In this issue of Building & Construction Review, we are delighted to select Direct Hoist as the recipient of our New Year Spotlight Award.
The end of the year is when companies traditionally take stock of the last twelve months and leading specialist in construction hoist hire and sales, Direct Hoist is no exception.
The Midlands-based firm Direct Hoist is at the forefront of construction hoist technology, bringing innovative Italian Electroelsa machinery to the British market and are dedicated to boosting health and safety standards on construction sites.
Established in 2014 by Managing Director, Rob Wilson, the company started as a passion project in Rob’s garage. Today, Direct Hoist has four locations and a recent, additional 30m unit premises to accommodate the new in-house training centre for bespoke training and the NVQ Level 2 in Hoist Installation.
Specialising in GEDA and Electroelsa hoists, which have lifting capacities from 200kg to 5,000kg, the new classroom facility is used to teach candidates the theory and practical elements of assembly and disassembly of various lifts that include the use of the GEDA and Electroelsa units.
The training courses cover up-to-date industry working practices, legal requirements and working equipment knowledge. The on-site facility includes a 10m training tower, with capacity for transporting a two-tonne platform hoist to full height, with expert tutors offering hands-on optimal safety training. The more experienced industry students are offered a two-day specialist training course in theory and practical assembly and disassembly of various lifts, with a further week-long course available for deeper understanding of erecting and dismantling hoists. Students are examined by an external assessor at the end of the course and will receive an industrially-recognised certificate, if successful.
Back in May 2022, Direct Hoist became the UK distributor of Electroelsa: an Italian manufacturer of expert mast-climbing work platforms (MCWPs), transport platforms, material hoists and construction hoists. This summer Direct Hoist and Electroelsa jointly exhibited at Vertikal Days: a leading two-day event showcasing equipment for lifting and working at height. The exhibitors showcased a wide selection of Electroelsa equipment including a PM-M56, PM-M23 and PM-M10 transport platforms, the P46 mast climber, and demonstrated Electroelsa’s new safety feature, missing bolts presence – which detects missing mast bolts during assembly.
Direct Hoist’s successful expansion is proof of a thoroughly industrious, hardworking team, who take pride in providing exceptional service. As a committed Living Wage Employer, Direct Hoist prioritises staff morale and holistic wellbeing.
Staff are put through NVQ courses, rigorous health & safety training, and further manufacturer courses, in addition to the Mental Health First Aider course, cementing its commitment to the Workplace Mental Health Charter.
2024: Riding the storm
We caught up with Rob Wilson to review the successes and lessons learnt over 2024 and to look forward to 2025, “It has been a challenging year for us. We were quiet for a fair few months running up to the general election as businesses anticipated a changeover in political parties.
The budget release this year had an effect on our business too. As prices for fuel and equipment rise, we in turn must increase our prices which can, and have, affected us. Towards the back end of the year, we have managed to flip this on its head, and we are finishing 2024 on a busy high.”
“We recently switched to a 100% green electrical energy supply, which has gone hand in hand with running out fleet of vehicles on HVO fuel for the past couple of years. As the official UK distributors, we have further embraced Italian manufacturers, Electroelsa, and are using their brilliant and reliable hoists within our rental fleet on more sites across the UK.”
“We’ve been in this industry for more than 30 years, working face-to-face with valued clients. This means we intuitively know exactly what each customer needs for every project – how to make life easier, saving time and construction costs. In turn, they can trust our experience and advice to be the absolute best.”
Electroelsa: Next-level Italian equipment
Electroelsa is a market leader in safety, and benefits from high-tech computer control, including SIM technology with data-logging. It features a self-diagnostic function to remotely relate to any Electroelsa machine problems, wherever it is in the world.
Direct Hoist supplies Electroelsa equipment, including new models, such as the PM-M56 transport platform with a 5,000kg lifting capacity, up to 250-metre working height and six different platform sizes and many configurations. The P46 mast climber has a working platform of up to 34 metres and up to 220 metre working height. The PM-M23 has 2,300kg capacity and five interchangeable cages, and up to 220 metre working height. The PM-M10, has four cage options, 1,000kg capacity, working height up to 220 metres working height depending on the mast type selected.
Electroelsa’s new safety feature is a missing bolts presence – which detects missing mast bolts during assembly.
Over this year, Electroelsa in conjunction with Direct Hoists’ expertise in the UK safety regulations, has implemented a wide range of technological innovations, which Direct Hoist is excited to provide to the British construction industry in its ever-growing Electroelsa hire fleet.
Direct Hoist has worked in conjunction with Electroelsa to specifically adapt the range to suit the UK rental market while meeting the latest Transport Platform regulations.
The signature vivid yellow Electroelsa hire fleet can be found on many construction sites across the UK and has become the ‘company of choice’ for many in the industry.
2025: positive projections
“We look forward to welcoming 2025 in the first quarter and we anticipate a more positive start compared to 2024; we are already getting enquires for hoist hire and sales for 2025, and we are delighted to work alongside some great companies.”
“We hope to grow our customer base further. We have some fantastic returning and loyal customers who have been with us since the beginning of Direct Hoist in 2014, and we are looking to increase that as 2025 comes in. We will also be focussing on recovering from the quiet spell we had in 2024, which affected not only us but a lot of construction and allied industries too. On top of this, we have plans to further our training availability to give thorough training for hoist installers,” added Rob.
For more information, please contact the team today:
T 01724 781647
info@directhoist.co.uk
www.directhoist.co.uk