b'CHAPTER 05A HOUSEHOLD NAMETHE 1980S WAS ANOTHER PROSPEROUS delivery services. It also started opening seven days a PERIOD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,week, with only four days of closure per year for each WHICH IN TURN ALLOWED THE HIRE INDUSTRY branch. When selecting new locations, Kennards Hire TO THRIVE LIKE NEVER BEFORE. Kennards Hireensured that the branches were located prominently on remained laser-focused on the small-to-mediummain roads with good visibility and signage, even if it sized trades that wanted scaffolds, tarps, electriccost a bit more at the outset. jackhammers, demolition saws, water blasters, hoists, utes and cherry pickers. Additionally, home DIY-ersNev and Andy also took a long, hard look at some of were keen to hire wallpaper steamers, floor sanders,their practices. Some of Wallys frugal habits had rubbed chainsaws, drain cleaners, box trailers and ladders.off on them, leading to cost-cutting in areas where it The new building and construction boom meant thatwas doing more harm than good. Theyd allowed some portable buildings were in demand, and scaffolding,equipment to remain on the shop floor longer than it scissor lifts and elevating work platforms became hotshould, leading to a deterioration in reliability to the hire options. point that customers complained. The brothers realised that for the business to thrive, the customer needed For Kennards Hire it was a decade where the businessto be king and Kennards Hire had to understand and maintained a slow but steady growth, opening up eightserve their needs. Nev and Andy made the decision to more branches in Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane. only purchase top-quality equipment from suppliers who provided fast, ongoing support. When equipment The big guns of the hire industry had not changedbecame tired, they would sell it before it failed, rather much, with Coates the major competitor when it camethan risk their reputation. The employee manual was to swallowing up smaller players. Coates had beenupdated to include an inverted triangle, leaving no around since 1885, and listed on the ASX since 1955,doubt that the customer came first.while Kennards Hire remained steadfastly privately owned. Most of Kennards Hires major business decisionsThey made the decision that rather than striving to be Opposite Andy (left)were still made during casual conversations betweenthe biggest, Kennards Hire would aim to be the best and Neville Kennardthe two brothers. Branch and area managers werehire company in Australia. With this goal in mind, part at the Easi-Stordrawn from the pool of keen young men who had risenof Andy and Nevs mission was to provide outstanding office, c. 1980. through the ranks from wash bay or sales rep positions. customer service, no matter what. In December 1989, Andy, Prue and their family were taking a well-deserved Kennards Hire continued to innovate with variousChristmas break at their beach house in Palm Beach systems and devices aimed at improving safety, as when news started to spread of a severe earthquake in well as yard cranes, truck cranes, computers and fast Newcastle, the likes of which had never been seen before.For Kennards Hire it was a decade where the business maintained a slow but steady growth, opening up eight more branches in Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane.'