A competitive strategy for equipment rental

How has Byrne Equipment Rental cemented its position in the Saudi market?
For the past two decades, we have been conducting business operations in Saudi Arabia. Our operations span across a number of sectors, including infrastructure, construction, events and oil and gas. We offer a diverse range of products and services, including customised generators, cabins and equipment that are tailored to the unique needs of each industry segment.
In recent years our primary focus has been providing the oil and gas industry with bespoke accommodation, services and welfare facilities. We have been successful thanks to our strong partnerships with key players in the region, their affiliates and contractors. These relationships have resulted in expanding our reach and strengthening our presence in the market.
We see Saudi Arabia as a key growth market for us, and to facilitate our expansion, we have currently invested in the construction of a new headquarters located at the Royal Commission in Jubail. The investment will comprise office and training facilities for our regional headquarters and 50,000-square-metre, state-of-the-art operations and maintenance facilities, which are expected to be fully commissioned by early 2024.

Have you witnessed any notable shifts in the market recently?
The most notable shifts in recent years are the social and economic reforms implemented under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, which has had a positive impact on our business. We’ve diversified away from oil and gas as a main market focus and developed our presence in the infrastructure and entertainment sectors, where Byrne has extensive experience, and in equipment to meet our clients’ demands.
However, we have seen growth in the oil and gas sector as well, where Byrne’s agile business model of mobile solutions has enabled us to support our clients in hydraulic fracturing and domestic gas production. This has resulted in increased demand for our rig camp facilities and support services. Both our fleet and human capital have grown significantly over the last 18 months to keep up with demand from across the region.
We have also noticed significant progress in human capital and talent development, particularly through training programmes for recent university and college graduates. We are committed to investing in local talent and creating more employment opportunities for Saudi nationals. Our internal apprenticeship programmes allow these individuals to further develop their skills and also ensure that we meet our Saudisation requirements.

How has your company strategy evolved in recent years?
As part of our strategic vision, we are committed to establishing ourselves as a comprehensive service provider rather than just a traditional equipment rental company. At our core we value building long-term partnerships with our clients and providing them with the support and assistance they need to overcome any challenges they may face.
A part of this approach involves helping our clients understand the economic benefits of not owning assets. This is a critical aspect of our strategy. This requires our full commitment to our clients and involvement in their decision-making process.
We have also had to adapt to the recent challenges of rising energy prices and disruptions in international supply chains. These challenges have resulted in longer lead times and increased costs. As a solution provider, we take it upon ourselves to address these challenges for our customers, and to date we have been successful.

Could you map out some of the major projects you have been involved in?
In response to the growing oil and gas production in the region, we have strategically shifted our focus to rig sites and operations. To this end, we have established successful collaborations with several major EPC players across various production sites through long-term partnerships ranging from two to seven years.
Our involvement extends beyond operations. It encompasses managing the welfare facilities of these camps, and we are supplying power and infrastructure equipment for the NEOM project, particularly for The Line – a smart city – which we will be working on for the next four years.

How would you describe Byrne’s competitive advantage?
Over the past three decades, we have cultivated an operational network of skilled technicians and employees. This network has been integral to effectively managing our assets and represents the backbone of the company.
Furthermore, our various collaborations with major contractors have enabled us to expand our reach across the entire GCC region. For example, we have recently formed a strategic alliance with Compass Group in Saudi Arabia to provide our clients with premium soft FM (i.e., non-technical services such as cleaning, maintenance and catering), further strengthening Byrne’s value proposition.
Moreover, owning and operating all our facilities has given us greater flexibility for storing and repairing our equipment and has also optimised our logistics and supply services. In addition, we’ve had the support of our sister company, Byrne Technical Services, which is located in Jubail and designs and manufactures all our temporary buildings.
We have continuously diversified our range of products and services with an unwavering focus on meeting our clients’ needs, which has resulted in our constant competitive edge.