A young company with some big ideas, BooBoo Plant Hire is leading the way in zero emissions solutions
The relentless spread of low emission zones, and ever more stringent controls on diesel engine emissions, is forcing the construction plant sector to fundamentally rethink the way it does business.
Of course, where there is difficulty there is always opportunity and those companies with the foresight to offer the industry alternatives will prosper, as Herts-based BooBoo Plant Hire is ably demonstrating.
Owned by experienced demolition engineer, Harry Allen, the company is able to call upon the extensive plant fleet of his existing business, Aitch Demolition as well as its own equipment, and has added some particularly innovative technologies to its portfolio.
“Although we’re a relatively new company, and have only been trading since April 2016, we’ve made big investments and can offer our customers a full range of solutions from mini diggers, and dust suppression equipment, to welfare units,” explains Terry Guilder, the director who helped establish the company.
In fact, in its first full year as a going concern BooBoo turned over just under £1 million, and can now supply a range of plant from 1-50 tonne excavators, including London Compliant and High Reach machines, with a wide selection of attachments to Eco-friendly Welfare units, dust suppression machines and now solar Tower lights.
Demolition is an unforgiving environment for machinery and only the best will survive, which is why both Aitch Demolition and BooBoo Plant focuses its fleet on quality and reliable plant like Hitachi, Komatsu, Bobcat and Caterpillar units, and it is now embracing green solutions where the company really stands out.
Continues Terry: “We have strong links to the London market in both construction and demolition and they obviously have particular requirements when it comes to low emission zones, but it is increasingly the case that contractors across the country, and not just the capital, are being asked to demonstrate their environmental credentials in detail if they are to have any chance of winning work.”
In recent times the diesel engine has been demonised in the popular press which is why construction companies are increasingly seeking out emission-free construction site machinery.
One of BooBoo Plant Hire’s initial investments in low emission products is with the EasyCabin 16’ and 20’ Ecosmart Solar welfare units. The Ecosmart Solar is an advanced site welfare unit featuring hybrid technology that delivers sustainable energy to power the electrics and automatically operates to harvest the sun’s power when available.
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It is fitted with a unique, patent pending, solar box, with ‘on-demand’ power usage combined with a further patent pending ECO water system, which means that hot water is always available without the need start up the generator.
Continues Terry: “We have started to add the solar powered units to our fleet as we believe that with the increasing focus on emissions, particularly in London, these will be in big demand. We are now almost exclusively an EasyCabin supplier, as we find that they are the most reliable, cost efficient and just as importantly, the back-up and support is exceptional.
“We’re confident solar is the way forward and have just started to add solar powered lighting towers to our fleet from Prolectric. With advancements in battery technology and reductions in the price of solar panels they have become a competitive product.”
Not only that but end users have no fuel costs, the risk of contamination from fuel spills at sensitive locations is eliminated and there’s no noise, which is of particular benefit if working in a residential areas. “We did some market research and found that there is now a real appetite for these units, and have moved quickly to service that demand, whilst at the same time matching the price of hybrid and conventional diesel engine driven towers. We are looking at any plant that has those kinds of environmentally sustainable credentials because it is the future and it also differentiates us from much of our competition.”
It’s not just emissions that have been a focus for the industry, of course, because the HSE has devoted significant resources into exposing the damaging effects of dust to site workers and the wider public. The traditional method of a worker with a hose is no longer deemed acceptable, and BooBoo Plant Hire has the answer. The company is now one of the largest suppliers of dust suppression technology.
“We have a full range of suppression equipment from the small 25m 110v portable units, the versatile Motofogs with a range of upto 40m to the mighty Dust Boss DB60, which has an impressive 60 metre throw. When you see these things working they’re awesome, and with the focus on the health and safety implications it’s an area where we’ve seen a significant increase in business. We now have an exclusive deal with Inmalo, the distributor to hire the larger Dust Boss units throughout England, and it’s a class of equipment that is definitely much in demand.”
The innovations or investment will certainly not stop there, however, and BooBoo is constantly looking to differentiate itself from the competition. Demolition is a discipline that requires specially adapted machines with some unique characteristics, and Aitch Demolition already has some bespoke units on its books.
“Because of Harry’s existing contacts in the demolition sector which we have been able to build upon we’ve been able to supply that sector with a lot of machinery. We recently took delivery of a remote-controlled Hitachi excavator fitted with a Remoquip Remote Control System which looks like any conventional 1.9tonne mini digger, and can be operated conventionally, but for work in more potentially hazardous or restricted locations can be operated remotely from a safe distance.
“It’s a remarkable piece of equipment and, unlike other remote-controlled diggers, you don’t need a separate electrical power supply or require an additional ticket to operate it. Just as with our dust suppression units this machine demonstrates our engagement with Health and Safety issues in the industry.
“The focus for our expansion will continue to be on these key areas, green solutions, health & safety and the latest technology. It’s about being the first mover, as we have with the solar tower lights, and establishing those lines of supply.”
