, and I was able to find the late model low hour equipment that I was looking for.”
Equipment featured on the IronPlanet website includes dozers, excavators, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders and more from leading manufacturers such as Caterpillar, Komatsu, Volvo, Bobcat and Dynapac.
“I was also impressed with the guaranteed inspection reports. I felt confident that what I saw online was what I’d get on delivery,” says Burnell.
IronPlanet’s IronClad Assurance policy features highly detailed inspection reports prepared by experts.
Each inspection report includes a detailed description of the equipment’s condition including inspector comments and ratings, photographs, wear-related measurements, and when appropriate, lab test results of oil/fluid samples. The IronClad Assurance means what buyers see on the inspection report is what they get when they receive the equipment.
Burnell says he has been happy with the logistics through out the sales process, from purchasing to final delivery.
“I have been able to add to my fleet when I needed to, and it has helped The Hire Guys maximise our business.”
IronPlanet has recently announced that it will be extending its operations to Australia.
“I was delighted to hear that IronPlanet is coming to Australia,” says Burnell. “It will be very beneficial for the construction industry to have an inventory of locally available stock.”
“It will also help overcome the limitations of localised auctions, and give sellers the opportunity to market assets across Australia and the rest of the world.”
It is planned that the first Australian-based auction will take place in the last quarter of 2007.