The Access Link give Alan Hemmings a proper send-off

The Access Link, the UK grouping of independently owned regional rental companies, held its Autumn meeting this week as guests of Niftylift in Milton Keynes.

The meeting was fully attended as members used the occasion to give Allan Hemmings, the retiring managing director of Hird, a proper ‘send-off’.

Hemmings is retiring after having stayed on for an extra two years from his planned retirement date. He is a keen pilot and had confessed to one member that he has had two crash landings in his flying career. This information was used to give him an unusual tribute and presentation.

He was caught by surprise when on entering the meeting room he found all 28 Link member delegates and the hosts, sat around the table in Pilot’s helmets and white scarves.

He was then presented with an Irish Lead Crystal Cut glass engraved tankard. Hird won the Link member satisfaction survey earlier this year. Philip Hird takes over his role as managing director.

The members say that the meeting was very upbeat and kicked off with a presentation by Malcolm North of Niftylift and a demonstration of the company’s SiOPs safety system on an HR17 4×4 Hybrid boom lift.

Among the decisions taken in the meeting that followed, the Link decided that AJ Rentals should continue as members following its recent acquisition by AFI. AFI’s decision to keep AJ Rentals as a stand-alone brand helped the members to arrive at this decision. It was also decided that the Northern home counties area, vacated by Elavation’s departure earlier this year, will be covered by the existing members in the region.

Guest speakers at the meeting included Graham Hughes of TVH (Parts) and Tony Humberstone of Reach Local (Website optimisation). The Link also pledged its support for the IPAF Rental + scheme, a membership requirement, and the new members reported good progress towards gaining the accreditation.