Monthly Archives: July 2022

Intern Spotlight: Kobe Scrape

Did you know that July 28 is National Intern Day? To celebrate, we wanted to spotlight one of our own interns at our Springdale location. Meet Kobe Scrape!

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Jonesboro, AR. I moved to the area to attend the University of Arkansas, but I was also extremely fortunate to be able to meet people who I now consider some of my closest friends. 

What is your field of study?

I intend to graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business. Being from Jonesboro had a major role on choosing my major, which allowed me to see the multiple different career paths an Ag Business degree has to offer. Not only careers in Jonesboro; I felt that this degree would allow for future careers statewide.

Why did you choose Hugg & Hall for your internship? What about this industry interests you the most?

For several years now, I have worked on a land surveying & construction layout crew which I feel helped me become familiar with some of the outside parts of this industry. However, knowing about the outside procedure made me want to explore the inside parts of it. What really interests me the most about this industry is how much of a necessity it really is. Without companies like Hugg & Hall, most factories, buildings, events, etc. would be unable to operate or even exist.

Tell us a little about what your day looks like as a rental intern.

Most of my days involve assisting in writing instruction for our new standard operating procedures. Other days consist of filling in specifications and pictures for our equipment, which will allow for customers to see and read the different options, sizes, and power types of each piece of equipment. My favorite part of my job is writing the new standard operating procedures because it allows me the opportunity to assist the company in taking a huge step in a new direction.

What’s your favorite thing about interning with Hugg & Hall?

The one thing that sticks with me the most every day are the individuals that I get to work with. I was a tad bit nervous my first day knowing that I was the new guy and the youngest one in the building, but the environment that has been created here has made it to where even an intern like myself is instantly accepted and welcomed. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

With graduation right around the corner, I spend as much time with friends as possible since we will all be going our separate ways soon. Most of that consists of either trips to the lake or as much hunting as we can manage.

What’s your favorite quote?

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” – Herman Melville

 

If you’d like to learn more about our employees, you can visit HuggHall.com/news!

Employee Spotlight: Mark McVey, Field Service Technician

Meet Mark McVey!

Mark is a Field Service Technician in the newly acquired east Tulsa, OK branch, formerly Southern Material Handling Company. We enjoyed getting to know Mark and asking him about his home and work life. 

Where is your hometown?

I was born in Pomona, California. I was 17 when we left there in 1977 and moved to Rush Springs, Oklahoma.  We Moved to Muskogee in 1986 and I live there now.  

How long have you been at Hugg & Hall?

I was with SMHC from December 2005 until Hugg & Hall took over in April of 2022. 

What is your favorite thing about working for Hugg & Hall?

I like that when you ask for something, they’ll be sure to get it for you.  If you put a request in to James Sawyer, our Service Manager, or Phillip Williard, our Regional VP Product Support, they’ll take care of it. When we said we needed a new chop saw in the shop, they got it for us. When we asked for a new fan for the shop, they made sure we had it. The atmosphere is great. It’s pleasant.

Tell us a little bit about what a day in the life of a Field Service Technician looks like.

I get to go meet with customers and work on all kinds of different equipment. Right now I am working on a steer axle for a 30,000-pound Toyota truck in the shop. 

How have your job duties changed since the acquisition? 

Not a huge difference. But with SMHC, I was doing more battery work and now I’m working more on forklifts and pallet jacks. Stuff like that. I do a little bit of everything. I help the other guys with their projects when they need it. 

What is something that people you work with may not know about you?

I like to cook for my family. I do a lot of smoking. Brisket, ribs, bologna, anything I can throw in the smoker. They love it. We eat deer meat, but the only way my wife eats deer meat is in chili. Nothing else. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love to hunt and shoot. I use a regular old shotgun to hunt deer. I enjoy that. I’ve made hot links, sausage, jerky, and stuff like that from the deer meat. I like to eat. 

If you’d like to learn more about our employees, you can visit HuggHall.com/news!

Hugg & Hall Featured in Rental Equipment Register Top 100

Hugg & Hall has earned a prestigious spot in the Rental Equipment Register Top 100 List 2022. RER 100 ranks the world’s largest rental companies. Hugg & Hall’s position jumped eight spots from 2021 to earn 40th worldwide.

RER 100 attributed the award to greater rental volume, the opening of new branches across Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, and the acquisition of Southern Material Handling Company in Tulsa, OK.

Customer Service

Rental Operations Manager Zane Kitsmiller credited Hugg & Hall’s greater rental volume to prioritizing customer service. “We have seen a rewarding trend of organic growth, and part of that success comes from living the moto of ‘making our customers’ needs our own.’ We are dedicated to rental through regular additions to our fleet and put our customers in new, safe equipment. And we back it up with a proven service team to help keep our customers on task and their projects on budget.”

Equipment Service

In addition to a customer-focused business plan, Hugg & Hall provides services to a variety of markets, strengthening our position with RER 100.  Bobby Burnett, Regional Rental Sales Manager for Baton Rouge, LA, gave specific insight into our Louisiana branches. “Our Baton Rouge branch has seen increased growth by providing service to chemical plants and refineries. Our Broussard and Port Fourchon locations have seen excellent growth even with the oil industry in a downward spiral. Between these successes and our new rental location in the Houma area, we are very optimistic about our continued growth in the region.”

Expansion

Hugg & Hall’s expansion in Louisiana also bolstered our position in the RER 100. Mark Riendeau, Rental Sales Manager for Sibley, LA, commented, “The Shreveport area has been our fastest-growing market in recent years. Revenue more than tripled, and we added a fully operational branch location. We expect the Shreveport team to become a cornerstone for us, bridging the gap between our South Louisiana and Arkansas locations.”

Employees

Above all, Bobby Burnett credits Hugg & Hall’s success to the employees who uphold our mission and vision. “We’re blessed to have some good people working for us. One of the great things that has helped our growth is how well our departments work together. We’ve built trust in each other, and our customers are taking notice. We hang our hat on great customer service.”

To learn more about exciting news at Hugg & Hall, visit HuggHall.com/News. For more information about the Rental Equipment Register Top 100, visit RERMag.com.

Safety First: Using and Maintaining Scissor Lifts

Scissor lifts are one of the safest options for elevated work, but we still need to talk scissor lift safety. 

Fall Protection

In order to prevent injury caused by falls from a platform, OSHA regulations require all scissor lifts to have guardrails. Make sure your workers are properly trained on how to properly secure the guardrail system.

Another way to prevent falls is by properly using safety harnesses. OSHA regulation requires that workers attach a lanyard to their safety harness, which should be anchored to the lift.

Need new safety harnesses for your team? Check out the Hugg & Hall Parts Department.

Scissor Lift Stabilization

Employers need to ensure that all scissor lifts used in the workplace are in stable condition and are not in danger of collapsing or tipping over. Check that all safety systems are in good working order. Be especially careful when driving your scissor lift in order to prevent collisions with other vehicles, stationary overhead obstacles, and ground-level obstacles.

Positioning

Always position scissor lifts in a manner that prevents them from falling or tipping and injuring the operator or others around the lift. Be sure to keep lifts away from power lines and similar hazards to avoid risking injury or death.

Take extra care when operating scissor lifts near fixed objects, other equipment, and when going under overhead obstacles. In-house safety procedures should be implemented and observed to ensure that scissor lifts are always properly positioned and to comply with OSHA’s scissor lift safety requirements.

Controls, Components & Brakes

Inspect and test all controls and instruments on the scissor lift before each shift to ensure that all are in working order and safe for operation. You must set the brakes to keep the scissor lift stable when in use.

Train Your Workers

All scissor lift operators must receive training to operate scissor lifts safely. Training must include:

  • Manufacturer’s instructions
  • Handling materials
  • Weight limits and capacities
  • How to work on or around hazards
  • How to recognize necessary equipment repairs and maintenance needs
  • Preventing accidents.

To learn more, check out this helpful page from OSHA about working safely with scissor lifts.

Have questions about why your scissor lift isn’t working? Check out our blog post about Skyjack errors and quick fixes

Editor’s Note: Hugg & Hall originally published in July 2022. We updated it updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness in March 2023.