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Rael Hancock talks about life in Trade Hire, the latest investments, and what is coming next.

In Conversation with IPS Hire Director Rael Hancock

Since joining IPS, Rael has brought a wealth of industry experience to the Hire department – sharpening processes, strengthening the team, and helping customers see just how much IPS can genuinely offer. We sat down with him to talk about life in trade hire, this year’s stock investment, and what’s driving the department forward.

Tell us about your role, and what a typical week looks like

In a nutshell, I’m keeping the equipment moving with a great team behind me. Beyond that, its stock strategy, product life cycles, and working closely with senior management.

No two weeks look the same. One day I’ll be buried in spreadsheets working out rates of return; the next I’m visiting a manufacturer or customer. Or digging into repair trends with the workshop to spot whether a piece of kit needs retiring. Or whether it’s a build quality issue. Then there’s chasing shortages and keeping an eye on margin leakage across the business.

What’s it been like stepping into IPS?

It felt like an exciting natural next step. After years building expertise in the industry, I was ready for a new challenge. IPS offered a scale I hadn’t worked with for many years. Within my first few weeks I realised it was a completely different world with over 48,000 individually priced items, and exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for.

What really drew me in was the passion of the senior management team. From the get go, I could see the impact I’d be able to make here, and that’s what genuinely drives me, being able to make that difference. Also as a UK owned and operated business, not weighed down by corporate structure, it’s personable, it’s passionate and it shows.

What’s something that’s surprised you since joining IPS?

Honestly, the sheer scale of what IPS can offer. It’s easy to think of us as a staging or lighting supplier, but the reality is so much bigger than that – technical drawings, equipment, the team, scheduling, rigging, larger vehicle deliveries, weekend collections. If a company comes to us needing a full solution – stage, crew, kit, someone to pull the design together – we can deliver all of it.

What’s struck me most is how many customers don’t realise the full extent of that. I’ll have conversations where someone’s surprised we do rigging, or that we can deliver on an 18-tonner, or collect on a Sunday. Very few companies in this space can say yes to all of that, and that breadth is what genuinely sets IPS apart. We’re not trying to take anyone’s tour or step into a designer’s role, we’re the support the industry can lean on when it needs it, however that need shows up.

What’s the most rewarding part of leading the department?

Watching the team grow. Seeing someone handle a request with confidence that would’ve thrown them a week earlier. Watching them build their own relationships with customers, rather than everything routing back through me.

It’s the feedback too – a customer coming back with a quick “thanks for sorting that,” rather than a “computer says no.” I want the team solving problems on their own initiative. That means letting people own their decisions, including the ones that don’t work out, because that’s how you actually learn.

What strikes me about IPS is that everyone, from the workshop right to the office, is genuinely happy to help – nobody’s an obstacle. This business has gone from James’s dad’s shed to a purpose-built 6.2 acre site. That’s a lot of change, and Karl and James recognising they needed a Hire Director, alongside Tracey as Operations Director, is part of catching up with it. Every day I see small improvements landing, and that’s what makes this feel like the right place.

What does “good service” look like in trade hire?

For us, it starts with the operation. Having processes tight enough that we can turn a request around properly, every time. Part of that is being aware that speed often wins the work in the first place. So getting a quote sent over instantly or then being able to offer a suitable alternative in no time is what matters.

That’s grounded in the details. Kit that arrives ready to go. Cables coiled properly. Every clamp and connection exactly as it should be. Our customers know they can pull equipment straight off the truck and into the rig with total confidence. No re-checking, no re-testing. That reliability is something we take real pride in.

To add to this, knowing there’s always someone on the other end of the phone who’ll find a way to help – whether that’s solving a problem on the spot, or offering an alternative that works just as well if we don’t have the exact item requested. That’s what makes IPS a genuine solutions partner, not just a supplier.

How would you describe the thinking behind this year’s stock investment?

Some of the groundwork was already laid before I joined, the latest investments in Chauvet being a good example. It wasn’t a brand I’d worked closely with previously, but I’ve since come to properly understand its strength – the breadth of the range, and a customer base that values it more than I’d realised.

My approach to investment is a practical one. Beyond the features and the pitch, what matters to me is whether a product will genuinely get used. Whether it’ll earn a quick return. Whether the manufacturer stands behind it, and whether it’s built to last. If those fundamentals stack up, it’s worth backing. Regardless of how flashy or unremarkable it looks on paper.

James brings a real eye for what designers and creatives are looking for, and that complements the way I look at things. This year has largely been about understanding the investments already in motion and building on them with insight from our customers. Looking ahead, I want that to become an even more proactive, joined-up strategy – one that’s shaped by real demand and return, rather than one-off requests. As a specialist equipment supplier, that focus is exactly where our strength lies.

Any product family you’re most excited to see out on jobs?

Astera has been a real highlight – it’s opened up new areas of work we simply couldn’t service before. The ability to offer a complete package, from delivery through to rigging and pre-prep, has made a genuine difference for customers. It’s also a strong performer commercially, without the constant model churn that eats into return elsewhere.

On the Chauvet side, the Pixel Curve range is one to watch. The 12s are already an established workhorse, and it was great to see IPS take an early position on the Curve 1 and Curve 5, first to market in the UK. The Curve 1s are performing well, with the Curve 5s expected to build momentum over time. We’ve also made a significant investment in EXE Hoists taking over Lodestar, an industry-standard hoist, which should mean a long life cycle and a solid return for years to come.

Ayrton RawBeam is one I’m genuinely curious to see play out. Laser products tend to make me cautious more broadly – regulation varies across territories, and it’s something the whole industry keeps a close eye on. Cobra has done well for us, and Rawbeam represents the next step, lighter and more versatile. I’m keeping an open mind on how quickly it earns its place – ask me again in the new year.

Looking ahead, what are your priorities for the next six to twelve months?

Tightening turnaround times is a big focus – being first to quote. And if we don’t have something, letting the customer know straight away what we can offer instead. Nobody should be left hanging, even in our busiest weeks.

We’re also growing the team, with Ryan joining to strengthen our technical solutions and audio expertise. Alongside that, we’re continuing to invest in training across the board. Making sure everyone’s knowledge keeps pace with where the business is heading.

And I want to keep building on the genuinely consistent experience customers already get from us, whoever they speak to. If someone calls Chloe, they get the same level of service they’d get from me or from Rory. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to, and it’s something I want to keep strengthening as the team grows.

Since joining, has there been a hire or project that’s stood out?

It’s hard to pin down just one! From where I sit, we’re usually working from an equipment list and a quote rather than knowing the full story behind it. But what has stood out is a genuine rise in longer-term work, which was actually one of the reasons I came on board in the first place. We’re building stronger relationships with larger production businesses and taking on more sustained projects than IPS has traditionally been known for.

Some of that has come from sharpening our approach to margin and being more considered about discounting, backed by real data and insight. Some of it has simply come from relationships built over years in the industry, and having the confidence to invest in equipment that supports longer tours, an area IPS is only just beginning to lean into more heavily.

We hope you have enjoyed reading ‘In Conversation with IPS Hire Director Rael Hancock’. Have a look on our website for more details on our Trade Equipment Hire products and services.