With a rapid increase in the population, the construction business is seeing significant advancements. About one-fifth of the new companies are associated with construction, and this industry involves many significant entrepreneurial investments. The construction industry can ensure massive returns if the finances are managed well. In these lines, renting the primary construction instruments is also being chosen as a better option than capital investment. But to create an industrial success, you have to understand the market and avoid the following mistakes while hiring construction instruments for your company. Not demarcating your needs Before you pick out the instrument for your work, you should be completely clear about your requirements from that particular machine. If you need to compact the soil and gravel, you will opt for a wacker plate hire and not for any land mowing machine. This difference should be precisely conveyed in your requirements. Waiting till the last second to book your instrument Ideally, it’s advisable to opt for renting a piece of equipment immediately as you sense the necessity. The selection procedure can go on for a little while, and the availability of that particular instrument can also be checked at a rental company. This process gets more manageable if you have time in hand, for hasty business towards the end might have you in difficulty. Not understanding the cost/benefit of the machinery You have to be a critical analyst before choosing the right machine for your construction business. Make sure to follow the financial aspects clearly so that you know how much profit you will be churning out with the initial investment you make while renting the machine. If you do not understand the leverage, it may so happen that you end up paying more than you earn. This should be avoided by all means. Lack of clarity on the time duration When you are looking for construction equipment for your company, you must also know the time duration for which you will need the machine. You may need it for a few hours, but if you book it for an entire day out of anticipation, you will waste your money in the endeavor. Thus, a fair idea of the time duration can help you make a smart investment. If you are sure that you need the machine on a long-term basis, you can consider getting it on a lease, rather than rent. This will go slightly easier on your pocket. Avoiding the training portions No matter how well-versed you are with the construction business, there may be several machines that follow some of the latest technology that you are not equipped with. Instead of avoiding those machines, start getting trained in their operations as they may prove to be very beneficial for your specific requirements. You should also not reject using some tools owing to your incompetence in using them. If you wish to get done with work at a professional level, you can hire experts to run the equipment in your budget and learn from them, as they work. You have to be ardent to know better and perform better to make it big in this business.

The quest to increase productivity is known by managers across all industries. However, the construction industry in particular has a well-documented history of mismanagement and inefficiency. In this article, the team at Hitchcock & King will take a look at ways inwhich this can be remedied, so you can get your team working at optimal efficiency! Workflow map Creating a map of the entire workflow is an excellent starting point for any project. However, it’s often overlooked simply because it can be rather time consuming. Without it, though, resources might not be allocated properly and time not managed correctly, leading to sluggish performance. Knowing who’s doing what at any given time is a good starting point for many managers wanting a more productive and efficient project. Keep an inventory On a construction site, when the flow of work is obstructed momentum can quickly go. For example, if workers are waiting for supplies to be brought in when they run out, the consequent delays can have a real impact on productivity, and getting things back up to speed can be difficult. To combat this, keeping an inventory of all the materials and equipment on site ensures that things can be replenished before they run out, keeping the momentum up. Regular breaks Breaks are important for any workforce as it give employees time to recharge. Construction is no different. In fact, if anything, breaks in the construction industry are even more important. This is largely because, as well as mentally sharp, manual workers need to be well rested in order to carry out their work efficiently. Competitive pay and benefits While money isn’t the only way to incentivise workers, it’s still one of the best. If you only offer low pay and no benefits, you shouldn’t be surprised if you find that your workforce are unhappy and unmotivated. With the right pay, benefits and bonus schemes in place, you will find that employees will be more than happy to keep their energy up all week long. What’s more, sometimes it’s not even about the money – a workforce want to feel valued, and in the construction industry this is no different.   Training initiatives Not only does training improve a workforce, allowing them to develop new skill sets, it empowers them, too. That is, if you offer your staff more work and work which enables them to grow, develop and keep their mind focused, they will be much more likely to maintain a high level of productivity. On top of this, offering training initiatives demonstrates to your staff that your company is somewhere worth working for long term, making it much easier to keep their interest. Hitchcock & King are the premier supplier of timber and builders’ materials to construction companies throughout London and the surrounding areas. We have a number of branches throughout the capital stocking high quality tools, materials and more, all at competitive rates. We also offer same/next day delivery services for your complete convenience. Be sure to contact our friendly team today to find out more.

Makita UK has opened a third regional Factory Service Centre (FSC) in the busy London borough of Hounslow.  This new FSC joins Makita’s HQ facility in Milton Keynes, which serves the whole of the country, as well as Glasgow, which supports the rapidly expanding market penetration of the brand in Scotland and northern England.  The London FSC will primarily service the essential London and South East region.  In order to offer the best service levels in the industry Makita is committed to offering improved national coverage for the benefit of end user customers, as well as the network of Makita distributors, by building these dedicated FSC’s. While these facilities satisfy a vital role in providing technical repairs and maintenance services for all mains and cordless construction machines, and the rapidly expanding range of grounds care tools, including 2-stroke and 4-stroke petrol engine products, training remains the cornerstone of Makita’s marketing success.  It ensures that both authorised distributors and operators are fully conversant with the power tools they own, or may purchase in the future; how to obtain the best and safest performance from these machines, and how to maintain them for efficiency and productivity. The first FSC to be opened is based at South Street, Glasgow, which offers Makita product training across the complete range of products; product servicing courses, as well as accredited courses such as the successful and certificated City & Guilds Correct & Safe Use of Handheld Power Tools.  A user or instructor certificate is issued upon successful completion.  Courses are available to meet individual needs and bespoke power tool training can be designed to meet specific requirements. At each location the theory elements of courses are held in a lecture theatre, followed by essential hands-on practical work which is carried out in specially adapted and fully equipped training demonstration rooms.  Courses are of 1 or 2 day duration or tailored to specific needs.  The CITB certificated course, which can include a combination of in-house and on-site training, relates to abrasive wheel training, and both instructor or user courses are available.  Gas nailer user training, chainsaw cross cutting and service courses are also available. Tony Coleman, Technical Manager, Makita UK, says: “We are already receiving a very warm welcome from all sectors of the power tool industry in this heavily populated area of west London.  If demand becomes similar to that we’ve established in Glasgow and Milton Keynes we will be looking for additional training personnel.  Both employers and operators will benefit from this convenient location offering improved local services to all customers.” Makita has great experience in supporting worthwhile challenges as WorldSkills UK, APL Apprenticeships and Hire Association Europe Apprenticeship schemes to help support customers of the future with product and training support.  Employees and employers can benefit from Makita’s outstanding training courses, which compliment high quality power tools used by professional trades’ people, raising ambitions and abilities for many. The Makita range is supported with an equally comprehensive range of over 4,500 accessories and consumables products. For more news and product information about Makita UK please visit www.makitauk.com.  Follow us on Twitter @MakitaUK, Facebook.com/makitauk and google.com/+makitauk

The new LS1219 305mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw joins the family of Makita saws that benefit from the new design of the sliding motor head layout allowing it to be operated close to a wall making it ideal for bench mounted applications.  The twin slide rails are set at an angle in the rigid aluminium alloy chassis frame, while the rear chassis fixing is positioned right at the rear of the saw assembly.  The robust rails allow the saw head to move forward to cover the total sawing zone without the wasted movement of the motor head passing back behind the sawing zone. The new LS1219 mitre saw has a no load speed of 3,200rpm and features a bigger mitre and bevel range than its predecessor the LS1216.  This new mitre saw has class leading mitre and bevel capacities – 60° L to 60° R mitre, and 48° L to 48° R bevel.  A front knob enables easy bevel adjustment with easy-to-operate mitre angle lock and one-touch sliding head lock. The LS1219 benefits from DXT – Deep and Exact Cutting Technology – and the 12” blade has an impressive 72 tooth count which has been developed to dampen vibration and be super quiet to enhance the work environment.  This also improves both durability and reliability of the saw blade and equipment. A lower vibrating blade produces greater cut accuracy, and also reduces wobble, giving a beautifully cut surface. The robust aluminium alloy main bed is fully machined for accuracy giving a large turning base.  The rear fence has adjustable material locks and side holders to support a wide workpiece. The new LS1219 can also be connected to a dust extractor for operator safety. The electronic controls feature soft start for machine and operator safety; constant speed control; electric brake; double insulation and a laser marker system on the LS1219L model.  110v and 240v versions of this new mitre saw are available. For more news and product information about Makita UK please visit www.makitauk.com.  Follow us on Twitter @MakitaUK, Facebook.com/makitauk and google.com/+makitauk. About the LS1219 305mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw Maximum 3,200rpm Maximum mitre range 60° to 60° left/right; bevel range 48° to 48° left/right Sliding arm can be operated close to a wall Laser marker version also available