TO HIRE OR NOT TO HIRE THAT IS THE QUESTION
In order to run a business you will need a number of pieces of equipment from computers and photocopiers and in the case of industrial process work, specialist instrumentation to monitor plant performance, so how do you decided which will be bought outright and which will be leased or hired.
BSRIA Instrument Solutions General Manager Alan Gilbert thinks there are three questions to ask before deciding whether to hire or buy, will the equipment have a high on-going maintenance costs, will it quickly become outdated technology and what is the frequency of use. “If you are a low or infrequent user of instruments, there is a strong case for hiring as opposed to buying, why have capital tied up in equipment that is not working for you, by hiring you can match your cost to your income” says Alan. “for example Ultrasonic meters cost about £6000 to buy yet as little as £175 per week to rent”
In addition to ensuring you are getting the best from your capital there are a several advantages to hiring as opposed to buying, you will access to the very latest piece of equipment which might be too expensive for an outright purchase, by the nature of their business hire companies are achieving a high utilisation rate for the equipment in their fleet so are able to invest in having the top of the range equipment giving the hirer greater confidence in the performance.
There are no maintenance or calibration costs to consider, the hiring company take the risk if the equipment fails. Buying a piece of equipment is not the end of the expenditure incurred, if it breaks or fails there will be repair bills the value of which are out of the control of the owner, but a quick call to the hiring company and another piece of equipment is on its way to you minimising downtime. In the case of instrumentation there is also the annual calibration cost to consider, if you hire a piece of equipment these costs are the responsibility of the hiring company.
One area that is easy to overlook is the support that can be given by a hiring company as Alan says “we listen to our clients and understand their applications then we can advise them on the best piece of instrumentation to meet their needs, and it doesn’t end there if they are struggling to use it effectively we will often visit site to offer support and guidance” If you are a low or infrequent user of instrumentation, “To hire” might be the solution to your needs.
For more information on the hire options available from BSRIA instrumentation contact Alan Gilbert, BSRIA Instrument Solutions General Manager at alan.gilbert@bsria.co.uk
Visit Website: www.bsria.co.uk