Publication in the magazine “Kapstroitelstvo” No. 7-8 2016
Next year, in terms of macroeconomics, Ukraine is expected to enter the growth zone. A revival of both residential and non-residential and infrastructural construction is forecasted. And, as you know, an increase in the volume of housing being built, construction and reconstruction of the road transport network requires the involvement of a large amount of equipment. And here you cannot do without the services of rental companies. What offers are currently on the domestic rental market? How to choose the right rental company? These and many other questions were answered by the CEO of FORTRENT, Alexander Soloviev.
– Alexander, how do you assess the current situation on the domestic rental market for construction machinery and equipment?
– Activity in the construction market and changes in the dynamics of the rental of road and construction equipment are interrelated things. With the advent of new roads and housing, the development of construction, there is an increase in demand for equipment. Unfortunately, in 2014-2015, the construction market stagnated, and only at the end of 2015 the situation began to improve and positive forecasts for 2016 appeared. Today there is a gradual recovery of the country’s economy and the revival of the construction industry. As a result, the demand for the rental of machinery and equipment increased and we, in fact, reached the indicators of 2013.
– What equipment is most popular with tenants now? What is the reason for this?
– Any construction machinery and equipment is tied to seasonality. If at the beginning of the year heaters and generators are usually popular, due to a lack of capacity, then closer to the warm season, the popularity of loading and unloading and earthmoving equipment increases. In the second half of 2016, road construction began to develop especially actively. Thanks to the attraction of additional funds from international organizations and revenues from the state budget, the construction of roads began in Ukraine. And although this is not the scale that will solve the problem of “bad” roads in the country, but it is a good incentive to revive the market, which in turn increased the demand on the rental market for machinery and equipment for road construction.
– For what terms and under what conditions is equipment rented most often?
– Domestic construction companies are used to taking equipment from operators. Firstly, people want to receive a comprehensive service, and secondly, this is a peculiar feature of the Ukrainian market. Foreign companies, as a rule, prefer to rent equipment without an operator, the so-called “cold” lease. In order to meet the needs of all market players, our company offers both “cold” and “hot” rentals, i.e. provision of equipment together with operator and fuel. This guarantees the quality and efficiency of work. In addition to rental equipment, FORTRENT can provide its customers with a backup, which is used only when the main one stops working. This helps customers avoid the problems associated with unexpected equipment breakdowns. Back-up equipment is provided at a discount.
Regarding the rental price, it all depends on the timing. The longer the term, the lower the price. Most of our clients use long-term rentals as they are economically viable and justified. One of the features of our business is openness. Not many rental companies on the Ukrainian market today can say that on their website you can get acquainted with the current prices for their services. Our price list is open information that corresponds to reality.
– What are the typical mistakes of companies that rent equipment?
– The most common mistake is an ill-considered supplier choice. When choosing a rental company, many clients look at the cost of services without analyzing its capabilities: service (24/7), availability of a regional network, assortment and number of units of equipment in one position, etc. The consequence of this approach can be downtime, unforeseen expenses, missed deadlines, which is fraught with a drop in reputation and penalties. FORTRENT is the market leader in the rental of machinery and equipment for any stage of construction. We have an extensive fleet of machinery and equipment – more
10,000 units; transparent rental concept; developed regional network; customer service on a 24/7 basis; a wide range of additional services, etc.
– One of the company’s activities is the rental of modular structures. Why is she attractive to you? What can FORTRENT offer to its customers?
– Today, when the construction industry, as well as the development and expansion of small businesses are progressing at a rapid pace, modular structures, including premises, are becoming very popular and in demand in a wide variety of areas of business and industry. Their scope
very diverse, since modular rooms are multifunctional and practical, and these structures do not have a specific purpose. Among the features of modular premises, it is worth highlighting:
• Structural strength due to the metal frame;
• Efficiency of assembly (like a designer);
• No stationary foundation is needed;
• No sophisticated technical knowledge and skills required;
• Possibility of building transportation without complete dismantling;
• Possibility of redevelopment of the building due to internal partitions;
• Arbitrary change in number of storeys;
• Various internal and external design;
• Safety;
• Economical operation.
Block modules can be bought or rented. But renting modular buildings today is the most optimal and simple solution for expanding work or living space for a limited period of time. For example, the need to rent modular premises can
arise when there is a need to organize a temporary spatial solution, in the process of creating a temporary project office of the company or for the period of construction of a new capital building or infrastructure facility. Renting modular buildings from FORTRENT allows you to quickly expand existing and create temporary premises in accordance with the rapidly changing business needs. Also, the rental of modules is in demand for their use as temporary living quarters, which can be created by special order, equipped with furniture, equipped with heating and air conditioning systems, electricity and telecommunications. In general, the rental of modular premises is both a simple and practical solution for organizing premises for various tasks in accordance with the individual needs of each client, taking into account the accepted standards and the usual level of comfort. FORTRENT has extensive experience in modular building projects implementation and always approaches each client individually, listens to the customer’s wishes as much as possible and offers the most optimal conditions for cooperation.
– What is the most ambitious project for the introduction of modular structures in Ukraine has your company carried out recently?
– The most ambitious FORTRENT project today can be called the arrangement of a working camp during the construction of a plant for processing seeds in the village. Pochuyki of the Zhytomyr region. This project provided for the provision of temporary living conditions for more than 500 workers involved in the construction and launch of the plant. The town is already ready, it is being operated and serves as an example of creating decent living and working conditions in a short time, while observing all standards. FORTRENT is the only company in Ukraine that rents high-quality modular structures.
