Established in 1968 in County Down, Northern Ireland, Licensee Gilford Van Hire is a family-owned and run business.
Originally established by Thomas Fredrick Kelly (who is known to everyone as Freddie), daughter Caroline Pearce is responsible for the day-to-day running of Gilford Van Hire and their relationship with United Rental Group.
Caroline officially joined the business in 1992, but like many of our family-owned and run Licensees, she became involved with Gilford Van Hire long before she left school.
“The business was originally based in a garage next door to the family home, which meant during the school holidays from the age of 14, I’d be in the office answering the phones and generally helping out,” she explains.
From starting out with one truck and one van, the business has grown considerably and now numbers a fleet of around 120 vans, trucks and trailers and is now based in Portadown. Read on to learn more about Gilford Van Hire and its plans for the future.
Why did Gilford Van Hire join United Rental System?
We joined around 20 years ago for a number of reasons, but mainly because being a Licensee gave us access to discounts on new vans. Prior to becoming a Licensee our vehicles were all used, which dad bought at auctions in England, he would then drive them home – sometimes with a van inside the back of a truck! Being part of the United Rental Group family meant we could have new vehicles, which has contributed to our growth.
What’s your vision for the future of the business?
For a long time, we have really wanted to get into car rental. We have everything ready to enable us to enter the car hire market, but unfortunately, because of our location in Portadown in County Armagh, we sit very close to the Northern/Southern Irish border, which means we struggle to get insurance. The past troubles in Northern Ireland and the more recent difficulties with Brexit and the uncertainty around the Irish backstop, means that insurers currently will not cover us for car hire. We are hopeful the situation will change next year.
How many people do you employ?
There are five of us, four full-time employees and one part-time team member. My sister Julie also works at Gilford Van Hire and our dad is also still very active in the business.
What’s the most profitable vehicle for the business?
Definitely the Luton vans. The change in law in 2017 requiring people who passed their test after 1st January 1997 to take a separate C1 test in order to drive a 7.5-tonne truck, means the Luton is particularly popular for hire, as it falls below the 7.5 tonne limit.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am a hockey mum! I have two teenage sons, one of whom plays hockey competitively, so I frequently drive him to training and competitions. When I’m not doing that, I enjoy walking my two dogs, going to the gym and getting outdoors.
Any tips for getting into the vehicle hire business?
Avoid Portadown! Other than that, make sure you do your research. The vehicle hire industry is very different now compared to when Gilford Van Hire was first established. It was relatively simple then, but in the last 10 years or so there has been increasing legislation and red tape to negotiate.
Despite this, I love the job and the industry and wouldn’t change it for anything.