Category: Blog

Industry experts have told Scotland’s construction industry it should prepare for a “resurgence” in activity in the coming months – and what better way to prepare than learn about innovative strategic equipment?

To further support our dedicated Scottish depot, Welfare Hire is thrilled to announce our attendance at ScotPlant 2024. Held across 26-27th April at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, the event brings together thousands of industry professionals and over 200 exhibitors – making it the biggest event of the year for Scotland’s construction industry.

Discover Our Innovative Welfare Products at stand D14

Our exhibition stand will feature our advanced welfare products, including:

• ECOXi
• ECOXLi
• ECO7
• EcoWC2
• Welfare Van
• X-Eco HYBRID LITHIUM

Each product embodies our five pillars:

Quality

Scotland’s construction industry is rightly proud of its high standards. But top-quality welfare units are still widely unavailable across many areas in the countries.

Welfare Hire established our Scottish depot to solve this problem. Our innovative range is now easier to deliver to firms working in more remote regions – helping everyone of our partners access the quality equipment you deserve.

Service

Research suggests that a third of project failures are the result of poor communication, while maintenance activity can run to 30% of a vehicle’s total costs. But with Welfare Hire, Scottish construction companies get a true partner throughout their projects.

While all of our products feature inclusive maintenance and support, our dedicated Scottish depot has made this service even more effective for our Scottish partners. Our engineers and support can reach your site quickly and minimise downtime.

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Environment

According to recent studies, demand for sustainability in construction may be slightly higher in Scotland than England. But many firms still struggle to manage the emissions from their strategic equipment.

Welfare Hire’s product range provides the perfect solution. We are so confident in our products’ ability to deliver measurable reductions to your carbon emissions that we create a tool to help you calculate the expected savings each mobile welfare unit and tower light will produce:

WellbeinG

Scottish construction has faced staffing issues for several years now, and just a quarter of people would recommend a career in the industry to young people. But much of this is down to the perceived physical difficulties and mental health challenges workers face.

Our welfare units are designed to combat this problem. With extra space, high-quality facilities and comfortable seating, they help construction workers rest and bond – ultimately improving the wellbeing of the workforce.

Value

With rising costs and staffing shortages, Scottish construction firms need more from their suppliers – and Welfare Hire is the partner to achieve that. Through the combination of improved quality and service, environmental savings and enhanced wellbeing, our mobile welfare units and tower lights deliver unparalleled value for firms across the country.

Want to learn more about the pillars at ScotPlant 2024?

Location: Normanton / Huntingdon

Type: Full-time

Working hours:  40 hours per week – consisting of 5 out of 7 days.

Job Function: To provide timeous professional loading/delivery/collection of hire equipment to/from site.

Reporting to: Depot Manager.

Liaising with: Customers, Depot Staff and Hire Desk administrators.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of driving experience in a similar environment, always driving responsibly and safely within the law.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver/collect equipment to site and complete handover process with customer.
• Conduct thorough inspections of units for any damages/shortages on collection and ensure they are noted correctly on the tablet, pictures are taken and signed for wherever possible by the customer.
• Carry out daily vehicle checks and reporting any defects. Including correct manufacturers service intervals are adhered to.
• Ensure digital tachographs are used and downloaded in line with current legislation.
• Ensure that the company’s health and safety policy and procedures are adhered to in relation to all operations.
• Follow company’s Employee handbook policies and procedures.
• Any other duties requested by your manager.

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar role.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Attention to detail.
• 2 years driving experience on a UK driving licence.
• Must have experience in towing and a digital tachograph card.
• Be always polite and well-mannered.

For more information on this position, please apply today with your latest CV hr@kellinggroup.com

Imagine running your strategic equipment with completely clean energy.

No emissions from energy sources, no expensive running costs.

For many contractors, this is an almost irresistible prospect. Especially given that projects are under increasing pressure to become more sustainable – with worksites currently responsible for nearly 4% of all energy usage worldwide.

But while some providers advertise their units as meeting this goal, there is only one that actually delivers – and that is Welfare Hire.

the challenge of clean on-site power

A mobile welfare unit needs lots of power to properly run its various facilities: kettles, microwaves, fridges, power sockets, offices, heaters and more. This is why they have traditionally been a considerable source of carbon emissions and energy expenditure. While many welfare units can literally run without a generator, the level of energy needed means their power source gets sapped incredibly quickly, resulting in a requirement to turn off appliances and welfare facilities and undertake onsite recharging and maintenance

The Result:

Either the welfare unit stops running or users can’t use certain appliances… or both. 

At best, this is a serious inconvenience. At worst, it could actively delay your project and fail to meet the legal requirements for welfare provision to provide warm water and means of heating drinks and food.

Moreover, to correct this, the cost and carbon footprint of remotely servicing these units with site attendance can actually produce up to 10 times more carbon emissions than simply using a backup genset in the first place, which is counterproductive when striving for bigger, better and greener welfare facilities onsite.

welfare hire solves this problem

So how do we deliver on both providing proper, modern welfare facilities and the best carbon reduction for a practical solution for modern ESG goals?

Welfare Hire’s mobile welfare units deliver both silent, green energy and reliable running. Our innovative units, such as the EcoXi, run on next generation solar/lithium battery hybrid power, with capability to cover 100% of the onboard power requirements for the majority of requirements. However, we also recognise that there are many variables onsite affecting solar yield, as well as power demand as project requirements are dynamic, especially in the darker, colder months.

That’s why we fit our welfare units with a backup biofuel generator to cover any potential recharge requirements. As a result, there is zero risk of the units running out of energy – and your project can go on unimpacted. In fact, this guarantees provision of the largest, most modern welfare facilities in the market.

Better still, the smart eco system features auto start/stop power management that enables users to easily control the usage of energy, avoid wastage and proactively manage the power supply without creating extra complications.

Don’t compromise on performance

The result is the best of both worlds: optimal silent, green running with bigger, better welfare facilities. And with unrivaled volumetric data and reporting from real sites performance, the benefits of our smart ECO systems can be quantified. A single week using the EcoXi instead of a standard welfare unit saves your site £163, 109 litres of fuel and reduces CO₂ emissions by 151 kg. 

This translates into dramatic savings on larger, longer projects. Using three units across sixteen weeks would save nearly £8,000, over 5,200 litres of fuel and over 7,000 kg of CO₂! Use our eco-calculator to estimate your energy savings:

Like what you see?

Your site could make the switch within days, and start seeing measurable improvements to your ESG scores and bottom-line immediately.

After a decline in project starts this year, experts predict the UK’s construction sector will see a 12% recovery in 2024. This will create huge opportunities for successful firms, but there will also be an increase in competition over contracts.

How can firms remain competitive, and what should they do today to win more contracts in 2024?

In this article, we explore three ways mobile welfare units can help firms in the new year:

1. Focus on ESG

The challenge:

Pressure to decarbonise construction supply chains and create a more sustainable way of working is nothing new. But 2024 will see Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) scores go from a growing concern to a crucial competitive advantage. 

Firms must already show their net zero commitments to bid on contracts worth £5 million or more, and the new year will only see this trend towards ESG-focused tenders grow, especially as the Government seeks to regulate ESG ratings agencies in January and produce more reliable, consistent measurements.

What you can do today:

ESG is inherently complex, but factors like adopting eco-friendly mobile welfare units and tower lights can only have a positive impact on your score. The EcoXLi is a perfect example: it runs on 100% solar power and uses next generation lithium battery cells to negate the need for a generator. But it also features a smart telemetry system to guarantee optimal usage of power, as well as rainwater harvesting to minimise water waste.

2. Invest in staff wellbeing

The challenge:

Two factors will converge to make staff wellbeing a priority in 2024: the ongoing mental health crisis in construction and talent shortages. A recent study found that over 50% of construction workers suffer with mental health issues, while 63% of trades are struggling to find new staff in the UK.

As a result, there will be an even greater premium on employee retention. Firms that attract and retain workers will be better equipped to deliver projects on time, and face fewer issues around shortages, absenteeism and low morale.

What you can do today:

There are many factors that influence staff wellbeing, from site safety to schedule flexibility. However, one of the most decisive is the quality, size and comfort of your on-site welfare units. 

Welfare Hire’s ECO XLi mobile welfare unit supports employee wellbeing and retention in several ways:

• The XL internal space enables more staff to use units at the same time. This encourages team bonding and ensures important conversations around mental health can be conducted in a safe, comfortable environment.
• Improved non-chemical XL wash facilities improve hygiene for smarter, safer working and cater for more dynamic workforces.
• The investment in higher quality, technologically advanced welfare units signal to employees that you value their wellbeing.

3. Build stronger supplier relations

The challenge:

With a large dip in output and an increase in project delays across 2023, the new year will see many firms racing to make up for lost time. The challenge then will be staying on schedule and keeping costs under control – both of which put firms at the mercy of their volatile supply chains.

The solution is to build more robust relationships with your suppliers, including everything from raw materials to strategic equipment like mobile welfare units. But how can firms achieve this?

What you can do today:

The key is to select suppliers that provide comprehensive support and treat the relationship as a partnership, collaborating to add further value.

At Welfare Hire, we take pride in the strength and durability of our customer relationships. From specialist support and dedicated services to strategic collaboration on how to deploy our mobile welfare units and tower lights most effectively on projects, we offer the kind of reliable, added value service our partners need.

Prepare for 2024 with Welfare Hire

Build a robust partnership with Welfare Hire to improve ESG and employee wellbeing – and support your tendering process in the new year.