Opening its doors less than a year ago in Astley, only 10 miles from Manchester city centre, Jarvie Plant is already reporting a sharp return on the investment it made in its first depot in England. The Grangemouth-based firm acquired a 3-acre site on Chaddock Lane, employing up to 10 staff and investing heavily in a wide range of hire equipment, including telehandlers, dumpers, excavators, site accommodation, vehicles, generators and lighting. In January, Manchester was confirmed by Deloitte Real Estate’s latest Crane Survey as one of the fastest growing cities in Europe, highlighting a booming construction market as a key driver. Residential and office developments across the city are on the rise with a 60% increase in the number of units being constructed, and in excess of 1.5 million sq ft of business space is being developed across six new schemes. It’s a trend, say company bosses, which has been reflected in the flow of local firms who have visited their Manchester facility. “Our customers range from small to large businesses in a diverse mix of sectors and we have quickly established a name for providing high quality plant and a reliable service,” explains regional operations manager, Dave Ingleby. “We are aiming to provide a customer focused service where we understand the client’s needs and we’ll go that extra mile to meet the requirements of developers and contractors.” This proactive approach is winning the business new clients such as a property developer working on the conversion of a bonded warehouse in the city centre. Following detailed discussions around the complexities of the project, a tailored package of accommodation units, a power generator, small dumper and excavator were all delivered. An 18m telehandler was also supplied to allow materials to be delivered at height. But it’s not just in Manchester where Jarvie’s plant has been distributed.  The depot is close to junctions of the M60 and M61 making the entire north-west area accessible. A ground works contractor currently has static welfare units on hire at three prestigious housing developments in Crosby, Handforth and St Helens; while several rough terrain fork trucks are out to a cladding company with one as far south as Welshpool. In addition to the spike in construction activity in the area, there are also some major infrastructure projects ongoing. A £1bn extension of Manchester Airport is underway and the sprawling Metrolink system is being extended with a new 3.4-mile line to the Trafford Centre. “With so much activity across the region it is vital that developers complete their projects safely, on time and within budget,” adds Mr Ingleby. “Using our own transportation we can deliver vital plant equipment direct to site and we are finding this proactive, helpful service is being well received.”