HRN is on its way to becoming a one-stop-shop for equipment needs after taking the strategic decision to heavily increase its focus on construction machinery.
The Stirling-headquartered business has its roots in agricultural equipment. The firm entered the construction market several years ago and has grown through partnerships with major manufacturers Kubota and Hyundai Construction.
The company recently added Mecalac’s full line-up of compact machinery to its portfolio and has purchased a number of HAMM rollers, which will be available for customers to buy.
HRN is also ramping up its used machinery offering, providing high quality, reliable used kit from a wide range of industry-leading brands in a bid to increase choice for customers depending on their budget and requirements.
The firm’s journey into the construction sector started in 2019 when HRN Group company Agritrac was named as the Scottish dealer for Hyundai. The following year, Kubota appointed HRN to represent its construction equipment for the whole of Scotland, in tandem with its agricultural products for depots north of Perth and groundcare solutions north of Dundee.
Construction sales director Ian Burton, formerly of Taylor & Braithwaite, joined HRN around 18 months ago and has been instrumental in further developing and driving growth on the construction side.
He told Project Plant there is a ‘massive opportunity’ to grow this division, due to the partnerships with premium and globally renowned manufacturers. Ian cited Kubota, Mecalac and Hyundai’s debuting of many new products at bauma recently as evidence of the continued innovation of the brands it works with, which in turn has given HRN the confidence to invest.
The addition of Mecalac – with its range of site dumpers, backhoe loaders, specialist excavators and groundbreaking Revotruck product (featuring a revolving cab) – fills some important gaps in the portfolio.
“We see Mecalac as the next step in strengthening our importance and presence in the industry,” Ian explained. “Mecalac has got a comprehensive range. The Revotruck product was the one that we thought could be a game-changer. The difference with this product is that you sit in the seat and the whole cab turns. The turning circle is less than 9m, whereas the standard is 16m. We looked at that and thought this isn’t just another site dumper. I believe the market will go to there. It’s up to us to develop the market now.”
HRN has also purchased HAMM rollers and will market and sell them direct to end users. The move is seen as another part of the puzzle, enabling HRN to offer customers a full package of machines from large and small excavators, through to telehandlers, wheel loaders, tracked and wheeled dumpers, and now compaction equipment. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for customers to source what they need, with one point of compact and potentially just one invoice.
When it comes to working with brands, Ian highlighted the importance of long-term partnerships.
“There are three of us in a business relationship,” he added. “The manufacturer needs us; we need customers. We all need each other, so I try to create an ethos of ‘we’re all in this together’. That’s how I see it. We can’t do anything without the manufacturer. And the customer can’t do anything without the dealer. Therefore, our aim is to make the process simple and efficient for all.
“It’s all about choice, great service, and support. We’re in this for the long-term. We want to be here for our customers next year and the year after. That means we also need confidence that our manufacturers will have the machinery, parts and backup to match.”
HRN has been going through a period of change over the past year. The business has reduced the number of depots across the country from seven to four to enhance efficiency, introduced new service processes, and made some personnel changes including the recent promotion of Darren Gilmour to MD just 12 months after joining the firm.
The company has enjoyed a successful start to 2025, with turnover up 30% in the first quarter of the year and achieving a near doubling of its target for Kubota sales.
“We were the best performing dealer in the UK and Ireland for the quarter,” Ian added. “We changed a lot last year, with the aim of being more flexible and putting our customers’ needs first. In the construction industry, these guys need something now. You’ve got to be able to react to that. It’s totally different to the agricultural side where you can plan. In construction, you don’t know when the jobs are going to start.
“We’ve changed our mindset. We’ve got a construction-based approach. We’ve listened to customers and with our experience and expertise, we have developed a business model that we are confident will deliver for our customers.”
In terms of equipment trends, Ian cited growing demand for machinery with increasingly high spec, such as advanced safety systems.
Next on the agenda is the launch of an online parts ordering system, which should go live later this summer. In keeping with the aim of being flexible and making life easier for customers, the resource will enable users to interact with HRN at a time when it’s convenient for them by logging on and placing orders.
Looking to the future, a growth mindset is expected to permeate though all aspects of the business, but Ian stressed that HRN will not risk spreading itself too thin by taking on too many dealerships.
“We’ve taken a step back to reassess the business, focusing on what the market demands and what’s realistically achievable. We’ve streamlined our operations and aligned our structure and investment to support sustainable growth. As a business we’re all looking to progress and that includes identifying key partnerships with leading manufacturers who are a good fit with HRN in terms of choice and support, allowing us to strengthen the customer proposition and make sure they have the quality products for their projects.”
