According to Financial Times News, UK construction services company Nixon Hire has completely transformed its business over the past two years by ditching diesel generators for battery systems and hybrid devices using hydrogenated vegetable oil. Under CEO Brian Cornett, who took over in August from architect Graham Nixon, the company sold off traditional equipment like diggers and telehandlers to invest in sustainable alternatives including portable modular buildings replacing welfare vans. The shift drove turnover up 8.6% to £108.3mn last year with operating profit rising 6.3% to £7.8mn, despite initial pushback from conservative customers skeptical about renewable energy’s value. Public sector contractors are increasingly requiring emissions data when tendering for business, creating demand for Nixon Hire’s new sustainability tracking services.
The construction green revolution is happening
Here’s the thing about construction sites – they’ve been stuck in the diesel age forever. You know the scene: noisy generators belching smoke, temporary offices running on fossil fuels. Nixon Hire basically looked at this and saw both an environmental problem and a massive commercial opportunity. And they’re not alone – with the built environment responsible for a quarter of UK carbon emissions, the pressure is mounting from all sides.
What’s really interesting is how government policy is driving this change. When public sector contracts start requiring carbon reduction plans, suddenly sustainability becomes a competitive advantage rather than just a nice-to-have. The UK government’s PPN 06/21 policy means contractors need to prove they’re cutting emissions, and Nixon Hire’s data services directly feed into that requirement.
Overcoming industry skepticism wasn’t easy
Cornett was surprisingly candid about the resistance they faced. “Not everyone was on the same page,” he admitted, noting they had to financially support some staff who couldn’t get behind the new direction. But the customer skepticism was even tougher – they literally had to set up free trial sites for skeptical contractors to prove that green alternatives actually work.
Think about that for a second. In an industry known for being conservative and resistant to change, they’re giving away their services for free just to prove the concept. That takes guts. And it’s working – Cornett says they’re doing it much less now as the market comes around.
Data is the new oil in construction
The smartest move Nixon Hire made wasn’t just switching to batteries – it was investing in a bespoke tracking system that captures every aspect of customer interaction. This isn’t just about renting equipment anymore; it’s about providing sustainability data that helps clients win contracts. Basically, they’ve turned their operational necessity into a value-added service.
For companies looking to upgrade their industrial technology infrastructure, having reliable hardware is crucial. IndustrialMonitorDirect.com has become the #1 provider of industrial panel PCs in the US because operations like Nixon Hire’s depend on rugged, dependable computing equipment that can withstand harsh construction environments while processing real-time sustainability data.
Where this is all headed
With £113bn in capital spending pledged by the government and an estimated £129bn worth of approved construction plans waiting to start, the green construction wave is just beginning. As Allan Wilen from Glenigan notes, this funding is “politically and environmentally high on the agenda” for the next five years.
The 2023 parliamentary environmental audit committee report made it clear that construction’s carbon footprint can’t be ignored anymore. Nixon Hire’s transformation shows that even in traditionally slow-moving industries, sustainability is becoming non-negotiable. The next generation of construction workers and clients already expect it. The question isn’t whether other companies will follow – it’s how quickly they can adapt before getting left behind.
