THE new owners of Cambuslang-headquartered AB2000 have kick-started their plans to return the plant hire business to its roots.
Long-serving employees Stuart Gardner and Mark Kirkwood completed a management buyout in July, when Quattro Group sold its Scottish-based subsidiary AB2K to the duo in a move that formed part of a sector-led separation and allowed both businesses to specialise in their respective core industries.
One of Stuart and Mark’s first moves was to restore the original AB2000 name and logo, in an attempt to capitalise on the familiarity and brand reputation. They have also made a start on a fleet investment programme, with the ultimate aim of restoring the company as a one-stop-shop for most construction equipment needs.
It’s been a whirlwind 12 months for the pair, ever since the idea of a management buyout was first mooted once it became clear that a sale of AB2K was likely on the cards.
Stuart has been with the business for over 20 years (his first day with the company was the day the Cambuslang depot opened), while Mark has chalked up almost a decade of service. Both have worked their way up through the ranks and, prior to the sale, held the roles of operations manager and plant manager, respectively.
“We’d always said to John Murphy (MD of Quattro Group) that if you’re going to sell, give us first refusal,” Mark explained. “We love this place and didn’t want to see it going to somebody else. We were lucky enough that John was good with us and wanted us to buy it.”
Stuart and Mark assembled a small team to get everything in place, from the legal matters to securing the finance.
The duo revealed they effectively had to put their lives on hold for a year. Lots of late and stressful nights were endured, while Stuart had to miss a week of his family holiday earlier this year amid delays to the finalisation of the deal.
“We eventually got there in July, and the paperwork was signed, sealed, and delivered,” Stuart said. “We took over the reins from there. It’s been a heck of a journey.”
The immediate plans have been to steady the ship and get the finances working the way they want. Longer term, the growth strategy involves expanding the hire fleet and increasing staff headcount.
“We’ve got a steady workforce that’s came along with us,” Stuart added. “We just want to be steady, and as time progresses, increase the ledger book, increase the amount of plant we’ve got, and increase the number of drivers. First and foremost, it’s about steadying the ship and taking it from there. We’ve not put a timescale on it. We’ll know when the time is right.”
Regarding reinstating the AB2000 name, Mark and Stuart described the move as a ‘no-brainer’ given that the vast majority of Scottish customers already know the company by that title. The brand is widely recognised within the Scottish construction industry and carries with it a strong reputation for reliability and quality service.
In terms of staff, morale is said to have improved thanks to the stability the management buyout has delivered.
“People knew that things were happening in the background,” Stuart explained. “Different faces were coming in. Now that it’s known that two guys who have worked in the company for a long time have bought it, the employees know that we’re invested in this place. Everybody’s got their tail up.”
Mark added to that the fact that employees can approach either him or Stuart directly if they need a quick decision on something, or if they simply want to voice their opinion about a particular aspect of the business.
That spirit of openness and collaboration extends to other matters too. Operators, fitters, and mechanics are involved in decisions over fleet renewals and there is an overarching ethos of ensuring everyone feels part of the team.
The personal touch is also tipped to benefit customers, who can pick up the phone to Stuart or Mark and get an instant decision.
“A lot of our old customers have been on the phone saying they’ll support us where they can,” Mark stated. “Our Scottish customers have seen the change; they’ve backed us. Customers like that they can come straight to us, and we will try to give them what they need.”
The AB2000 fleet currently comprises tracked excavators from three to 40 tonnes, wheeled excavators from 10 to 18 tonnes, and a variety of dumpers, rollers, road brushes, attachments, and even a vacuum excavator. There is a wide variety of brands available including JCB, SANY, Kobelco, Caterpillar, Wacker Neuson, and Develon.
Stuart revealed that a lot of larger assets the company owned such as dump trucks and dozers have been sold off in recent years. The plan is to gradually build the fleet back up again to what it once was.
Fleet investment decisions will largely be driven by customer demand – and that includes more sustainable options. While the business is not seeing much call at present for electric construction equipment, the firm is doing its own bit for the environment, including adding electric vehicles to its transport fleet.
Staff development is another area of focus – with Stuart and Mark’s own journeys providing evidence of the opportunities that exist to climb the career ladder.
“I came here as a fitter and was in a van, driving about fixing machines,” Mark said. “We’ve seen every aspect of the business and what is needed in it. We know where we want to be and we know what our customers need. We’re a company that likes to look after people.”
“We’d love to be able to get more younger people in the door and get them trained up,” Stuart added. “The construction industry needs to be able to tap into the right streams, because there are school leavers out there who don’t really look at plant hire. There are the usual trades that are well spoken about, but plant (careers) are not really addressed at school.
“I’m in the SPOA and they’ll go to school fairs with a simulator. If we can tap into local schools… we could spark an interest in people to think there’s a potential career there for me.”
