HiSERV has been revolutionizing the ground support equipment (GSE) rental market since 2017, by delivering premium quality, great flexibility, and fair and transparent prices. As one of the leading GSE service providers in Europe, the company manages a young and modern fleet of more than 5,000 GSE units and offer pricing and services that enable customers to be competitive in ground handling. Their various rental options, including short-term rental and pay-per-use, give customers ultimate flexibility.
Interview with Roland Ückert, Managing Director at HiSERV GmbH
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Roland Ückert: Our main business is GSE rental.
HiSERV offers various GSE rental solutions with maximum flexibility. From dry rental (rent only, fixed price per hour or per month) to full service rental (includes maintenance and management of the rented vehicles) and GSE pooling options – everything is possible and according customer needs and requirements.
We have workshops at Berlin and Oslo airport as well as workshops close to Frankfurt and Leipzig, which are outside the restricted area. Here we manage all kind of repairs for GSE and “regular” vehicles.
Additionally, our portfolio includes the services SmartTRACKING and SmartFLEET. Real-time tracking enables the customer to optimize vehicle usage – the customer knows exactly where the GSE is located, what it is currently being used for, and what costs are being generated. Moreover, knowing which maintenance measures will be necessary next week not only enables to reduce GSE downtimes, but also to take the entire GSE management to the next level: that’s smart GSE.
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
R.Ü: SmartFLEET is HiSERV´s fleet management system, but it´s not just a system or a solution, it’s even more. Together with our consulting services we can help our customers and partners to optimize their whole GSE fleet. The holistic approach is easy to explain – “track your GSE units, learn through transparency and manage your GSE fleet accordingly”. Overall, this results in reducing costs and improves GSE efficiency and availability. Predictive maintenance information additionally increases safety levels of GSE as well as the general aircraft handling and ground handling delays caused by GSE will be reduced.
Other HiSERV products, such as SmartCHARGER, a mobile container offering charging options to all kind of e-vehicles or SmartTRAINER, a ground handling training device, are additional technologies for clients.
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
R.Ü:
- SmartRENTAL: various rental options
- SmartFLEET: GSE fleet management system
- SmartTRACKING: GSE tracking system
- SmartWORKSHOP: Workshops in Berlin, Oslo, Frankfurt, Leipzig
- SmartCHARGER: mobile container for charging e-vehicles
- SmartTRAINER: handling training device
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
R.Ü: Of course aviation industry is a very dynamic industry and suffers a lot in crisis times. In the past few years of course the most challenging time was the pandemic in 2020 and the upcoming year. Nevertheless, during the COVID crisis HiSERV invested in new and particular green GSE, which was successful. After recovering ground handlers and airports requested additional GSE, which we were able to offer in due time. But it has been also challenging due to extended supply chains and the average availability of raw materials. This resulted in longer delivery times for new GSE as well as for technical spare parts. However, 2023 was a successful year for HiSERV and we want to keep that path.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
R.Ü: Especially “GREEN GSE” and environmentally friendly equipment is becoming more and more important to our customers.
In 2023 we were able to deliver more than 750 new GSE to our customers and we will invest and increase our electric fleet accordingly.
GSE leasing is a common and flexible method for ground handlers or airports. License decisions such as in Spain result in new, additional or other temporarily demands. In general the GSE market is also correlated with high expansion rates from the North American market.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
R.Ü: On the one hand the aerospace industry is very dynamic and continuously changing. Every day is different and you always need to be flexible. On the other hand processes may be very “old-fashioned” and changes are difficult to implement. To convince your business partner of modifications may be challenging and need time.
HiSERV´s most innovative product is SmartFLEET (see question 3).
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2024?
R.Ü: Our focus in regards of rental business is Europe and here is still potential in eastern countries. We have expanded our presence and increased our fleet up to 5.000 GSE units. Germany is currently our “top market” and we want to strengthen our business here and in other European countries, where we are already present – from north (Scandinavia) to south (Portugal) and onwards to east. Nevertheless, we are always open-minded to expand our services to other countries outside of Europe.
Our workshop in Leipzig in the middle of Europe will gain more business in regards of GSE maintenance and also the implementation of our SmartFLEET to customers are our goals for 2024 and the upcoming years. We think that GSE-consulting services will get more and more important and here is still improvement on the side of our customers. We want to keep our valuable relationships with our clients and learn from their feedback.
