Active Hire’s Brian A Telfer passes
Long-time hire industry and HRIA member, Brian Telfer died early in September and is well remembered by his business partners, industry friends and family.
Brian was General Manager of Active Hire in Queensland until four years ago when he retired but his legacy lives on, business partner and friend Allan Rutherford said.
“Brian was a basic sort of bloke, honest and straight forward and he was the best hire technician the industry has seen,” Allan said.
Brian grew up working in his father and family’s service station and mechanical repairs shop; and eventually became a fitter and turner.
“He just really understood machinery,” Allan said.
Brian worked for Kennards Hire in Queensland in one of their earliest store fronts in Queensland. He stayed there for a couple of years before taking up an opportunity with Budget Rent A Car in Sydney.
Business partner Allan met Brian in Sydney when Allan was running his own hire company and was in partnership with his good friend John Brookfield who ran a sales and equipment import business also in Sydney.
“John and I started in hire in Sydney in 1973. In March 1981 bought a business in Queensland called Scott’s Hire in Rocklea and we needed someone who knew the Queensland market and understood hire. So we brought Brian into the business as our General Manager and partner.
“Brian was the ultimate hire technician. He was always interested in machinery. He started his hire career at the back of the business, working in the wash bays and yard and check-in area. There is no substitute for that kind of industry knowledge,” Allan said.
“It is a defining characteristic for the hire industry; learning from the back door up.”
After buying the Queensland hire business, they relocated around the corner onto Ipswich Rd, and to reduce confusion with another business down the road, changed the business name to Active Hire.
“Brian started in hire back when it was a fledgling industry and back when there was real sharing of information and industry knowledge that was universal.
Brian Telfer won an award for services to the industry in 1968
“He carried his passion for hire through to become President of the Queensland Association for some years.
“Brian and I travelled extensively overseas, particularly to Europe to look for equipment and see what was new in the market and gathering ideas. And those trips brought good times.
“He was a real hire man and the business was built on that.”
There was no funeral as per Brian’s wishes. Thanks for your service Brian.
