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22

HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS • APRIL/MAY 2015

INDUSTRY in FOCUS

Q: How did you get into hire?

A: Donna: My family migrated to Australia

from Papua New Guinea in 1978 and

purchased a small machinery hire business

in Cairns called Paramount Hire.

Q: What is NQ Exhibitions doing now

that it wasn’t doing 10 years ago?

A: Donna: NQ Exhibitions is very much a

dedicated exhibition supply company. It

now has new owners, my daughter Beth

and her partner Patrick Williams acquired

the business off my husband Peter and I in

July of 2014. Beth is the third generation

in our family to own and work in our

exhibition hire business. The business

now has a broader focus and works on

projects such as the G20 Finance Ministers

Meeting, held in Cairns in September

2014 as well as international, national and

regional conferences. Beth and Patrick

bring an enthusiasm to hire Peter and

I applaud. They see opportunity and

embrace the challenges and possibilities.

Q: Where is the company focusing its

energies for the future?

A: Beth: As a team we are working very

hard to reduce the business’ overall carbon

emissions. Living and working in this very

ecologically special area of Australia we

too are the keepers and ensurers for future

generations. This covers the creation

and building of an exhibition, through to

being responsible for educating exhibitors

about carbon friendly products and freight

carbon emission responsibilities. Our

interest was sparked when we began to

calculate the volumes of waste produced

by an exhibition. It was considerable

enough for our team to sit up and take

notice. We believe as an industry we

should take responsibility for the outcomes

of our work. We discovered over 80% of

material being disposed of post exhibition,

could indeed be recycled and re-used if

not by ourselves then by others.

Q: What is happening in event hire?

A: Beth:With the advent of low priced

imported goods from China the hire

industry is certainly feeling the consumer

pinch for lower prices. The desire and

focus on service appears to have been

PERSON

of

INTEREST

– Donna Anderson

Donna Anderson, Project Manager, NQ Exhibitions, based in Cairns, gives us an insight

into the events market today. As Donna points out she is “very much on the retiring end of

the industry while Beth and Pat (her daughter and son-in-law) are on the new and growing

end.” Donna is also an Event Judge for the Hire Industry Excellence Awards.

superseded at times by

the consumer’s requests

for cheaper solutions. This

is being compounded by

inter-industry competition

and a tighter hire market.

In spite of this pricing

shift, hire companies are

expected to be at the

forefront of innovation in

their field/s. What was

once about form and

function is now about

impact and influence. Hire

products are expected

to assist clients with the

outcomes of their project or event, making

the consumer see the client as valid and

holding gravitas. Essentially hire has

shifted in purpose from a product or series

of products available for hire to assist the

client and their end consumer, to assisting

the hirer to influence and impact their

consumer and the consumer's choice. We

are now facilitators and creators whose

purpose is to drive product performance.

Q: How is the events market faring

economically and strategically?

A: Beth: Strategically I think Australia’s

hire, event & exhibition industry has

positioned itself well in the international

market. Domestically I think we still have

work to do on encouraging the growth of

the regional business events sector. Pricing

strategies will be a hot topic for most

companies. The question on everyone

lips is ‘How can we cut the price any

lower without compromising on service?’

This is followed by: ‘At what point do we

say NO, in order to protect our brand?’

As labour intensive businesses feel the

squeeze across Australia I would like to

see more inter-industry communication

in the deciding of strategy and direction

of our industry, thus reducing everyone’s

economic vulnerability. Economically,

there is far more competition in the

Australasian hire market today then there

was even 10 years ago. Hire is seen as a

‘can do’ career and more people are joining

the industry. Associations such as the

HRIA are important in providing the glue

in which the new members can learn from

the old and vice versa.

Q: How important is

profitability? What

factors should the

industry be monitoring?

A: Beth: Profitability is

essential as it is the purpose

of business. Hard work

and dedication no longer

ensure your business will be

profitable. A high degree of

strategy and innovation is

required to ensure success. A

profitable business currently

appears to be a business

that has mastered economy of their labour

and has good cohesion between the

varying departments of their business.

The industry should always be monitoring

government legislation and its effect on

hire businesses, employees and clients,

paired with unwavering attention on

international trends and developments.

Q: What’s been the biggest

innovation in the industry?

A: Donna: In the event supply industry it

was the arrival of ‘The Structure’. Whatever

the brand, the day these arrived was the

day the industry ‘grew up’ in Australia.

Beth: The advent and utilisation of

technology in all aspects of our businesses.

The use of technology in the hire industry

has been the single biggest driving force

for the development of logistics and sales

management on a daily basis. From stock

control to 3D CAD drawings, technology

has helped bring hire into the next

generation, and it will continue to drive us

further into the future.

Q: And into the hire industry future?

A: Beth: As the next generation comes

through I would like to see greater

co-operation between companies with

the support of the HRIA. Idea sharing,

mentoring, strategy panels, apprenticeship

and educational programs. We have a lot

to offer each other and should not be afraid

to work together. A cohesive industry is a

strong industry.

Contact: 07 4041 2703 or visit:

www.nqexhibitions.com.au

Donna Anderson