Introduction

Jay Sheppard is a Kennards Hire Power & Distribution Manager based at the Newcastle branch, delivering power solutions for mining, major infrastructure and renewable energy projects across the region. Jay combines extensive equipment knowledge with a passionate focus on solving customer challenges.

Career Journey

Jay started at the Kennards Hire Hornsby branch as a service person driver. Within six months, he progressed to Assistant Manager through a fast-track development program.

From there, he worked at branches across Sydney including Mona Vale, Brookvale, Waverley and Gosford before taking on the Power & Distribution Manager role in Newcastle.

Areas of Expertise

Jay's career has given him extensive knowledge of the Kennards Hire equipment range and vast experience working with customers across a wide range of industries in the region. He now specialises in:

• Critical power supply for mining, infrastructure and tier one projects
• Renewable and hybrid power systems, including battery energy storage
• Power distribution, including cabling, distribution boards and power splits

Standout Projects

One standout project has been supporting the demolition of Liddell Power Station and its ongoing redevelopment into the Hunter Region Energy Hub. Jay's team has supplied power through a large battery system paired with a generator to run the large cranes and other demolition machinery with reduced emissions. The batteries supply power on demand with an advanced generator cycling process that has expanded what is possible with battery power on construction sites.

Another career highlight came during COVID, when Jay was managing the Gosford branch and started a major project for a large regional supermarket distribution centre. What started as a simple generator hire grew to a broad range of equipment covering exclusion zones, screening stations, marquees, partitions, outdoor offices and wash stations to keep grocery products moving safely in and out.

Customer Impact through Advancing Technology

Jay's current focus is the renewable equipment coming into the business.

What appeals to him is that battery systems can replace or dramatically reduce diesel use, cutting fuel costs, maintenance and refuelling logistics. Jay says, “A generator might need refuelling daily or weekly, while a battery setup can stretch that out to a month or more. The green energy advantages are important for customers and the cost savings make the case even stronger.”

What Sets Kennards Hire Apart

For Jay, it’s all about delivering the right solution and earning the trust that Kennards Hire builds with every customer interaction. He says, “Service has been our priority in every branch I have worked in, and that culture runs through the whole business.”

What Jay enjoys most is building strong relationships with customers, understanding what they’re trying to achieve, and delivering solutions tailored to their objectives and site requirements.

The Person Behind the Pro

Jay’s team support each other to build the solutions for their customers’ projects in the region, and he is constantly connecting with Power & Distribution branches around the country to share knowledge and experiences about the changing technology. As Jay puts it, “We're mates as much as colleagues, and that makes it easier to consistently come up with the best solutions.”

Away from the branch, Jay's world is his wife and three children, and he relishes the time with his family. He also hits the gym several times a week, and is a keen landscape photographer, drawn to sunrises and sunsets along the serene Newcastle and Central Coast beaches and headlands. His favourite shots earn a spot on the walls at home.

Advice for People Starting Out in the Hire Industry

Jay's advice to new colleagues is to focus on relationships, personal reliability and problem solving. He believes Kennards Hire’s extensive equipment range is only part of the solution. The real value comes from understanding each customer’s needs and tailoring the right combination of equipment, expertise and support to help their project succeed.

Jay is inspired by Albert Einstein’s quote, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” For him, it reflects the opportunity to be the person customers turn to when they need a complex problem solved.