Tools of the Trade
What we use to make your evening a success
Many of us have had the tricky job of setting up a tent, although some of us do it on a larger scale, like MPR Hiring. Over the last 46 years the tools of the trade have moved away from just plain muscles and a sledgehammer to automated pulley systems that can erect ballroom sized marquees.
Venue construction these days needs to be faster, better, and safer. Here are some of the tools that make our lives easier.
The forklift
Before any job can begin we need to move the tents from the warehouse. In the past this would mean carrying everything using manual labour, but life is a lot easier now with our forklift. Before you run into our factory asking if you can have a go using it you need to know it is illegal to operate a forklift without a licence, so stop asking.
Our forklift is capable of lifting 3 – 4 tonnes. This means we’re more than able to take the strain of any heavy events.
The tent pulley system
What used to take a day of heavy pulling now takes only minutes. With the rigid frame structure of our tents we’ve been able to automate the process of drawing the canvas across the central beam at the flick of the switch.
Using a system of pulleys and ropes, all that needs to be done is to line up the beams, place the canvas roll in between, then activate and wait – done!
The MultiOne
As the name indicates this is the “Jack-of-All-Trades” machine. The MultiOne is a vehicle comes with a huge variety interchangeable attachments (170 according to the international site) making it perfect for any specialist industry. While our one is used on site to help with setup, it also has the pulling power to tow trailers – and with it’s driving attachment it can drive tent pegs into any surface. In our business machines need to be adaptable, after all there’s always something different with every job we tackle.
The tent washer
Some parties can be rough, and can leave their mark on our beautiful tents. In the past cleaning a marquee tent meant laying the canvas out on the ground and hiring an entire team to scrub every inch of the panels. This could easily take hours, or the entire day, to complete. But luckily technology has stepped in and invented the tent washer.
It is a huge machine to maneuver into position but it cuts required labour time in half. Not only efficient with time, it also reduces on water usage – which is always a bonus. We’re also the only tent company in South Africa to own one. So when you’re doing business with MPR Hiring you’re dealing with the true forerunners in the business.
With any company the best asset for success is the staff. That’s why we believe they need to be able to work in a safe environment that they enjoy, and are provided with equipment that helps them to perform at their best. After all a happy and efficient staff means that a company will go on and do great things.