Pioneering a Sustainable Future in Equipment Hire

Hilti Australia and Kennards Hire are excited to announce a hire-industry leading Fleet Partner collaboration with a significant focus on equipment innovation, alongside improved sustainability and circularity outcomes in the construction and hire sectors.

In Kennards Hire’s 2024 Construction Confidence Check, 32% construction leaders rank using ‘green equipment’ or eco-friendly tools as one of the five main factors to prioritise in their Environmental, Sustainability and Governance approach. The Hilti and Kennards Hire fleet agreement supports those businesses and trades which are increasingly focused on integrating environmental responsibility into their supply chain as well as catering to the rising demand for sustainable, eco-friendly equipment and processes.

Revolutionising Equipment Lifecycle Management

Under the new collaboration is that returned, end-of-hire lifecycle Hilti equipment will undergo a thorough assessment for parts reuse, tool re-purposing or recycling based on their condition.

Tools which have reached their end-of-life serviceability are evaluated at Hilti’s state-of-the-art repair centre, where they are assessed to have spare parts re-used for repairs, or responsible recycling. Additionally, tools that are assessed to be suitable for use in non-demanding, non-commercial environments are refurbished and donated community organisations, such as training institutions or NGO’s such as Habitat for Humanity Australia.

In Australia, this initiative has led to the reuse of up to 5,300 spare parts annually, saving approximately 2.25 tonnes of electronics, motors, and rotors from being discarded.

Kennards Hire General Manager, Fleet & Procurement, Nathan Venables, said, “We know that our customers are looking for top-quality, reliable hire equipment which also help to address their environmental and sustainability concerns.”

“Our partnership with Hilti is more than just about expanding our fleet; it’s about leading the charge in sustainable practices within the hire industry. Hiring quality, well-serviced equipment for those one-off jobs, short-term reno’s or long-term construction projects goes a long way to reducing a project’s environmental footprint.”

It is estimated that the five-year recycling potential for Hilti tools which have been hired out through Kennards Hire will result in almost 17,500 kgs of material such as steel, aluminium, copper being recycled and over 2,500 spare parts extracted and refurbished.

Unlocking a Sustainable Future

Both family-owned companies are committed to reducing their environmental impact. Within the program, Hilti’s tool range will have a hire life of up to five-years in a Kennards Hire branch. After this, the products are reused, repurposed or recycled rather than being sent to landfill. The innovative circularity reporting introduced by Hilti will enable Kennards Hire to track its sustainability efforts, ensuring accountability and transparency in resource management.

Hilti’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond just tool lifecycle management. Within the Fleet Partner agreement, Kennards Hire customers will have access to new and innovative products which means improved reliability using high-performance, quality tools, optimally designed with leading edge innovation, which will deliver increased efficiencies and outcomes on the job.

Jeremy Campbell, Head of Marketing Hilti Australia said, “Kennards Hire and Hilti are both family-owned businesses with a shared vision to deliver innovative equipment product and service solutions that meet a variety of customer needs and project outcomes.”

"Safety, productivity and sustainability are crucial factors in any DIY or construction project. Hilti’s fleet partnership with Kennards Hire optimally rotates tools out of service at the right time, improving safety and productivity, whilst taking care to sustainably recycle, repurpose or reuse tools which come out of fleet circulation.”

With a hire equipment partnership that extends back to 2004, Kennards Hire customers have access to more than 3,500 Hilti products available across 22 product lines such as the ever popular TE1000 AVR – Concrete Breaker, TE700 AVR Max Breaker Hammer, TE 70-ATC/AVR Rotary Hammer. The new Fleet Partner collab significantly expands the product benefits of Hilti’s high-quality, state-of-the art tools which are designed to enhance operational efficiency while supporting environmentally conscious practices.