Prop Pal founder, Stephen Cheshire (builder with thirty plus years in construction) had many sleepless nights due to leaving his customers’ homes propped up with overloaded cantilevers. Overloading was inevitable with the scale of jobs Stephen was taking on. Low SWL of 340kg caused deflection to the cantilevers as well as lateral pressure and damage to Acrow Prop tubes. Too much was at stake working this way and health and safety must be the priority.

Today’s structural alterations i.e. knock throughs for open plan living space, are much bigger with much greater risks. So, with a workforce that he was responsible for and a building reputation to be proud of and maintain, Stephen was on a mission to find a solution to avoid the unthinkable.

In the meantime, Stephen turned to traditional needle support with scraps of RSJ / box sections. However, there’s no certified SWL, no secure locking slots for Acrow Props which again creates an unsafe and unsecure method of support. The extra time, mess and work these traditional methods created made the job just as laborious and stressful. The sleepless nights continued.

On one of Stephen’s sleepless nights in 2015, the ‘Prop Star’ solution was born - The Prop Pal Needle System! Stephen searched the internet for a similar idea and drew a blank. It was time to submit for a Patent!

Stephen had a prototype made and on the third attempt, Stephen knew he had a “Game Changer” on his hands. The Prop Pal Needle System boasts a whopping 1050kg Working Load Limit and secure locking slots at both ends of the needle. Its unique jacking screw plate along with the versatility and dimensions of Prop Pal allows builders to work smarter and not just safer.

The first 10 Prop Pals manufactured were put straight into action, but Stephen had just one regret. He wished he’d thought of the idea years ago and knew other builders would say the same.

With the help from Stephen’s son, David, they found a manufacturer to mass produce Prop Pal and began to sell Prop Pal to the end users from July 2018. David had his first break into the hire industry in February 2019! Thomas Smith of Smiths Hire was quick to be the first to add Prop Pal to their regional hire fleet, “We believe in the Prop Pal Needle System…We would have no hesitation recommending the product.”

Word on the only professional needle system began to spread. Fast forward through the Covid pandemic to Prop Pal’s debut at the Executive Hire Show 2022 where Prop Pal had around 40 hire partners, thanks to the success of the show, Prop Pal’s hire partners more than doubled and the first national hire partner came on board, Travis Perkins!

Calls came for a longer version of Prop Pal. Prop Pal Plus was developed and officially launched in 2023. Both models of Prop Pal have been designed by a builder for builders. They make a once hazardous and complex job, a safe, easy, and secure process.

Prop Pal’s successful hire store locator as well as a first National Radio Campaign with Fix Radio demonstrates Prop Pal’s commitment to supporting hire partners (independents, regionals, and nationals). Hire partners can make a quick return profit after just 7 weeks of hire, “…instant success with our colleagues and customers. We have seen the demand for Prop Pal grow,” Andy Lawrence, Travis Perkins.

A proud member of Made In Britain, Prop Pal upholds quality control and is consistent in the reduction of carbon emissions set forth by Prop Pal and its hire partners.

As well as being a hit with builders, Prop Pal is a hit with hire partners. The minimal maintenance required, a robust design and all the safety credentials achieved, Prop Pal is positioning itself as a favourite within a well-established industry.

With well over 100 hire partners and over 1000 hire stores listed on its online store locator, the demand for more Prop Pal continues to grow with builders frequently dubbing Prop Pal as the “Game Changer.”