Choosing the right partners

Streamlining business, productivity, innovation; with Hilti these really aren’t just buzz words.

Article by Darryl Davenport

Regional Manager, Steel and Metal Trade

Hilti (Gt. Britain) Limited

In the construction industry, streamlining is key to progressing with the times and key to being as effective and as efficient as possible. At Hilti, we are passionate about taking the initiative on this and we are able to help our business partners to achieve maximum efficiency through our Fleet Management relationships. We have such a relationship with SMD and, after working closely together in recent years, it’s great to see how the benefits of Hilti Fleet Management are really paying-off.

In our current working climate, as the rise in the Subscription Economy continues, it’s unlikely that you will not come across the term ‘Fleet Management’ in connection with any large construction company. It’s a service that appears to be a given in most maturing companies, with the terms ‘productivity’ and ‘latest innovation’ not far behind. But what can these buzz words really contribute to the day-to-day running of a business?

As an active user of Hilti’s tool Fleet Management service, SMD benefits from certain features that are imperative to keeping the work flowing, but are not commonplace within all Fleet Management services. With all tool repairs being taken care of in just three days (from pick-up to drop-off back to site) and a next-day delivery on loan tools, downtime is minimised and site productivity is maintained. This service is essential to ensure smooth operation on all SMD’s projects.

According to a recent global construction survey, only 25% of construction executives have confidence in the industry’s ability to deliver projects on time and on budget. We believe that our Fleet Management service really comes into its own when our customers need to avoid or reduce delays. We are able to put together a customised mix of tools and equipment, whenever it’s required, fully backed-up with an all-inclusive package. SMD knows this service is vital in providing the efficiency their own clients require.

Innovation plays a key role in the company missions of both Hilti and SMD. Both companies align this with brand values, so together we understand the importance of safety, reliability and quality. These missions and values allow collaboration and productivity to flourish in an industry where the so-called ‘productivity problem’ is a regular topic of debate.

As a perfect example of our ongoing collaboration, we used SMD’s extensive industry knowledge to support the research for and development of the new Hilti GX 3 gas-actuated fastening tool. SMD site operatives tested a tool prototype for more than six months and their input as experienced steel decking fixers contributed to the tool development and assisted with gaining approvals for our fixings range. Richard, Operations Manager at SMD said:

“Having this opportunity to provide qualitative feedback on a tool before it is launched was invaluable for us as a business. It gives us further trust that the final tool will provide the highest standard of quality and safety for our site teams”

He continued, “Also, making sure we are using quality cutting-edge tools and consumables is key for our business. With quality and safety being key values for our business, using Hilti tools and consumables is the right choice for us.”

 

With our aligned focus on innovation, quality and productivity it’s clear to see why our partnership has worked so well for so many years. Along with our Fleet Management partnership and the use of innovative tools and fixings, we think SMD have got it nailed.

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