Group Publisher- Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com
President - Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com
Publication Mail Agreement #40065710. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESS TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT, P.O. BOX 530, SIMCOE, ON N3Y 4N5
e-mail: cnowe@annexweb.com
Printed in Canada, All rights reserved. Editorial material is copyrighted. Permission to reprint may be granted on request.
ISSN 0383-7920
Circulation
e-mail: cnowe@annexweb.com
Tel: 866-790-6070 ext. 208 Fax: 877-624-1940
Mail: P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5
Subscription Rates
Canada- 1 Year $42.00 (plus 5% GST - $44.10)
U.S.A. - 1 Year $60.00
From time to time, we at Canadian Rental Service make our subscription list available to reputable companies and organizations whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you do not want your name to be made available, contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Serving the Canadian rental industry for 33 years.
A rental event
Nobody knows better what is of value to rental operators than rental operators themselves. This was the philosophy of the board members on the Canadian Rental Association (CRA) Ontario division when they went about organizing an educational and social program for attendees to the Canadian Rental Mart in March.
The featured topic will be a part of the Next Generation program, which is designed to help family members adapt to ownership roles of their family run rental business. The CRA will conduct a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator seminar, which will utilize the MB process of measuring personality types. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.
The MBTI instrument is called “the best-known and most trusted personality assessment tool available today” by its publisher, CPP (formerly Consulting Psychologists Press). CPP further calls the MBTI tool “the world’s most widely used personality assessment, with as many as two million assessments administered annually.”
Other seminars will cover popular topics for equipment rental operators based on the RentTech program from the American Rental Association (ARA) so look for more details in the next issue of Canadian Rental Service or on our website at www.canadianrentalservice.com.
The CRA Ontario division will host its Annual Awards Banquet on the first evening, which will be held at the show hotel headquarters. This is where the association will honour its members by presenting the Image Award, The
Supplier of the Year Award and the Rental Professional of the Year Award.
The association will also host a Next Generation reception prior to the banquet. For entertainment the CRA has hired a first-class “comedy magician” for the banquet’s entertainment.
Food and fun aside, the Canadian Rental Mart provides a serious venue for rental operators to do business. Take advantage of this rental exclusive exhibition to prepare for the upcoming construction and party season, to pick up timely tips from supplier representatives and to swap rental stories with colleagues in the industry. Well-known manufacturers, distributors and suppliers to the rental industry will exhibit their latest product lines for the rental market, all under one roof. Many are offering special prices exclusively for the show.
The timing of the Canadian Rental Mart in March allows rental companies to take advantage of the show specials offered by exhibitors and to update their fleets for the coming year. March is also prime time for equipment buying decisions, especially for rental operators purchasing equipment in time for the busy spring rental season. For serious buyers, the Canadian Rental Mart is the place to clinch a deal!
The show takes place in a stateof-the-art venue at the Toronto Congress Centre with the Doubletree International Plaza Hotel designated as the official headquarters hotel.
The Canadian Rental Mart is a trade show that combines business with pleasure. It’s a rental event and it’s your event. Make the most of it! n
-Editor, Chris Skalkos
NEXT ISSUE:
Generate new business and light-up your bottom line with the next issue of Canadian Rental Service, which will review the latest gen-sets and light towers for the rental industry. Watch for it in December!
Cover: Doug Johnson and Aaron Sailer, Star Rentals, British Columbia.
Photo by Rich Porayko.
Without boundaries
By Rich Porayko*
Friends turned business partners turn a star into a constellation
It’s been more than five years since Aaron Sailer dragged his former boss, rental industry veteran Doug Johnson, kicking and screaming back into the rental business when the two friends purchased Star Rentals, a 20-year-old onestore operation that started in White Rock, B.C. “We had been involved in the rental industry for most of our lives and we knew the business inside and out,” says Sailer. “We figured it was time to give the contractors and home owners a family operated business again, as opposed to a multi-national conglomerate. We didn’t feel that the customer was getting the best bang for their buck with regards to service.”
Five years later, the company has grown to five locations with 21 trucks on the road and 45 employees including two full time sales staff.
“We bought Star Rentals on April 1, 2004 and we quickly grew with our second location in Guildford by purchasing Sentry Rentals, which had been a small rental operation focusing on homeowner business and party rentals for 25 years. We expanded at the Guildford location by adding a delivery service, bigger equipment and contractor services. The deal also included purchasing Four Seasons Party Rentals, however, we liquidated all the party rental assets because we were interested in the home owner and construction business. The thought of washing 1,500 plates every Monday morning didn’t really appeal to us,” says Sailer.
“We weren’t really setup for party rental. We found it difficult to have a mechanic hand out dishes to a lady and fixing a jackhammer at the same time,” Johnson adds with a laugh.
Sailer continues, “Then we branched out again to our Abbottsford location which was a buyout from another 25 plus year rental company. All we did was refine the store, upgrade the equipment and put in our dispatch system so that when people put in an order for equipment, it’s delivered within 45 minutes to one hour. None of this waiting for three or four hours. We moved some people in there to ensure that this was going to happen and we were off and running.”
In 2007, Star Rentals built their fourth location, a corporate headquarters centrally located on the border of Surrey and Langley. “We were always focused on putting a store in Langley,” says Sailer. “It took a long time to build it. We had some situations with the city and it took us 18 months to jump through hoops to get the Langley store going. It is what we consider a cold start because there was never a rental store in this location before so we’re competing against five other rental companies in the area. In order to be more competitive, we brought in some highly trained people to motivate the store’s revenue.”
Not long afterwards came Star Rental’s Port Coquitlam store which is their fifth location. Sailer ran into the owner
Doug Johnson and Aaron Sailer bought Star Rentals in 2004 and turned a 20-year-old rental house into a multibranch rental operation in British Columbia.
Above: Star Rentals Ltd. is a locally owned and operated rental company with locations in Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Abbotsford and Port Coquitlam.
of Moody Tool Rentals at the B.C. CRA show in 2008, who said he wanted to liquidate his assets. “We bought the assets of Moody Tool Rentals and we moved to a location in Port Coquitlam that had a rental store on it for over 20 years, hired some people, hung up some signs, ordered a phone line, implemented our systems and that was the store.”
They make building five stores in five years sound easy, however, both Sailer and Johnson are astute entrepreneurs with extensive experience in the rental industry and in-depth knowledge of the business.
“I always knew that I would get back into the rental business,” says Sailer. “I spent so many years learning about every aspect of the industry; from over 20 years of washing equipment, repairs, maintenance and servicing, counter sales, and management. I learned pretty much every aspect of the business except for operations and ownership.
Top:
Above: Star Rentals sells everything it rents, new or used. Repairs and maintenance makes up a large part of the company’s business.
I figured I could take that 20 years of experience and flip it over naturally.”
Johnson’s father started a well known Lower Mainland rental company in 1969 where he worked for a number of years. “When I came back into the industry kicking and screaming in 2004, construction in Vancouver was booming. One of the opportunities I saw that Star Rentals could make a difference in the industry was the service to the contractor. I felt and still feel, that the service that the customer was getting isn’t what it should be. Recognizing that there was a wide perception of a general lack of service in the industry, I felt that Star could make a difference and I think we have. Not only have we grown to five stores in five years, we’ve upgraded our equipment and continue to upgrade our equipment constantly. Our delivery service is modeled after the just-in-time philosophy. The reason we have so many locations and delivery vehicles is so that when a customer calls, we can jump and go and give them the service they expect.”
And Star Rentals delivers. Almost on cue, during the course
of the interview, a customer called in with a rush order for a cut-off saw. It was delivered onsite within 23 minutes.
“Whether it’s a home owner or a contractor, we’ll take the time to educate the customer about how to set the equipment up, operate it and make sure it is working properly before we leave,” says Sailer. “If it’s on a long-term rental, we’ll come back every month, service it and make sure the customer is satisfied. We never say ‘no’, it’s not in our vocabulary. And sometimes it gets us in trouble!”
Sailer continues, “We’ve been in this business for a very long time. Not just Doug and I, but at least 40 per cent of our staff have been in this business for most of their lives and 80 per cent of our upper staff have been in the rental industry for over 15 years each. There are literally hundreds of years of combined experience. With all those people, you are bound to have connections. Not just work connections, but social connections too. A lot of personal friends are good customers of ours.”
“A lot of our staff members are from the old school rentals where service to the customer comes first, instead of the paperwork,” says Johnson. “When a customer comes in, instead of saying ‘Just a minute sir!’, they greet them right away and ask ‘How can we help you?’ Our staff are friendly and enjoy what they do. Our J.I.T. delivery service and our multiple locations help us serve the customer. One of the things we do all the time in our stores is share equipment with one another. Not one store owns one piece of equipment. All the stores own all the equipment. So we have a revolving inventory which is managed by our computer software. At any one time, if one of our locations has all of their trucks on the road and they need a rush delivery, they can phone another Star Rentals store to help them out. That’s what makes us different.”
Sailer further explains that “We also move employees from one store to another to fill in for a couple days to help load balancing or provide relief for holidays or sick staff.”
“We use all our assets,” Johnson adds. “Even the back office staff will jump and go when they’re needed to. We have no problem throwing equipment into the back of our vehicles and delivering it. It’s all one team.”
“We have the 24 hour emergency number that anyone can call anytime we’re closed”, says Sailer. “And they will always get a person answering the phone. We have people on-call 24 hours a day and we can get people out very quickly if it’s needed. It’s used quite often.”
The result of being a customer-centric company? Repeat business and loyal customers. “When clients try us out for the first time, we find they keep coming back,” says Johnson.
In testimony to Star’s commitment to service, while Canadian Rental Service magazine was visiting the Langley headquarters of Star Rentals, the company was providing a product knowledge seminar to a progressive landscaping customer. Doug Karr, who heads up Star Rentals’ special projects division and is leader of the Emergency Response Team, is also Star’s in-house trainer. Karr began his career in 1989 and is experienced at every level in the industry from driving to servicing to sales. “One of our customers was inquiring
Top: Focused on contractors, and homeowners the company rents a wide variety of product lines from pumps and scissor lifts to skidsteers.
about how he could get his 20 person crew trained up on the equipment. We’re taking everything that Stihl makes and we’re walking them through it. Not only is the seminar about learning how to use the products, it’s about using them safely including what type of personal protective equipment they should be wearing. We also teach them some basic maintenance so when they are out in the field, they will be able to pick up any of the equipment and know what they are doing. We do it as it’s needed and it works out really well.”
“I also teach product knowledge seminars internally at Star as well. About once a month, we’ll pick a product line relevant to the season and get all the maintenance crew and drivers together and we go through a full product orientation. A lot of us have 20 years a piece under our belts in the rental business and everyone has different experience with the equipment so we all contribute and share our knowledge. We draw on everyone’s strengths. It is great because everyone is constantly upgrading their training and it’s a way of maintaining quality control. It separates us from the corporate companies because a lot of them are only interested in getting product out the door. We want to make sure our customers understand that we really care that they are getting the right gear and that it’s serviced properly.”
“We have everything for the general contractor and home owner,” says Sailer. “From pumps to scissor lifts to skidsteers. And we’re not married to any particular brand, with the exception of being a full line dealer of Stihl in our Abbottsford location, we carry pretty much every line. If a customer is looking to buy, since we stock multiple manufacturers, we can provide the top three or so brands which we encourage customers to try before buying. That way they can decide which model they feel is the best at doing the job. If they want to buy it, we can sell them that machine or we can bring in a brand new one. It all depends on the customer and it really provides a customized fit as opposed to having just one product to sell to them, although it creates its own purchasing and warehousing challenges.”
Johnson concedes there are a few exceptions, “There are certain products that are the industry standard and everyone wants that particular brand, so it may cost us a little more but we stick with that brand.”
Star Rentals sells everything they rent, new or used. The business partners also state that a big part of their business is repairs and maintenance. “We feel strongly about how our equipment is serviced and maintained. We have factory trained techs. If we don’t know how to do it, we’ll send our guys to the factory to find out. We warranty our used equipment, and if we didn’t feel that strongly about it, we wouldn’t give out a warranty,” says Sailer.
“When we started Star Rentals, we had some suppliers that wouldn’t give us a whole lot of time,” says Sailer. “They wanted cash up front and they wouldn’t give us terms. One company did and that was Shawn Parks of Rentquip, formally P&M Sales. They gave us terms and actually got us going. They were very relaxed with payment schedules. They went over and above and really helped us out.”
Canadian Rental Service magazine visited the Langley headquarters of Star Rentals as the company was providing a product knowledge seminar for customers. Doug Karr is Star’s in-house trainer.
Johnson adds that Genie Industries also helped Star Rentals along the way as well. “They are a great company. We had a couple large projects that they really came to the table. In general, service from suppliers is pretty good.
Acknowledging the topic that has been on everyone’s minds over the last 12 months, Johnson shares his experience of working through the recession, “In September 2008, the economic crisis kicked in and the phone stopped ringing. Thankfully, we had a good spring season this year. March came around and we had good weather so everyone started working on their gardens, which made us very happy. Like other rental companies, we find that most people take holidays in the summer and that the spring and fall are our busy times.”
Sailer adds that “During the spring and fall, we rent a larger variety of equipment such as compaction, mixers, concrete blankets, pumps, and light towers. When the time changes in the spring and it starts to get light earlier, the light tower rentals pretty well cease. In 2008, we didn’t have a spring. In February 2008 we ramped up and bought a whole bunch of new lawn and garden equipment. Then we only had a few Saturdays where it didn’t rain all during March, April and May. We had banked on the returns but we didn’t have any sunshine.”
“It was rough,” says Johnson. But the businessmen remain optimistic and recognize that economics are cyclical. “We had a big hit in the early ‘80s when I was with my family’s rental business and I remember that very well. In the early ‘90s we had a slow-down and we’re having a slow-down right now. Overall, the Lower Mainland has been growing for the last 25 or 30 years. It’s had its ups and downs but it really hasn’t stopped.”
Johnson continues, “We feel like we’re stabilizing. It could be that since we’re the new kids on the block, customers are trying us out. It could also be that the economy in general has stabilized. I’ve been hearing and reading that Vancouver is going through a bit of a housing boom with people paying more than the asking price. It’s difficult to say. But we are
PROfILE
very optimistic once the 2010 Winter Olympics are done.
“We did a market analysis around 10 months ago and we found some of the communities in the area had record numbers of renovation building permits,” says Sailer. “We’re going to keep growing; it might be six stores or 16. We can do whatever we want to do and we can do it quickly. As fast as we can think up an idea and market it, we can do it.”
Without missing a beat, Johnson sums up the entrepreneurial spirit of the company they have built, “There are no boundaries.” n
*Rich Porayko is a professional writer and founding partner of Construction Creative, a marketing and communications company located in Metro Vancouver, B.C. richp@ constructioncreative.com
COMING EVENTS
October 21
Canadian Rental Association, B.C., meeting at Star Diamond Tools. www.crarental.org
October 21
Canadian Rental Association, Ontario, meeting and rental tour, Vulcan Demolition Tools, Mississauga, Ont. www.crarental.org www.vulcandemo.com
October 27
Canadian Rental Association, Quebec, special meeting, first-round vote for Supplier of the Year 2009. www.crarental.org
2010
February 7 – 10
American Rental Association, The Rental Show Orlando, Fla.
www.therentalshow.com
March 9 – 10
The Canadian Rental Mart Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, Ont.
www.canadianrentalservice.com
Val6 - SIKBE5L
- Ideal for warming warehouses, jobsites and drying surfaces - 111,000 BTU/hr
Flagro - FLFVO-400
- Ignition guaranteed in the coldest weather - 400 000 BTU/hr
Master - PT-175-KFA - Hot Surface Ignition that eliminates need for traditional spark - 175 000 BTU/hr
More to it than BTUs
By George A. Olah* HEATERS
Don’t get burned buying and renting construction heaters.
Canadian rental companies have a myriad of temporary heating appliances to choose from. Whatever heating product is decided upon, it is essential that it is approved by the relevant safety authorities in your particular part of the country. Whether powered by electricity, oil, propane or natural gas it is the rental company’s responsibility to buy and provide approved appliances for rental.
Price alone must not be the ultimate motivating factor when purchasing your rental equipment. Select a sales person and company able to provide you with technical support, warranty service and speedy access to replacements parts. Before purchasing a new piece of equipment for your rental fleet, ascertain whether or not there will be someone you can contact and who is able to provide information and the necessary parts to keep your heaters operational. Many heater manufacturers and equipment distributors provide product training on use and maintenance of their equipment – so ask.
There are several varieties of construction heaters to choose from. As a rental company you will have to know and
Direct-fired heaters are usually found in popular BTU output sizes of around 100,000 to 1.5 million BTUs.
anticipate the requirements of your customers before you add heaters to your rental fleet. Most renters have their preferred heater sizes, fuel types, brand names or select heaters based on safety and regulatory requirements for a particular project. Be mindful that many jurisdictions favour and indeed require the use of indirect-fired heaters versus direct-fired heaters for temporary heat applications.
Perhaps the oldest type of construction heater is the venerable direct-fired heater (smaller units are nick named salamanders).
HEATERS
Above: The direct-fired tent heater is a rectangular boxylooking piece of equipment normally painted white, very easy to set up and extremely quiet to operate. They usually employ electrically operated blowers and are fuelled by propane or natural gas.
Right: Smaller versions of direct-fired heaters with lower heating output values are commonly referred to as pot heaters and are popular with both winter sports enthusiasts and building subcontractors.
These heaters are available from many different manufacturers produced in various shapes, sizes and qualities. They are usually found in popular BTU output sizes of around 100,000 to 1.5 Million BTUs and (even higher ranges for specialized uses). They are well-liked by customers because they have fewer
parts, simply designed, reliable and easy to use. However, these units are often noisy. Both the heated air and products of combustion are exhausted through the same outlet. When these appliances are activated indoors, proper ventilation must be provided for at all times.
Smaller versions of direct-fired heaters (with lower heating output values) are commonly referred to as pot heaters (because of their shape) and are popular with both winter sports enthusiasts and building subcontractors alike. As with the larger direct-fired units, training is key and more often than not required by law before they can be connected, activated and disconnected.
Radiant heaters are yet another type of direct-fired heater. Heating output sizes (model to model) range from a few thousand BTUs to over 100,000 BTUs. These are heating appliances that radiate heat from a shielded heater core. Some fit on top of 20 pound propane cylinders; others stand alone. They come in various physical sizes and fuel types. Radiant heaters provide dry heat and are extremely quiet and
HEATERS
efficient to operate. Take note that some need special filters requiring additional instructions to the customer and cost (for replacement filters). Certain radiant heaters are meant only for very causal uses such as providing temporary heat for a fishing hut or workshop in a garage while others are much more robust and heavy duty for full time winter construction applications.
A favourite direct-fired heater is the elegant tent heater. It is a rectangular boxy looking piece of equipment normally painted white, very easy to setup and extremely quiet to operate. Tent heaters usually employ electrically operated blowers and are fuelled by propane or natural gas. They can also be used for ventilation as well as providing heat. Unlike a salamander no open flame is visible. Make sure that when you rent these out to your customers that you provide them with the appropriate ducts whether flexible or rigid. Depending on the size of the tent, you can use several compact tent heaters or even larger size indirect-fired units – some models being oilfired. Tent heaters can also be used to supply temporary heat for apartment and town house renovation projects without the accompanying noise of traditional direct-fired units.
The ubiquitous patio heater is essentially a thermostatically controlled small radiant heater mounted on a pole with a metal umbrella type heat reflector fuelled by propane or natural gas. They are available in a variety of heating ranges, physical sizes and build qualities. It is one thing to have one stand or installed in your backyard patio for casual use. It
Left: Radiant heaters, another type of direct-fired heaters, outputs ranging from a few thousand BTUs to over 100,000 BTUs. These are heating appliances that radiate heat from a shielded heater core.
is quite another to have one dissembled time and time again and moved around from site to site and to expect no damage to occur to them. So look for durability when purchasing patio heaters for rental service. Remember not to rent them out to heat tents! Always ask your patio heater supplier whether they will carry a readily available inventory of replacement parts for the model you may be purchasing.
An indirect-fired construction heater is an appliance utilizing some type of heat exchanger with an electric fan moving the air over the exchanger/plenum while directing the warm air through some form of duct arrangement metallic or fabric. There is no open flame and the noise from the appliance is greatly reduced. It is similar to a forced air furnace found in millions of homes in Canada. The difference being that these indirect-fired construction heaters are portable and for temporary use. When set up properly on the job site these heaters have many positive
HEATERS
environmental benefits since the exhaust from the appliance is vented directly outside to the atmosphere and not inside the structure under construction. Indirect-fired products, while more expensive when compared to direct-fired units on a BTU to BTU basis, are becoming more and more popular with rental companies and safety authorities across the country.
Regardless of your choice of temporary heater, there are some general considerations applicable to all of them. When selecting your product, look for: simplicity of operation, ease of maintenance, level of product complexity, presence of builtin handling hooks, sizing of the wheels, the quality of the paint finish, available accessories and overall size. Not every rental company has a fleet of self loading heavy duty trucks available to ferry the heaters to and from a site. Ask yourself how easily or not the heater unit fits and loads and unloads on your pick-up truck or trunk of a renter’s vehicle? Keep in mind that not all heaters can be conveniently switched from propane to natural gas or natural gas to propane use. There are some heater models that can be easily changed between several fuel types including oil with a flip of a lever while others require a qualified mechanic to safely complete the task.
When heaters do not operate properly it is not necessarily the fault of the manufacturer, the product distributor or the sales person who sold it to you. One cause for customer product dissatisfaction is the improper use of power cords. Not using the correctly rated, and length of, electrical extension cord attached to the appropriately rated power supply causes many needless customer calls and expensive service visits. Be sure to instruct your customers how to utilize the proper power cords.
Above: There is no open flame from indirect-fired construction heaters and the exhaust is vented directly outside. While more expensive compared to direct-fired units, they are becoming more popular with rental companies.
Left: Customers using propane or natural gas as a fuel need a qualified installer to set up the equipment with the right capacity and length of hose or piping and the appropriately sized regulators.
If your customer is using propane or natural gas as a fuel, ensure that a qualified installer sets up the equipment with the right capacity and length of hose/piping and the appropriately sized regulators. For instance, while most propane hoses are black in colour and have brass ends, a 50 foot half inch hose will not power a 1.5 million BTU directfired heater for long or even at all. And remember too, that all hoses used for gaseous fuels must have the appropriate approval labels attached – at all times.
Customers should know what use the heating appliance they are renting is designed for. Confirm all potential
• complete portable generator systems from 8 kW to 250 kW
• fully rated for all common voltages
• portable distribution panels
• “rent to rent” fleet of large systems in stock
• brand name engines
• quiet, fuel efficient operation
• “user friendly” controls Canada’s generator specialists for over 70 years
HEATERS
uses of your product with your equipment supplier or manufacturer. Patio heaters are for heating patios and not garages or tents. You cannot heat your fishing cabin with a salamander expecting to wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to go because most likely you won’t wake up at all. And you don’t heat pizza or your lunch sandwich on top of your radiant heater because it is a space heater and not a micro wave. Moreover, melted cheese is not good for the efficient operation of a stainless steel heater core.
Don’t oversell the size of the heater (and number of heaters) to your customer. Small construction jobs typically do not require 1.5 million BTU direct-fired units or 400,000 BTU indirect-fired units when a small 150,000 BTU salamander type or 100,000 BTU radiant heater will adequately and cost effectively handle the job. Often, economical air movers can be added to a site without the need of additional heaters to increase the flow of heated air.
Inform your customer that certain equipment may require the frequent changing of oil or air filters to operate properly or from shutting down in middle of a plastering job or concrete pour. Don’t forget to leak test the connections on gaseous fuelled equipment. This cannot be done casually using the human nose or lit butane lighter as a leak detector. As well, always follow the manufacturer’s use directions for set-back distances for the heater from flammable sources.
George Olah.
Do not throw away the manufacturer’s manuals –it is a reference document.
Temporary construction heaters will provide years of reliable rental duty when maintained and utilized in accordance with regulatory requirements and the manufacturer’s instructions. There are many types, excellent brands and sizes to choose from operating on a variety of fuels. Fit the choice of heater to the appropriate job at hand and always remember that there is no substitution for proper training and qualified technicians to ensure that the job is completed safely and to the satisfaction of the customer. n
*George A. Olah has over 35 years of experience marketing commercial appliances in the North American marketplace. He is presently providing consulting services to Diversco Supply in Cambridge, Ont.
fOR THE RENTAL MARKET
Three firing rates
Campo Equipment Co.
Ltd., the manufacturers of EcoBlaze indirect-fired space heaters, has introduced the MLPGFH315-400 indirect NG/LP fired heater to the market this winter which is manufactured in Brampton, Ont.
The company says when it engineered the MLPGFH315-400, it took into consideration all of the shortcomings of portable heaters currently available on the market with the goal of improving efficiency, safety, durability while increase cost savings. All of which give rental companies a marketable and real competitive advantage.
The heater comes fitted with many unique first-time ever features and the burner is interchangeable with its diesel-fired counterpart, the MOFH280-400. The company says that the MLPGFH315-400 has the highest CFM output in its class rated at 3500 CFM (120 Volt/15Amps) and 400,000
BTUs. It also has the highest temperature rise at 165 degrees F and is the only heater that can boast recirculating ducts and an insulated box as standard features.
The heater is also certified with three firing rates ranging from 315,000 BTUs to 399,000 BTUs which can easily be adjusted by changing the incoming gas pressure and air settings to the stipulated factory settings.
The MLPGFH315-400 also has a commercial gas/propane burner, the Beckett CG10 which has a performance input capacity of up to 1,200,000 BTUs! The heater also comes fitted with practical features such as a lifting bar, remote thermostat operation, 16-inch wheels with greasing nipples and a hinged panel and cover that create an easy access enclosure for the burner, junction box, electric motor and fan. www.campoequipment.com
Robust features
Wacker Neuson’s newest indirect-fired heater is the Cub 300HD. This heavy-duty version of the Cub 300 offers robust features that include a larger fuel tank for 26 hours of run time at full load and up to 50 hours of run time when using optional remote thermostat. It also includes a beefier undercarriage and a removable centre lifting bracket.
The fuel efficient Cub 300HD offers lower operating costs by producing more heat from fuel consumed. Boasting 81 per cent net heater efficiency, the Cub 300HD offers a maximum heat input of 302,000 BTUs per hour. The fan produces a strong 0.8 inch wc static pressure and an airflow rate of 2,600 cubic feet per minute. With the ability to efficiently burn fuel and push the heated air through flexible ducts and into the work spaces, contractors can realize a more evenly heated project.
The winter protection specialists since 1921
fOR THE RENTAL MARKET
The overall benefit is keeping their project on schedule while realizing dramatic fuel savings.
The unit runs on kerosene, No. 1, No. 2 or winter blend diesel fuel. This versatile heater has no open flame, no combustion carbons or water. The unit produces clean, dry, healthy heat creating an ideal warm environment for a variety of construction, residential and restoration applications. Additional features added to the Cub 300HD include two air outlets that support 12 inch ductwork, tie-down points for safe and easy transport and pneumatic tires. www.wackerneuson.com
Variable power heater
Cantherm Distributors has introduced the Arcotherm EC400 indirect-fired heater to its product line-up.
Designed for commercial applications, this model is an excellent fit for the rental market. Variable heat settings of 410,000 BTUs high, and 260,000 low, allows the operator to increase or decrease the amount of heat delivered, depending on changing needs, conserving fuel as a result. With the burner off, the unit can also be run in ventilation mode. An optional re-circulating duct adapter is available, which allows air to be drawn from the space being heated assuring quicker response
time and maximizing fuel efficiency.
Technical features include a separate dedicated fan which blows air directly into the combustion chamber, as well as safety thermostats located throughout the heater. Standard on all units are pneumatic tires, pre-heated oil filter, and fuel cap with gauge. Optional accessories include one and two – way duct adapters, connector kit for external fuel tanks, and a heavy duct kit consisting of single point lift bale, side and rear protective bumpers with steering bar, and forklift pockets.
Cantherm agents to the Rental industry are Rick Darche Sales in Ontario -1-877-291-2343, and AE Sales in British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec – 1-866-391-6450. www.canthermheaters.com
Heavy duty and portable
Heatstar by Enerco continues to assert itself in rental and construction markets with its upgraded Heatstar HD Line of portable multi-fuel forced-air heaters.
The new Heatstar HD forced-air heater line is designed to meet the demands of rugged onsite use with heavy-duty high-output fans, beefed-up handles, 10 inch pneumatic tires, large capacity fuel tanks and a broad range of sizes from 50,000 to over 610,000 BTUs.
fOR THE RENTAL MARKET
The line includes seven heaters consisting of two compact units (50,000 and 75,000 BTUs); three wheeled units (125,000, 175,000 and 210,000 BTUs) and two large direct-fired heaters (360,000 and 610,000 BTUs) with the power to heat up to 114,000 square feet.
All Heatstar HD multi-fuel heaters operate using kerosene, No.1 or No. 2 diesel, JP8 or Jet A fuel and will operate in subzero temperatures.
In addition to the new HD forced-air heaters, Heatstar offers a full line of portable heating options including propane and natural gas forced-air heaters, radiant and convection construction heaters, indirect heaters and tank-top radiant heaters. www.heatstarbyenerco.com
Downward drying
The WRD-5000 dryer by Ebac Industrial Products Inc., has been designed to stand upright when not in use to reduce storage space and aid transportation. A sturdy carrying handle and well balanced assembly ensures it can easily be carried from job to job.
The unique downward drying system of the WRD-5000 draws warmer, drier air from above, forcing it down and out across the entire surface of the floor or carpet. No special setup is required as the optimum drying distance from the floor is preset by the castors mounted at each corner. www.ebacusa.com
Less amp draw
The ICE Fighter line of heaters IDF500 HS, IHS500, and IHS700 provide 1.5-4-inch of static and greater CFM than the company’s standard Frost Fighter model. The 2009/2010 models are more efficient with less amp draw, and can be re-circulated for additional fuel savings and increased discharge temperature. Higher static units are beneficial for
temporary heat, because they can provide a more uniform and consistent heat throughout a building. If ducting is required, the higher static will allow for longer duct runs than the standard heaters currently available in the marketplace.
www.frost-fighter.com
Two decades of heat
Construction Equipment Solutions (CES) in Pickering Ont., is celebrating more than two decades of supplying the Canadian rental industry with temporary winter construction heat. CES offers heating equipment from 10,000 BTUs up to and including 1.5 million BTUs. These products are offered in a variety of fuel choices, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, and electric.
As well as offering direct -fired heaters, CES was a pioneer in the indirect- fired heater business. These indirect-fired units allow any person on the job site to be supplied with clean, breathable heated air. All products of combustion are discharged into the outside air before reaching the workers.
Indirect-fired heaters are becoming the norm on most construction sites because workers are no longer exposed to these products of combustion.
CES is responsible for the sales of the DeCloet heater in Eastern Canada. The DeCloet heater has revolutionized the way that large projects are heated and reduced the fuel costs dramatically.
In addition to offering a full supply of parts and accessories to support rental operators the company also carries a full line of infra red heaters and sells heater brands by Enerco, Mr. Heater, Airmaster, Space Ray and Bismar. www.ces-sales.com
fOR THE RENTAL MARKET
Twin heater units
Allmand’s indirect-fired heater, the Maxi-Heat, features twin heater units that produce a maximum of 1,010,000 BTUs and clean, breathable air.
A standard 1,800-rpm liquid-cooled Isuzu diesel engine with regulated generator provides power for the heaters and electrical accessories. The
191-gallon fuel tank provides more than 24 hours of operation without refueling. An in-line fuel heater and pre-filter on the fuel system makes the system more tolerant to dirt and variances in the viscosity of the fuel. The static pressure of the Maxi-Heat has increased from .5 wg to 1.5 wg. This has allowed Allmand to increase the length of the Maxi-Heat’s 16-inch ducting to 110 feet.
www.allmand.com
High efficiency, low fuel consumption
Munters SIAL, a global supplier of spot, portable and stationary heaters,
is now selling to the Canadian rental market.
Based in Mondovi, Italy, just south of Turin, SIAL is recognized as a very strong brand all over Europe. With more than 30 years of experience and development, the company’s heaters are known for high efficiency, low fuel consumption, proven quality and service. The line includes direct fired kerosene/diesel units in 51,600 to 607,000 BTUs/h sizes, indirect-fired kerosene/diesel units from 91,750 to 720,800 BTUs/h
•Outdoorheaterforpatioordeck
•Selfcontainedandportable
•Adjustableheatoutput
•Usesstandard20&30lb.tank
•Stainlesssteelconstruction
•CULapproved
•www.crownverity.ca
fOR THE RENTAL MARKET
and the KID series of direct-fired propane heaters ranging in size from 49,600 to 280,400 BTUs.
The KID heaters feature 100 per cent thermal efficiency, safety shutdown and are easy to operate. They are suitable for outdoor use or in heating well-ventilated premises as well as drying in the construction industry. KID heaters are configured with manual controls on the smaller units and the bigger models can be thermostat controlled.
MIR series indirect fired heaters provide cost effective heating for large closed or less ventilated premises where people are present for extended periods. Standard features include stainless steel combustion chamber and heat exchanger, high pressure fuel pump, extended run fuel tanks and optional thermostat control. www.munters.com
Rated for continuous service
General Equipment Company’s EP8 portable electric air ventilation blower makes it easy to conform to strict OSHA regulations relating to occupational safety and health standards in confined spaces.
The EP8 works well for supplying air around construction sites, removing toxic and noxious gases from sewers and confined areas, detecting sewer line leaks, cleaning tanks and vaults, and cooling personnel in utility trenches.
Powered by a 1/3-horsepower, single-phase electric motor
rated for continuous service, the EP8 operates from either a grounded 110 AC outlet or an appropriate size AC electric generator. A replaceable fuse system is included for component and operator safety.
The heavy gauge sheet metal frame and cast aluminum blower housing offer exceptional durability. A multi-vane fan mounts directly to the motor shaft, eliminating bearings and belts, which minimizes scheduled maintenance intervals.
Optional accessories for General Equipment Company air ventilation blowers include various lengths of both insulated and non-insulated ventilation ducts, ducting storage racks and carts, and specially designed confined space ingress/ egress ductwork.
www.generalequip.com
Three heat levels
Uniquip Canada offers the Master heater line which has introduced newer models that include the cabinet propane heater MAPT18PCH which has three heat levels, up to 18,000 BTUs.
The heater is extremely compact and it features a piezo ignition, so no electricity is required. It has a 20 LP cylinder in cabinet and wheels for more portability.
Another newcomer is the kerosene heater MAPT215TKFA delivering its 215,000 BTUs with a thermostat heat controller and a fully enclosed motor. It also has 10-inch pneumatic tires to help transport it from site to site.
Unique features include an integrated air pressure gauge, a digital temperature readout and LED diagnostic as well as a separate fuel gauge. The heater also has a fuel consumption indicator.
www.uniquip.ca
Shop heater
Eastcan Marketing is now offering a new 240-Volt fan forced air shop heater by TPI Corporation.
The heater unit has a steel tubing heating element, a 43 degree F air heat rise, a manual reset limit control, a temperature controlled thermostat and a six-foot-long cordset. E-mail: eastcan@rogers.com
Warming on the go
Rentquip Canada has the solution for mobile warming with the new TBX Series Mobile Warmer portable electric heaters manufactured by Marley Engineered Products.
fOR THE RENTAL MARKET
The TBX Series Mobile Warmer is a powerful portable heater that is made of heavy gauge steel and polyester powder coat paint. The unit also features a latched storage area on top for miscellaneous items such as tools and hardware. Ten inch diameter pneumatic wheels allow for easy rolling over obstacles to the spot where heat is needed.
The TBX Series Mobile Warmer Series models are ideal for factories, stores, warehouses, stockrooms, flood dry-out, workshops, repair stations, construction sites, drywall dry-out, tent heating, greenhouse heating, frozen pipe thaw-out.
Sold under the QMark and Berko brands the TBX Series Mobile Warmer products are available in two sizes: TBX104 9.5kw, 32414 BTUs at 240 Volts and TBX754 7.5kw, 25590 BTUs at 240 Volts.
Both units include an eight foot cord and NEMA 6-50 plug. The thermostats offer positive off and a fan delay only position with a range of 40 to 100 degrees F. The rugged steel finned element heats lower to floor for natural convection and greater heat displacement. TBX Series Mobile Warmer heaters come with a high safety limit in the event of overheating.
www.rentquip.com www.marleymep.com
Warm and dry
DeCloet Ltd., a 100 per cent Canadian company is pleased to introduce its Model 800 Indirect-Fired Heater/ Dryers. The DeCloet Heater/Dryers utilize the basic principles of traditional forced air heating with no gimmicks or electronics and are as simple to use as a household forced air furnace.
The DeCloet 800 Series Heater/ Dryers provide clean, dry heat than any other heater in its class. They are designed to both warm and dry a building space. They are available with Tri-Fuel Burners – Fuel Oil, NG or LPG and provide 800,000 BTUs of clean hot and dry air at over 11,000 CFM. The units can be used indoors or outdoors, and air can be ducted 100 feet or more into a building or into existing ductwork to supply emergency or temporary heat. The units are capable of recycling from 0 to 100 per cent of the air in a building
allowing the user to save up to 40 per cent of fuel costs.
This unique Heater/Dryer boasts heavy duty all stainless steel skins and all steel construction with a unique stainless steel heat exchanger to ensure clean dry air.
The DeCloet 800 Series also has a BoltOn “Dryer Box” which is an automatic drying and humidity control feature allowing contractors to automatically heat and dry a building to a specific relative humidity in order to speed drying and curing of paint/drywall/concrete. www.decloet.com
Versatile ducting
ABC Industries, Inc. has introduced its EnviroDuct 15WK heater ducting which has now been approved and is in use by the military. EnviroDuct 15WK is a versatile ducting product with a wide temperature performance range of -60 degrees F to 280 degrees F. It is available in a multiple range of colours and configurations to meet a variety of heater ducting needs.
www.abc-industries.net
For any application
Aerotech Herman Nelson International makes its debut to the rental industry with three heater models.
The SE100 is a lightweight, efficient, 100 percent breathable portable heater that runs on diesel, kerosene or kerosenebased fuels. This affordable heater can be used for residential applications such as heating a garage to commercial applications like drying concrete and pre heating equipment.
The SE200 produces 200,000 BTUs of warm, dry heated air rated at over 1,500 CFM and will run for almost 12 hours on a single tank of fuel. The SE200 has been used for a variety of applications from professional sporting events to large construction jobs.
At 300,000 BTUs the Aerotech SE300 heater is more than enough to keep any job operational despite the elements. The improved SE300 comes standard with a heated fuel filter and a patented four-loop burner system, and can be operated with a remote thermostat.
www.hermannelson.com n
RENTAL RUMBLES
Look for Green at Enerco
Enerco Group Inc. has hired Doug Green as national accounts sales manager for its Heatstar by Enerco business division. Green was formerly with Desa, as national sales manager for the company’s Master Brand, and is very well known in the industry.
“When Doug joined us it was a great day for our Heatstar business,” said Jeff Mack, president and COO of Enerco. “Two of the primary markets for Heatstar are rental and construction. And it seems that everybody in those channels knows and respects Doug Green.”
The Heatstar line was launched by Enerco in 2003. It quickly became the number two player in commercial markets. Desa filed for bankruptcy and announced its intention to liquidate in December 2008. Green, who already knew the team at Enerco, joined the company.
“This year things really came together for us,” says Tim Jedrzejek, Enerco’s national sales manager for the rental equipment market, adding that the company had recently upgraded its line of Heatstar kerosene heaters.
“With Doug’s experience and industry reputation, he’s the perfect addition to take us to the next level.”
“I still have a real sense of loyalty and commitment to all the customers I’ve worked with in this industry,” says Green. “I wouldn’t try to bring them along with me if I didn’t believe in my new team and our products. I’m totally comfortable where I am now.”
www.heatstarbyenerco.com
Heater manufacturer marks 30 years
Flagro Industries Limited in St. Catharines, Ont., celebrated its 30th year in business by moving into a new facility. An additional office area and warehouse comprising of 12,000 sq. ft., has been added to an existing building for a new 40,000 sq. ft., facility that Flagro now calls home. Flagro Industries Limited is a manufacturer of propane, natural gas and oil fired construction heating equipment.
www.flagro.on.ca
One-stop for heaters
Cavell Equipment Ltd. opened for business this year. Company owner Chris Cavell is already well known in the rental equipment industry and has started a new company based out of Winnipeg, Man., that he describes as a one-stop shop for all portable heating needs.
From sales and service to aftermarket support, Cavell Equipment supplies and maintains all major manufacturers of portable heaters from Canada, the United States, and Europe.
“By assembling a collection of the top minds in the world of portable heating, Cavell Equipment Ltd. can service, consult, or supply parts for most models of heaters available in North America for the past 50 years!” says Cavell with pride.
www.cavellequipment.com n
CANADIAN RENTAL ASSOCIATION
President’s message
By Jay Williams, CRA president
Hello Members!
Thank goodness we had a recession this year – if we hadn’t, we probably wouldn’t have been able to keep up! Well, all joking aside, 2009 hasn’t been the best year, but it certainly was not the worst. Yes, we still had to do some cutbacks. Yes, we still had to work hard, if not harder, to keep our clients. But when you think about it, as an economy that was in trouble for the most part of 2008 and 2009, we did great. The American Rental Association (ARA) Region 10, has been fortunate throughout the recession.
The worst is behind us, as governments like to tell us. Let’s hope that they keep their promise on that one!
We have rental clients that like to ask a lot from us. We, as good rental persons, like to do whatever we can to help them. We also like to make them happy. As business owners, however, we may find ourselves in legal binds if, in order to make the clients’ work easier, we alter or modify the security features on our equipment. This may enable the client to work more accordingly with the equipment, but it can also cause serious liability issues where the rental owner may no longer be insured in case the client gets hurt for example, because of the modifications we have made to the equipment. Modifications that may seem minor to us, but that can cause major damages.
Here are some points that have been sent to me from HED Insurance Risk Services regarding this issue:
• Dealers should avoid making modifications to equipment safety features.
• These modifications would very likely void the manufacturer’s warranty on the equipment and more importantly, in the event that a customer is injured while using the equipment, the manufacturer will no doubt deny liability as the dealer has modified the equipment. This defence has held up in court many times.
• This would leave the dealer with full responsibility for the injury and damages.
Please see your insurance company to review this with you and to answer any relevant questions you may have concerning this. It could save you a lot of money in the long-run.
Summer is now officially over. There is no use asking ourselves futile questions about whether it was ever actually with us at one point; we must face reality: autumn is back, and it is time to prepare our winter equipment such as heaters. I would advise to verify with your provincial hydro and gas
CANADIAN RENTAL ASSOCIATION
companies for the updates on new rules and regulations for equipment operation such as electric heaters, portable diesel heaters, propane heaters, and natural gas heaters. It is possible to get information from your CRA Local as well. At the same time, I would like to remind you that your CRA Local is working very hard for you by creating meetings for all its members. In these meetings, you will find a wealth of information enabling you to help your business.
As an ARA member, I have found tons and tons of information helping me in the publicity of my business. Store front publicity, as well as cyber publicity. The ARA has a very knowledgeable staff that is there to help you. Take advantage of its expertise.
I wish you all a terrific Thanksgiving! n
Mot du président
Par Jay Williams, président de la CRA
Bonjour,
Heureusement que nous avons eu une récession cette année – sinon, on aurait probablement eu un peu de difficulté à répondre aux appels de tous nos clients! Non, sans blague, l’année 2009 n’a peut-être pas été une super-année pour nos chiffres d’affaires, mais elle n’a pas non plus été une des pires. Oui, on a du travailler fort, peut-être même plus fort que d’habitude, pour garder les clients. Mais à bien y penser, même avec une récession, on a réussi à nous en sortir pas mal bien. La région 10 de l’ARA a été chanceuse de n’avoir pas été affectée autant par la récession que nos voisins du sud.
Le pire est derrière nous, comme les gouvernements et les économistes s’amusent à nous dire. Espérons qu’ils gardent leur promesse là-dessus.
Nous avons des clients qui parfois sont plus exigeants que d’autres. Nous, en tant que chefs d’affaires en location, aimons satisfaire à leurs besoins autant que possible. Nous aimons aussi voir nos clients heureux. En tant que professionnels, par contre, nous pourrions nous retrouver dans un méli-mélo au niveau légal et financier si, afin de faciliter l’usage d’un équipement pour un client, nous altérons ou modifions les fonctions de sécurité sur cet équipement. Certes, parfois des petites modifications pourraient rendre l’équipement plus malléable, ou facile à utiliser. Par contre, ces mêmes modifications peuvent causer de sérieux problèmes ou griefs si le client se blesse à cause d’altérations que l’on aurait apportées à l’équipement en question. Des modifications qui peuvent nous sembler mineures, mais qui causeraient de sérieux dommages. Voici quelques points que la HED m’ont fournis :
• Les distributeurs ou centres de location devraient éviter de faire des modifications aux fonctions de sécurité des équipements.
• Ces modifications ont de fortes chances d’annuler la garantie du fabricant et plus important encore, si le client est victime d’une blessure causée lors de l’utilisation
Fit for rock stars and divas
By Rich Porayko*
The most luxurious portable restrooms in the country find their niche.
There is a saying that two of the most recession proof industries in Canada are the funeral business and waste management. No one likes to talk about funerals so Canadian Rental Service decided to dig into waste. Human waste that is. From divas to rock stars to billionaires, CRS magazine presents the glamorous world of high-end portable restrooms.
“It’s My Potty started when Absolute Support Services, a niche renter of equipment to the film, television and commercial production industry, got a call from a producer of a television series that was shooting in Toronto, Ont., at a time when there was little available other than plastic, construction style portable toilets,” says Paul Kenyon of the Toronto-based company. “The producer was concerned that the female lead would refuse to use a traditional plastic portable. He was concerned if he had to travel her from where they were shooting at a marina to a proper restroom that he would lose one to two hours of his day running her back and forth.”
“He made somewhat of an urgent call to us asking us what we had, and we had nothing! We did a little bit of research and found out what they used in Los Angeles. We very quickly flew to LA and bought a “trailerized” restroom and brought it back and put it into service here. That was around 1999 and it took off from there. We didn’t really market It’s My Potty, it was a just in support of our film business through Absolute Support Services. And then film workers started experiencing them on film sets and they started calling us to see if they could rent a restroom trailer for their private functions, weddings, bar mitzvahs and so forth. So it wasn’t really the plan to get into this, but
“It’s My Potty is a division of Absolute Support Services, a niche renter of equipment to the film, television and commercial production industry in Toronto, Ont.
SPECIAL EVENTS
now it is a whole separate enterprise that has done fairly well for itself.”
“Once people have used a fully automated, solar powered trailer that has fresh water, they seldom, if ever, want to go back to a traditional plastic, construction style portable. It started with very utilitarian trailers and now it’s grown to a fleet of more than 30 units. The latest edition is the 32 foot Royal which serves 18 people simultaneously. The Royal Line, in our view, is the most luxurious portable restrooms in the country. They presently come in eight-foot, 24-foot and 32-foot lengths and are done in a champagne finish with the logos being very understated. The idea is that they are intended to blend into the background and not attract attention. The theme is essentially black granite surfaces, halogen lighting, satellite stereo sound, LCD monitors for promo reels or slideshows, electronic pushbutton flush vitreous china toilets in black, brushed stainless steel sinks, and
private vanity mirrors. All the cabinetry is done in solid maple. Every water closet is individual and private; there are no communal stalls or anything like that. It’s a touchless environment for hand washing and drying. There is actually a computer that runs the toilet and determines how much water it requires. We can program it to a low, standard or a residential flush. Usually we are on a more conservative side because everything is going into a holding tank.”
“Frequently we will also provide an attendant or a concierge service,” says Kenyon. “An attendant service just means that there is a uniformed attendant that goes through after every guest leaves and wipes down all the surfaces so that every guest’s experience is as though they are the first one to use the trailer. The concierge service is the same thing but the attendant has umbrellas to take guests to and from the event if the trailer is not located immediately
The company’s 32-foot Royal Flush unit is a high tech portable restroom that serves 18 people simultaneously.
adjacent to the event. The concierge service also includes breath mints, cologne, deodorant, and hairspray, as well the trailers are outfitted with fresh floral arrangements in each of the compartments for both ladies and men’s rooms. We’re trying to emulate the experience of using the restroom at a fine hotel, that’s the inspiration.“
Not all portable restroom trailers are created equal. Frequently, many of them require city services; they have to have a freshwater hookup and they need to be connected to a city sanitary main or a septic system. Most of It’s My Potty’s trailers are completely self-contained. They come with the water and waste onboard, however, larger units only come with onboard waste and they require garden hose attachments.
“The beauty of having a self contained restroom is that you can stick it in the middle of a farmer’s field and people can use it in the way it was intended without any supporting infrastructure such as hydro or water,” says Kenyon. “It is a big selling feature. Trailer builders always want to build them where they rely on a fresh water and hydro connection. We keep telling them we need to be completely independent. The trailer builder we are working with now is good at listening to our specifications. When we started this, the manufacturers basically said ‘This is the way the trailer comes,’ and there was no discussion on how to customize it. Finally we found a trailer builder that listens to what we want and makes changes. Every trailer we
SPECIAL EVENTS
get is improved over the trailer we had before it.”
In fact, they are nicer than the average person’s home washroom.
Kenyon explains, “We actually had a complaint from a bride who had our units at her wedding who mentioned afterwards that people were congregating around the trailers and there was more discussion about the toilets than there was on the fact she was getting married. She was somewhat alarmed by that. She said it half in jest but her guests were impressed with the facilities.”
Every “trailerized” portable restroom of It’s My Potty’s fleet has a separately designated men’s and ladies’ room which can accommodate from one to 10 toilets (also known as holes or bangers). Some of the new units the company is building will have a movable wall so that they can quickly modify the equipment to be entirely men or entirely ladies. “At some of the events there is quite often a disproportionate number of men to women. So sometimes we will designate an entire trailer, most often, to the ladies.”
“We are more conscious and our customers are becoming more and more demanding of eco-friendly solutions so a lot of our fleet is solar powered which run the most rudimentary functions of the trailer such as pumps and interior lights. However, air conditioning and heating, all the frills, those things don’t generally operate on solar.”
The company does 76 per cent of its revenue between April and October and estimates its market to be roughly 70 per cent special events and 30 per cent film. When SARS struck in 2004, the television and film industry went from $1.4 billion a year in Ontario to about $630 million last year. “Because It’s My Potty isn’t entirely reliant on the film and television production industry, it has stayed fairly recession proof. It’s a seasonal adjustment,” says Kenyon. “You can’t rent to a special event to save your life in February, where film continues 12 months of the year. So that helps us as we’ve got such a large portfolio
of film customers. Our revenues are generally a little bit better than your average portable restroom operator that only sees special events in the summer and construction in the winter.”
“Special events range from marathons to the Toronto International Film Festival to the L’Oréal Fashion Week. However, Toronto has just announced some tax breaks that have seen new productions land. It’s My Potty has signed on with the Resident Evil 4 production in September, which the overall budget is estimated at $90 million U.S., and will take us beyond Christmas.”
“The film component does help with load balancing, however, at times it’s like a rollercoaster and you can go from feast to famine in the blink of an eye. As someone that just came off a three-day weekend of servicing portable washrooms myself, it is hard to crew for. You might be running with four technicians year
The Royal Flush unit boasts an exterior champagne finish, interior black granite surfaces, brushed stainless steel sinks and solid maple cabinetry.
round, however, for the weekend that just passed, we had nine people out between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. every night to service the whole fleet of equipment.”
Even with a slumping economy, It’s My Potty has experienced terrific gains year over year even beyond
SPECIAL EVENTS
the depression that hit the film and television industry. “We’ve always seen tremendous growth upwards of 25 percent per year for several years running,” says Kenyon. “Our numbers are still better than they were last year, marginally, but we have nothing to complain about.
“We add a minimum of four or five trailers every year. Nothing in our fleet is over five years of age. Our used equipment finds its way to campgrounds, private cottages and other portable sanitary operators. We always need to keep ahead of the curve and keep things fresh. We’re also always looking to lessen our carbon footprint through energy efficiency such as LED lighting. There is always an evolution taking place.” n
*Rich Porayko is a professional writer and founding partner of Construction Creative, a marketing and communications company located in Metro Vancouver, B.C. richp@constructioncreative.com.
Suite de la page 24
de l’équipement, le fabricant niera sans aucun doute toute responsabilité financière, puisque c’est le centre de location qui aura choisi de modifier l’appareil. Cette défense a tenu et a été accordée plusieurs fois déjà en cour.
• Ceci rend responsable le centre de location pour les dommages et blessures causés au client par la modification de fonction de sécurité sur l’équipement loué.
L’été est maintenant officiellement terminé. Il n’est pas nécessaire de se demander par où il est passé, nous devons faire face à la réalité : l’automne est là. Il est temps de préparer l’équipement d’hiver, notamment les radiateurs. Renseignez-vous auprès de votre fournisseur d’électricité et de gaz pour connaître les mises à jour relatives aux règlements pour
le fonctionnement des équipements tels que les radiateurs électriques, chauffages portables, appareils de chauffage au propane, au gaz naturel, etc. Il est aussi possible de recevoir de l’information en vous adressant à votre association locale de la CRA. Je voudrais aussi vous rappeler que votre association locale travaille très fort pour vous en organisant des réunions pour tous ses membres. Des réunions où vous trouverez maintes informations qui vous aideront à améliorer votre centre.
En tant que membre de l’ARA, j’ai aussi trouvé énormément d’informations qui m’ont permis d’améliorer ma publicité, tant au niveau visuel de mon centre de location, qu’au niveau de la cyberpublicité. L’équipe de l’ARA est très dévouée envers vous, ses membres, et ils sont nombreux à être à votre service. Profitez de leur expertise. n
For a copy of this brochure call: 1-877-324-6665
www.echo.ca
2009 Catalogue Available
Professionals have come to trust the power of Bear Cat chippers, chipper/shredders, log splitters, wheeled trim mowers, vacuums and debris loaders.
The new 2009 product catalogue is now available. Inside this brochure you will find the latest information on all of the different ECHO Bear Cat products, the differences between them and the models and specifications for every unit.
This product is sold to rental stores across Canada by Echo Power Equipment (Canada).
ECHO POWER EQUIPMENT (CANADA)
• DRI-EAZ Dehumidifiers, Blowers and air conditioners
• OZTEC Concrete Vibrators Paper Shredders
Ceiling grinders
• JENNY Air Compressors & Pressure Washers
• TERRAMITE Compact loaders backhoes & Street Sweepers
PROVINCE OF QUEBEC – CLAUDE POIRIER – (514) 217-6977
For a copy of this brochure call toll-free 1-877-273-7246 or visit our website www.drainbrain.com/rental
RENTAL CATALOG
A new catalog of drain cleaning tools designed for the rental industry is available from General Pipe Cleaners. The catalog illustrates both rental tough power drain cleaners and professional drain cleaning equipment with automatic feeds to clear clogged drains from 1-1/4” to 10” in diameter. General manufacturers of a full line of drain cleaning equipment, high pressure water jets, video pipe inspection/ location equipment, and pipe thawing machines.
GENERAL PIPE CLEANERS
Four decades of renting
By Chris Skalkos
For Ivor DeLange success is measured in years and next month the owner operator of A&B Rental Centre in London, Ont., will tally 40 of them.
A&B Rental Centre in London, Ont., was founded in 1969 by his father Frits DeLange and Fred Freeman, his business partner. The company was originally named A to Z Rental which was part of the A to Z franchise based out of Chicago. When the franchise went bankrupt Frits and Fred acquired the assets and forged their own destiny re-naming the company to A & B, taking the first initials of their wives’ names, Avril and Betty.
DeLange says it was a symbolic gesture to his mother who supported his father’s ambition to make the business work. “The business really started when my Dad, who was from Holland, met my mother, who was from Scotland, at an air force dance during the Second World War. They emigrated to Canada on the Queen Marry where my father worked as merchant marine mechanic,” he says. “With four kids they sold the house to finance the new business. They lived in poverty for the first few years but the business started to grow.”
DeLange says there were several independent rental stores serving the city at that time and the industry did not have the multi-branch chain stores that are common today.“ The rental industry was still developing, the concept of renting was still new,” explains DeLange.
In 1987, the growing business moved to Hyde Park Road, where it stayed for seven more years until the company had again outgrown its property.
The year 1994 brought along two changes. Ivor took over the equipment business from his father and his brother Jerry took over the party and special events division to start A&B Your Party Rental Centre.
DeLange moved the equipment rental operation it to its present location, a 21,000-square-foot building located at Fanshawe Park Road at the northwest end of the city, where it has continued to grow by offering quality products and personal service.
DeLange and his team of dedicated employees have continued to expand their prospects and grow their business by offering reliable equipment at competitive pricing. However, the key to the company’s longevity in the rental business, says DeLange, is listening to customers and adding the equipment lines they need to get their jobs done.
“Since 1994 we have worked closely with contractors to build up the compaction line and this has also worked with our industrial clients in developing the high reach market,” he says.
Today A&B Rental Centre carries a highly diversified line of quality construction equipment for contractors that includes dozers, rollers personnel lifts and cranes to scaffolding, generators and construction heaters. The company also carries a wide selection of plumbing, mechanical, lawn and garden equipment.
Top: Ivor DeLange, the owner and operator of A&B Rental Centre in London, Ont., will celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary on Nov. 1, 2009.
Above: Team A & B Rental Centre, from left, Ivor Delange, Darren Glavin, Don Wallace, Amandio Capote, Mike Mann, Martin Hughes, Kellie Brown, Jeremy Boucher, Ian Baber and Jim Van Hende.
Despite the many challenges that rental companies face in today’s economic climate DeLange notes that one of the most discerning factors is the trend of owning certain tools and equipment that has taken root as the market is flooded with discounted offshore products. “People don’t rent as much as they used to because tools and smaller equipment have become so cheap,” he says. “Renting is about customer service, timely deliveries and providing high quality equipment that customers can rely on.” n
