16.11.2016

Active Access looks at its options

Scottish rental company Active Access is investigating possible changes to its business mix and not ruling out a sale.

The review has been triggered by a health scare experienced by owner and managing director Andrew McCusker, which involved a stay in hospital hooked up to a heart monitor. The trauma caused to his family prompted him to consider the future structure of the business, which offers a range of services including short and long term platform rental, new and used equipment sales, service, repairs, painting, and training.

McCusker, 39, has also considered selling the business, which is currently doing well with high rental utilisation, improving rates and a solid backlog for its two man training operation. He says that he has not closed the door on a sale, but does not want to get into a long protracted period of uncertainty for the staff and suppliers that such a move can involve. He is therefore looking at a gradual pull-out from the short term rental business, while continuing with the simpler businesses of long-term rental, service contracts, repairs, training and sales.
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Andrew McCusker

Employees have already been informed of the review, which seems to have sparked off the local rumour mill, with competitors adding two and two together to get six. McCusker has confirmed that the business is in good shape and performing well, but adds that he came into the business somewhat reluctantly 13 years ago, and while he has put his heart and soul into it - including serving wholeheartedly on numerous industry associations and committees such as IPAF where he has hosted regional meetings etc - being the sole director of a business with the daily challenges of rental in a highly competitive market, has taken its toll on him in terms of stress etc. And thus the need to make a change.

He has informed his funders, who he says are comfortable and supportive of his plans, probably due to the fact that the business is completely solvent with sufficient funds and assets to cover all outstandings.
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Active Access runs a mixed fleet

Vertikal Comment

It is rare for someone running a company to be so open about a situation such as this. McCusker is certainly not alone when it comes to small business men stressed out by the pressures of running a business alone. It is however very unusual for someone to be mature enough to both admit it, and then seriously consider doing something about it.

The usual reaction is to bottle up the emotions, try to chill out a bit and carry on, in the hope that the health scare does not turn into a full scale heart attack or stroke. Sadly all too often the hopes do not turn into reality and scare is followed by a more serious incident and gradually evolving into a terminal decline. Life is too precious to squander - easy to say but hard to do anything to stop the squandering.

We sincerely hope that this particular case ends well and that it sends a message to others. And hopefully the malicious trolls which have been trying to exploit the situation this week, feel justifiably shamed.