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Three Key Values Access Hire Will Promote At Connected North

Telecoms projects are booming due to Project Gigabit, and the future of the industry looks bright. But companies still face several challenges to fully benefit from the boom, with 5G roll-outs still far from completion – along with on-going concerns over rising costs and security challenges.

This year’s Connected North is the perfect opportunity to address them. The event unites more than 1,500 of the North’s connectivity leaders, providing an essential forum to explore the industry’s biggest issues. And as an established leader with the country’s largest fleet of Van Mounted MEWPs, we look forward to bringing three ideas to the table:

1. Vehicle leasing

Despite the Telecoms industry boom, newer infrastructure companies still struggle to get a foot in the door. Van Mounted MEWPs are essential for the majority of projects, but are expensive – especially when factoring in maintenance costs. This creates a barrier to entry for many, which is not only bad for the excluded companies – it reduces the industry’s overall competitiveness.

Leasing Van Mounted MEWPs solves this issue, enabling companies to access best-in-class equipment with a low, fixed cost payment schedule. Leasing also reduces lead times for telecoms companies and enables greater flexibility – ultimately benefiting the whole industry.

2. Van Mounted MEWP training

Van Mounted MEWPs are essential for fibre engineers to work safely at height, as well as improving the efficiency of that work. But operating the vehicles properly requires specialised training. Not just theoretical training – direct, experience-based training.

That’s why we are thrilled to offer IPAF training that sticks. Our trainees learn using the vehicles they’ll actually use in the field, enabling them to discover vehicle-specific tricks, increasing their confidence.

3. Electric vehicles

Sustainability is one of the biggest challenges facing the Telecoms industry. With 5G projected to increase energy consumption by 160% by 2030, every company is looking at how it can become greener – and fast.

Electric vehicles are by no means the only answer, but they will play an important role. Which is why we’re showcasing Access Zero – our new fleet of fully-electric Van Mounted MEWPs. The vehicles will help Telecoms infrastructure projects reduce their energy usage and move a step closer to their lofty net zero goals.

Kelling Group is a leading provider of specialist Access, Welfare and lighting equipment hire and services to key infrastructure and construction sectors.

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Access Zero – The UK’s first all-electric MEWP for lease and hire available now

The first all-electric vehicle-mounted access platforms are now available for long term hire and lease from the UK’s leading specialist in this field, Access Hire Nationwide (AHN), part of Kelling Group.  The lease / hire package, including the all-electric VMAP and full maintenance / service support, has been launched as Access Zero.

Access Zero represents a unique proposition, combining the latest vehicle-mounted access technology along with a fully managed solution, including inter alia, breakdown & recovery, 24/7/365 operational support, LOLER and servicing, dedicated account management and replacement courtesy vehicles.

“The new Renault Master ZE with CPL KL26 electric boom provides a market leading, innovative solution for those needing to work safely at height using a specialist zero emissions asset,” stated AHN Sales Director, Martin Whitehead.  “Both Access Hire and our customers are working toward ESG targets, improving on our sustainable performance, and 100% electric vehicles are the next step on that journey to net zero.”

“Access Hire has always had a long-term focus on minimizing emissions, whilst providing innovative assets that meet clients’ operational requirements,” said Stephen Moore, Kelling Group CEO.  “We have the youngest and largest fleet of modern ULEZ assets in the UK, as well as existing hybrid solutions.

“The addition of the full electric Renault Master ZE augments our ECO credentials even further. Given our experience and expertise in the sector, we are uniquely placed to advise clients on the most appropriate asset solution to meet operational needs, whilst minimising CO2 emissions and meeting core ESG requirements.”

One example of a sector keen to capitalise on greener technology is that of local authorities, who use access platforms to, for example, maintain street lighting and other amenities.  Reportedly, almost two thirds have declared that they aim to be carbon neutral some 20 years before the government’s target of 2050.1   With that in mind, the changeover to electric working vehicles is an important, but easy way to progress towards that overall net zero target.

Estimates place the number of electric and hybrid domestic vehicles on the UK’s roads at the end of 2022 at around 2-3% of the total, a growth of around 40% from the previous year.2  Growth in working vehicles, including buses and heavy-duty trucks, has been somewhat slower3, however as new technologies and batteries with increased performance are adopted, the gap in growth is expected to narrow.

With over 15 years’ experience devoted to the provision of access platforms, the AHN team provide technical advice and assistance throughout the hire process from selection of the right technology to IPAF operator training and help with advice around the use of these specialist vehicles.

All vehicle maintenance requirements, both proactive and reactive, are fully managed on behalf of the hirer by the 24/7/365 AHN Support Team, including LOLERs and regular servicing, ensuring regulatory compliance.  For assets where down time can be costly to the operator, the combination of young, modern vehicles and full maintenance support offers AHN’s partners peace of mind, with maximised asset availability.

This combination saw AHN cement its leading position in VMAP provision last year by being named as the No. 1 provider by Cranes & Access magazine for the third year running, whilst continuing to build its fleet further.

“As well as being the largest fleet in the UK, we continually invest to provide the most modern, technologically advanced vehicles, with an average vehicle age of less than two and a half years.  Keeping the vehicles in top condition provides a safe working environment as well as ensuring that they operate in the greenest way,” continued Whitehead.

“Adding electric vehicles to our fleet as soon as we could is a progression of our commitment to providing the most modern and greenest technology available for our partners.”

  1. Delivering local net zero | Local Government Association
  2. Electric car statistics – EV Data [Update: Jan 23] | heycar
  3. Trends and developments in electric vehicle markets – Global EV Outlook 2021 – Analysis – IEA
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Charities Lineham Farm, 4 Louis and Yorkshire Air Ambulance visit Kelling Group

Kelling Group has welcomed representatives from our three Chairman’s Charities recently, as our first year of supporting them came to a close.  We were extremely proud to be able to donate almost £27,000 to the charities from the fundraising efforts of our employees.

Chairman John Wood (centre) and CEO Stephen Moore (4th from right), with members of the Charity Board, present Kelling’s donation to Bob McGurrell (2nd from left) & Tracey McGurrell (3rd from right) of 4 Louis, Jenny Jones (3rd from left) of Lineham Farm and Vickie Bowden (2nd from right) of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Whilst here, the representatives chatted to members of the Kelling team to update them on the important work they do and to exchange ideas about how we can support them further in the coming year. 

“These three charities all carry out incredible work helping our communities.  They focus on different issues, but all depend entirely on donations to provide their vital services to people in need,” commented John Wood, Kelling Group Chairman.

The three charities that Kelling Group support are Lineham Farm, 4 Louis and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance:

Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm works with and supports some of the most disadvantaged children in the City, offering respite from difficult and sometimes abusive home lives. They are dedicated to brightening children’s lives by providing unforgettable breaks and valuable learning experiences in a safe and happy environment. Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm

4 Louis is a charity providing useful tools, training, and equipment free of charge to hospital units, hospices, and other professionals, which support families affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a baby or child.   Started in the Sunderland area, 4 Louis now supports families across the UK. 4Louis – Stillbirth, Childloss

Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a dedicated helicopter emergency air ambulance for the Yorkshire and Humber region. It currently operates two Airbus H145 aircrafts and relies solely on donations to keep both ambulances in the air. Yorkshire Air ambulance Charity | YAA | Donate Today

Throughout the year, Kelling Group employees undertook a wide range of activities to raise money for the charities.  These included taking part in the Yorkshire 3 peaks and Lands End to John O’Groats challenges, bake sales, raffles and football cards.  The company vending machine also raises money as does a specially branded welfare unit that is hired out to customers.

“The team here were so touched by the work that the charities do, they really got behind the drive to raise money for them,” continued John.  “There are lots of great ideas that we’re considering for the coming year, so we’ll be carrying on the effort and hope to raise even more money!”

The special charity welfare unit, which customers can hire to contribute to Kelling’s charity fundraising drive.
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Investment announced for dedicated service in Scotland

Welfare Hire Nationwide (“Welfare Hire”) is expanding its depot network further by making an investment in Scotland with a new depot in the central belt, along with a new dedicated Scottish team.

Welfare Hire is part of the Kelling Group, the UK’s largest provider of highly ECO efficient Welfare products and Vehicle Mounted Access Platforms. The Group has over 3,500 assets, with an average age of less than 2.5 years and commits over £30m in investment to new equipment annually.

“This investment demonstrates our commitment to the Scottish market as part of our long-term growth strategy. We look forward to working even closer with our existing clients and for new clients to experience our market leading products and service” said Stephen Moore, Group CEO.

“Our current customers in Scotland are familiar with the high standards we work to.  As part of this operational expansion, investing in a Scottish team based locally will improve on this even further,” stated Chris Brown, Group Operations Director.

Lauren Thomson has joined the team as Regional Sales Manager and is on hand to support existing and new clients locally.

The centrally located depot will supply Welfare Hire’s market leading mobile ECO welfare units, welfare vans and eco tower lights to sectors such as rail, highways, utilities and construction. 

The Scottish depot will also conduct Welfare Hire’s rigorous 67-point quality check, which is carried out on every Welfare Hire unit ahead of each and every job.  This bespoke and unparalleled quality assurance regime ensures consistently high standards and service for the largest and most modern ECO fleet in the market.

“With this investment we can better support infrastructure construction work around core sectors, including Scotland’s current Infrastructure Investment Programme,” explained Andy Grayshon, Commercial Director.  “Our products create the highest-level working environment for site setup needed in construction and infrastructure development.  As modern towable units, with low cost and low carbon transport and maintenance, our mobile eco units can be used in remote and rural areas, where much of the development is due to take place.

“In addition, our products incorporate the latest green technology and smart innovations, so they fit perfectly with our clients’ drive toward net zero emissions.”

For enquiries within Scotland, please contact Lauren Thomson on 07929 666831 or at lauren.thomson@welfarehire.com.

For more information about Welfare Hire’s products: Mobile Welfare Unit Hire | Towable Welfare Units & Welfare Vans | Kelling (kellinggroup.com)

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Welfare Hire signs up to cleaner working environments

Welfare Hire has become one of just 12 signatories to a new Plant Commitment Charter created by the Supply Chain Sustainability School (the School).

The Charter was developed to encourage the construction sector to commit to key sustainability goals, including improving air quality and reducing greenhouse emissions, which together will result in a cleaner working environment.

Each signatory provides evidence to the School of its progress regarding measurement & reporting, engagement, training & education and innovation, to demonstrate their commitment.

Andy Grayshon, Commercial Director, commented “As a specialist supplier in ECO mobile welfare & lighting, we are delighted to align with the Supply Chain Sustainability School in an area we are passionate about.

“Welfare Hire have continually invested in high-level innovation with a track record in providing industry-first eco products and solutions. We will continue to champion this to help partners accelerate delivery of their carbon and wider ESG goals and welcome the opportunity to support the plant charter.”

Welfare Hire is one of 12 organisations from a wide range of suppliers who have signed up to the Charter: Advanté, BAM Group, Cheetham Hill Construction, Costain, EKFB, Flannery, GAP Group, Hercules Site Services, M O’Brien Group, Morgan Sindall and Select Plant Hire.

The School was established 10 years ago to drive sustainable change in the construction industry by improving knowledge at all levels of the sector.  Welfare Hire is a Gold partner of the School and signed up along with partners, including BAM, Costain, EKFB and Morgan Sindall.

More about the Supply Chain Sustainability School

More about the Plant Commitment Charter

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Welfare Hire unit creates safe space for women in Wakefield

Police in Wakefield have launched a new ‘Safe Space’ initiative in partnership with the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Wakefield District Council and third sector partners – using one of Welfare Hire’s welfare units as a base.

The unit is located in the centre of the city, amongst its bars and clubs, and will be staffed by police officers, local authority employees and others from 8pm to 4am every Friday and Saturday night.

The initiative, which has been funded through the Mayoral led Safer Streets Fund for the next 12 months, aims to offer reassurance to the public through expert advice and support from a trained police officer, who can also deal with any ongoing criminal investigations.

Sergeant Graeme Dent of West Yorkshire Police explained, “This Safe Space has been set up as part of our commitment under the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy to ensure that women and girls in West Yorkshire not only are safe but that they also feel safe.

“We want everyone to be able to safely enjoy the varied nightlife that Wakefield has to offer. The Safe Space will not be exclusive and if anyone feels unsafe or needs assistance from police or other agencies, we want them to know that this is a safe place that they can go to.”

“The Wakefield Safe Space is a great initiative that Welfare Hire Nationwide is proud to support.  Contributing to the safety of women and girls improves their wellbeing, which is one of our core company values.  It’s a good opportunity to help out our local community, close to our Headquarters,” commented Andy Grayshon, Welfare Hire’s Commercial Director.

The Safe Space is located in one of Welfare Hire’s ECO 7+ welfare units, with plenty of space to sit down and talk over any issues that the vulnerable person is experiencing.  Other facilities within the unit include tea and coffee, blankets, phone chargers and first aid equipment.

Learn more about our Welfare Units and Tower Lights here.

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Eco-friendly Welfare & Lighting Championed at Commonwealth Games

The prestigious 2022 Commonwealth Games have been heralded a huge success – and Welfare Hire has been privileged to support the event with our specialist ECO units.

Our involvement began during Birmingham’s preparations for the event.  The ambitious Sprint project is upgrading roadways to slash bus journey times and introducing zero-emission buses, creating a greener city.  Phase 1 was fast-tracked to be up and running for the Games, with up to 80 workers on site.  Welfare Hire’s units provided the most modern, comfortable facilities for them, while hitting the project’s sustainability targets. 

Our support continued throughout the event, with Welfare Hire’s eco lighting and welfare units proving the natural choice for an event with a stated aim of leaving ‘a carbon neutral legacy’1.  Our products are powered by next-generation hybrid lithium and solar energy, reducing CO2 emissions and minimising fuel consumption, with no compromise on performance.

Welfare Hire units & lighting towers have supported the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Creating safe visitor spaces

With over 1.5 million spectator tickets sold over 11 days of events2 getting people to and from the Games efficiently was paramount for its smooth running.   Welfare Hire’s Hybrid Lithium Lighting Towers created safe, brightly-lit walkways and transport hubs for event visitors, with their super-bright performance.

In addition to event visitors, an army of more than 13,000 volunteer stewards needed to be catered for.  Welfare Hire’s ECOXLi welfare units were supplied to the temporary transport hubs for the marshals working there, providing them with the most comfortable, spacious and high-specification facilities.  These premium units achieved silent, green running with no associated operating costs.

Aaron Muir, organiser of the Park & Ride operations on behalf of Transport for West Midlands noted, “The solar panels have been a real added benefit.  They’ve kept the Lithium batteries topped up which has meant that we haven’t had to use the generators at all, so we’ve used zero fuel as a result.”

Units packed with innovative design

While the ECO welfare units deliver on sustainability and smart green technology, there are many other benefits from the modern, innovative design, including:

  • Large, comfortable canteen area, with plenty of ports for phone-charging
  • Well-laid out office
  • Higher quality and hygiene from the 2+1 water-flush toilets
  • Rainwater harvesting system to top up water tanks
  • Towable, agile units for easy location
  • Remote management of units using smart telemetry
  • Robust, durable build quality

Aaron has also commented on the exceptional service he has received from Welfare Hire, concluding, “The customer service and just the overall impression [from] Welfare Hire has been extremely positive.”

Learn more about our Welfare Units and Tower Lights here.

  1. Commonwealth Games: Paris 2024 Olympics ‘to learn from Birmingham’ on sustainability – BBC Sport
  2. The Guardian view on Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games: a bullish experience | Editorial | The Guardian
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How Kelling Group Supports Three Vital Charities

Causes close to our hearts

Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm is dedicated to helping the city’s most disadvantaged children. They provide opportunities to have fun, learn and take respite from the often extremely difficult circumstances of their everyday lives.

4Louis supports anyone affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a baby or child. They fight for better treatment and resources for bereaved families, as well as providing the tools and equipment necessary to make that treatment happen.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a dedicated helicopter emergency air ambulance for Yorkshire and the Humber. This rapid-response service has saved millions of lives, relying solely on donations from individuals and organisations.

Getting the message out there

Alongside ongoing events and fundraising initiatives supported by our colleagues, partners and friends of the business, we have also created a dedicated Charity Welfare Unit to raise awareness and funds. 

Our Charity Welfare represents the latest in modern ECO mobile welfare facilities and will be used on projects across the UK, reaching a variety of infrastructure and construction sites. The unique and eye-catching design will be exposed to clients, customers, and anyone passing by.

We’ve also found a fun and engaging way to help spread awareness and raise support: by providing scannable QR codes that bring users to a page where they can donate to each charity and find out more about their missions.

The unit incorporates the charities’ logos, and all funds raise through partnering with our partners on the hire of this unit, alongside additional initiatives and donations via the QR codes will go directly to the charities. 

But this is only the beginning. We have numerous plans to further our support for these important causes in the coming months. And we can’t wait to share them with our community

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Kelling Brings Our Innovative Fleet to Highways UK 2021

Kelling Group Access Hire Highway

Kelling has had a stellar run of trade show appearances in recent months, and we’re excited to add yet another prestigious event to the list – Highways UK. 

It is the undisputed highlight on the highway industry’s annual calendar, bringing together countless experts and suppliers for a huge, multi-stream exhibition. This year’s event will be held on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th November, at the NEC Hall in Birmingham.

Both Welfare Hire and Access Hire will be exhibiting

Highways is one the core infrastructure sectors we work with at Kelling, ensuring transient and fast-moving projects have access to the vehicles they need without compromising on quality. So we are bringing both of our key brands to the event.

Kelling Group Welfare Hire Units

Welfare Hire will be exhibiting our range of innovative ECO Tower Lights and ECO Mobile Welfare Units – including the brand new EcoXLi. These products offer a variety of benefits for highway projects, optimising sustainable site setup, improving both worksite comfort and environmental impact. And our Tower Lights enable you to work 24/7 with the brightest and greenest solution in the market.

Kelling Group Access Hire Units

Access Hire will be exhibiting our industry-leading Vehicle Mounted Access Platforms, designed to provide the optimal safety solution for working at heights. For highways projects, reliable service and quality is vital to ensure your project is completed safely, on time and on budget.

We look forward to connecting with key partners in this vital industry and hearing from experts on important topics like sustainability. But most of all, we look forward to demonstrating what our innovative fleet can do for highways projects.

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The Security Event 2021: What Access Hire Is Bringing to the Table

We are thrilled to announce that Access Hire will be attending The Security Event 2021 – the UK’s  biggest and most popular security industry trade show. 

This year’s event will be held Sept 7th-9th at the Birmingham NEC, boasting an incredible lineup of leading brands and industry experts. We are so excited about our offering that we wanted to bring a little taste to you ahead of time.

Access Hire at The Security Event 2021

What are we showcasing?

Working at heights is the single largest cause of workplace fatalities in the UK, and many Put simply, we provide the largest, most modern fleet in the country – and our stand at The Security Event will showcase this in full colour.

Our Van Mounted Access Platforms are absolutely ideal for security professionals who need to install and undertake maintenance on CCTV cameras; you can read about them in more detail here. 

We also offer security professionals unrivalled flexibility, providing both lease and hire options to match their projects’ specific needs. We have put together a guide to budgeting for a vehicle lease to help our partners plan their project more effectively – you can read it here.

 

Kelling Group Access Hire Units

How to find Access Hire at the Security Event

Our team will be presenting on 3a/A25 throughout the entire event, as well as having one of our Van Mounted MEWPs outside the main entrance, so if you are in attendance and want to see our vehicles for yourself, please do not hesitate to drop by.