40% of those that don’t brand their vehicles base their decision on the fact that they have more than enough work, while 25% keep their van brand free for fear of being targeted by thieves.
The survey, undertaken by ECIS, the employee benefits, tradesman and van insurance provider for the construction sector, highlights the risk workers face every day from having their tools stolen – to the extent that some firms are missing out on the opportunity to promote their business and industry credentials.
Looking at individual trades, ECIS found that over half (53%) of the General Builders in the survey don’t brand their vans. In contrast 83% of roofers in the survey were happy to display their business name across their vehicle, exploiting the free advertising space offered by their vehicles – this was the most of any trade questioned. The trade profession most worried about theft, citing that as a reason for keeping their van brand free, were heating and ventilation contractors followed by plumbers and electricians.
All the contractors questioned are worried about the risk of theft – with good reason it would appear. 31% of those that took part in the survey have had their vans broken into, with 42% of electricians and 30% of Heating, Ventilation and Plumbing engineers being the victims of attempted or actual theft. Given these figures, it is surprising that nearly half of electricians (48%) and plumbers (46%) do not remove their tools from vans at night, despite what any signage on the vehicle might say.
Commenting on the findings, Phil Scarrett, sales and marketing director for ECIS said: “For tradespeople their van really is more than just a vehicle. It is a portable office: somewhere they eat, do business over the phone, relax and sometimes even sleep. Given how vital the van and the tools they carry are to tradespeople’s livelihood, any steps to reduce the risk of theft are worth taking but going ‘brand-free’ means tradespeople are missing out on an easy opportunity to promote their skills and trade association membership.
“Simply emptying the van of essential tools at the end of the shift is worth considering, particularly as our own research has found that the average claim for theft from a van is £5091. While insurance cover will provide some protection, there is the excess to consider along with the inconvenience of having to quickly replace tools. It’s a hassle the UK’s busy tradespeople could do without,” he added.