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We still have work to do on service standards. by Patrick Flannery 14
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Aerial work platform showcase New products from MEC, Genie, Custom Equipment, Diversified and more.
Industry news
CRA presidents drive around in old cars, United opens HVAC branches, Rental Mart announces seminars, rental to the rescue in Alberta
Solid on the Rock Brad Smith’s stable of businesses is filling all needs. 24 Safe design and operation
Veteran scissor lift manufacturers Steve and Justin Kissinger talk lift safety and safe design.
Software showcase New products from Point-of-Rental, C3, Unique Business Systems, Orion and more.
The CRA can connect you to suppliers you can trust. by Jeff Campbell
Shareholder agreements made simple. by Mark Borkowski
Service with a sneer
Gather round the campfire : time for a horror story.
My brother-in-law, Rob, is a carpenter, and therefore no stranger to construction sites and equipment. Recently, he rented a mini-excavator to dig footings for an extension he was putting on his cottage in southern Ontario. His experience tells us there is still work to do in this industry to bring the level of professionalism and service up to where it needs to be.
To start with, he got a phone call about two hours after the equipment was promised to tell him the driver was having trouble finding his place. His cottage is not far off a main road and within a 10-minute drive of small towns in both directions. One wonders just how lost a driver could possibly get in such an area, and what would prevent him from finding a phone to use if there was something wrong with his mobile. GPS, anyone?
Rob is familiar with construction equipment, but no expert. The “training” he received on how to operate the machine was barely sufficient to get him going. What happens when this rental store delivers equipment to people who have never touched it before?
Once he finally got going, having lost nearly half his day, it was not long before the machine blew a fuse. Finding
by Patrick Flannery
no replacements anywhere in the machine, he called the store. “Oh, that happens all the time,” the counter man said. Wondering why there would not be a supply of spare fuses in the excavator if this w as a common problem, Rob asked what he should do. “Do you smoke?” came the reply. Rob doesn’t, but the suggestion was going to be that he fake up a repair to the fuse with a bit of foil from a cigarette pack. Since that wasn’t an option, Rob had to wait while a new fuse was driven out. Thankfully, the driver was able to find the place this time.
A new fuse in place, Rob commenced digging. He found the machine very unstable and felt he was close to toppling forward several times. He finally got his hole done, but commented on this concern when he returned the machine. The response? “Bet you didn’t see these,” the driver quipped, and hit a button extending the support legs that were completely invisible to Rob underneath the machine. When I heard this, I thought Rob showed great restraint in not punching this individual in the nose at this point.
In telling you this story, I am not being fair. For every experience like this, hundreds of customers all over the country are receiving great customer service and getting their jobs done easier and faster thanks to their local rental stores. Maybe 90 per cent of this store’s customers go away thrilled. But life isn’t fair, and your service will always be judged by its worst example. We have all seen the surveys showing how many people a satisfied customer tells about their experience versus how many people a dissatisfied customer tells: the ratio is about one to 10.
The Canadian Rental Association gives rental operators Image Awards in an attempt to encourage its members to maintain a clean, attractive showroom. Maybe we need something similar to promote great service. CRS
RentAl MARt seMinARs AnnOUnCed
C anadian Rental Mart organizers have confirmed two educational presentations for the national trade show taking place March 18 - 19 at the Toronto Congress Centre. On March 18, Neil Courneya, president of Hy-Cor International, will present “Add Power to Your Generator Rentals with Temporary Power Distribution Equipment.” Rental Mart seminars are made possible by the generous support of its sponsors, A.E. Sales, Rentquip and Billy Goat.
The talk will offer a detailed look at temporary power distribution equipment and how to apply it safely and effectively to customers’ needs. Hy-Cor is a major vendor of safety supplies and temporary power and lighting equipment to the rental industry across Canada. Courneya has been in the distribution business supplying products and equipment to the general construction industry since 1988 and expanded into the rental market in January 2009 with the opening of Hy-Cor. With an in depth understanding of wholesale distribution, Neil has implemented a single source vending strategy for safety supplies and created and developed in depth training program for temporary power and lighting equipment. As a Class A mechanic, Neil possesses a strong background in technical and service support. Courneya’s seminar will take place at 9:00 a.m. in the International Crown Plaza hotel conference rooms, directly across Dixon Road from the Congress Centre.
Wednesday, March 19 at 9:00 a.m., Mercantile Mergers and Acquisitions CEO and Canadian Rental Service columnist, Mark Borkowski, will present “Valuing Your Rental Business in Today’s Market.” Both sides of an M&A deal will have different ideas about the worth of a target company. In this talk, 25-year M&A veteran Borkowski will introduce attendees to the methods and tools professional investors use when assessing a target company. At this free presentation, rental operators will learn about comparative ratios, price/earnings ratios, enterprise-value-to-sales ratios, replacement costs, discounted cash flows and more.
Brandt tractor Buys Wallace equipment
Brandt Tractor has announced its acquisition of Wallace Equipment of Fredericton, N.B. This acquisition marks Brandt’s first presence in Atlantic Canada and establishes Brandt as a nation-wide company with 27 branches reaching from coast to coast. Wallace Equipment is the John Deere Construction and Forestry Dealer for Atlantic Canada, which includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Wallace operates five branches located in Fredericton, Moncton, Bathurst, Halifax and Sydney. Building on Wallace’s 20-year history, the company’s plan is to invest in product support initiatives to better support customer needs. This acquisition is significant to their customers for several reasons: Brandt brings to Atlantic Canada its 80-years of customer service experience and its reputation for doing whatever it takes to help customers succeed; Brant’s unique understanding of customer challenges within a variety of industry categories including construction, forestry and resource sectors enable us to offer timely, cost-effective solutions; Brandt will invest in new product support initiatives to better meet customer needs; this acquisition enables Brandt to better meet the needs of national customers who operate equipment across the country. Effective July 2, the Wallace Equipment name changed to Brandt Tractor.
“We’re very excited about this latest addition to Brandt and all the potential it represents. We’re confident our expanded team and fortified expertise will help fuel our new nation-wide commitment to delivering value to our customers, every day,” said Shaun Semple, Brandt Tractor president.
Campbell, was there too with his 1922 Gray Dort.
United tAkes OveR Rent WORld
United Rentals has acquired Rent World, a construction equipment rental company with two facilities in Wainwright, Alta. Rent World serves the fast-growing Keystone Pipeline marketplace in central Alberta. Rent World is located a couple of hours southeast of Edmonton and is the closest rental center to Hardisty, Alta., in the heart of the Keystone pipeline/oil sands region, a petroleum industry hub. The company, which also does significant business with a nearby military base, has a general contractor equipment inventory including aerial equipment, earthmoving and air compressors. Former owner Orlando Radies will stay on and manage the facility. Fred Hageman, principal of Rental Acquisitions, represented Rent World in the transaction.
What is it with CRA presidents and old cars? Here’s Dale Brinklow, CRA Ontario president, driving his 1918 Model T at a July event in Niagara Falls, Ont. CRA national president, Jeff
INDUSTRY NEWS
HAssi HAs nORtH AMeRiCA
Dri-Eaz Products has promoted Jim Hassi to sales manager for the U.S. and Canada. Hassi brings more than 20 years of sales and distribution management experience to the role, including residential and light construction project sales and director of sales for a manufacturer of high quality timber-frame residential and commercial structures. Hassi joined Dri-Eaz as an account manager and was responsible for the western U.S. and Canada regions. In his new position, he will supervise all Dri-Eaz sales operations in North America. When he joined Dri-Eaz, Hassi said, “I chose Dri-Eaz because of the company’s great reputation for quality, innovation and customer support. Every person I’ve met is dedicated to building and bringing the best products to our customers so that they can be successful in their own businesses. I look forward to building relationships with our distributors and the customers you serve.” Hassi is based in Dri-Eaz’ Burlington, Wash., office.
MACkAy tO steP dOWn
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers has announced the retirement of Rob Mackay, its president, effective October 31. After 28 years of service in many different capacities, all based in the Ritchie Bros. head office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Mackay will transition from day-today duties and then retire as an employee.
“Rob has contributed very effectively in so many ways to the success and growth of our company,” said Peter Blake, CEO of Ritchie Bros. “He has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles over the past 28 years and devoted his time and energy to help build the Ritchie Bros. global business into the industry leading position we have today. Earlier in the year, Rob took a role on the board of an agricultural equipment dealer with a view to transition to the next phase in his business career. We wish Rob the very best for a happy and healthy retirement, and offer him our heartfelt thanks for all he has done to make Ritchie Bros. what we are today.”
neW parts man
Paladin Attachments has announced it has hired David Garmenn to lead its new strategic initiative focusing on aftermarket parts- and attachmentspecific maintenance kits. As the new parts manager, Garmenn will lead implementation of the new initiative. He will work closely with all internal departments including customer service, engineering and sales to enhance product support for Paladin, which includes its eight brands: Bradco, CP, CustomWorks, FFC, Harley, JRB, McMillen and Sweepster. Garmenn comes to Paladin with more than 20 years of aftermarket experience in internal engine parts for automotive, heavy-duty on-road and heavy-duty diesel off-road construction applications. He is a proven leader in driving successful
lOCAtiOn eqUiPMent sUPPly sOld tO WilliAM WHite
Paul Potvin has announced he has signed a letter of intent to sell the Toronto film and event rental company he founded in 1994 to William F. White International. Potvin will remain in place to manage the company. The deal is slated to close October 31.
“After a year of discussions, months of negotiations, dozens of meetings, conference calls, and a few sleepless nights, I’m excited to announce that I’ve signed a letter of intent to sell Location Equipment Supply,”Potvin wrote in his announcement.
Potvin predicts bigger and better things for LES following the ownership change. “The partnership with White’s will give us access to new markets, resources and equipment to truly become a onestop-shop,” he predicts. “I’ve been given the mandate to continue to run the new company autonomously, and all of my current staff will be staying on.” Potvin said the timing seemed right to sell the business and White “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
In the short term, Potvin predicts few changes except to some of the corporate branding. He says White will give LES access to a wider range of equipment and services as the relationship matures.
implementation of value-added engineering and marketing initiatives, as well as inventory management. He most recently worked in product management at Mahle Clevite, where he managed a staff of 15 and lead product development for multiple product lines. Garmenn has extensive experience in post-merger integration and in implementing best practices among product lines, as well as product information management systems.
“We’re excited to have Garmenn on board at Paladin. His experience and expertise will help us to expand and develop relationships with parts and service managers to gain insight about the aftermarket needs of customers and make sure they are being met,” commented John Thomas, vice-president of marketing and business development at Paladin.
CRA M e MB e R s MA de A diffe R en C e in Al B e R tA flOO d A id eff OR t
The recent devastation of widespread flooding in Southern Alberta hit communities hard and resulted in great loss and suffering. It also demonstrated the generous human spirit as people from across Canada and around the world heeded the call for help. Members of the Canadian Rental Association are proud to be among those lending helping hand to flood victims.
Among those is Marc Mandin of 4-Way Equipment Rentals in Edmonton, who challenged all rental businesses and associate members to donate to Red Cross Alberta at www.redcross.ca.
Mandin got the ball rolling with a $1,000 donation, which was quickly matched by The Cat Rental Store. More rental businesses accepted Marc’s challenge to make a donation. And the CRA Alberta Chapter contributed $500, which was matched by CRA Canada and the American Rental Association.
“The devastation caused by the flooding in Alberta was immense and our thoughts go out to all of those people impacted,” Mandin said. “We wanted to help make a difference in the community by supporting an incredible organization like Red Cross Alberta. They do amazing work to help people in need.”
Heading doWntoWn
Moving out of its Mississauga location, Volvo Rents, a worldwide provider of small-to-medium sized construction equipment, has relocated to Toronto, Ont.
On August 1, Volvo Rents made the move to its new larger location complete with an equipment showroom and large yard to house the Volvo Rents fleet. The new location also features enough space for offices, a conference room and training facilities.
“Our new Toronto location puts us in a more ideal location to better serve our customers,” said Scott Teron, division manager of Volvo Rents Ontario. “With the current downtown location serving as a satellite to our new store, we’re not only expanding our coverage area and the amount and types of equipment available, we are also helping to feed the existing location which opened last year.”
In addition to Volvo Rents’ expanding line of Volvo compact equipment – such as backhoe and skid steer loaders, compact wheel loaders, compact excavators and compaction equipment – the new Toronto rental center carries a comprehensive line of essential equipment and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets. The focus is on daily, weekly and monthly rentals.
“With Ontario locations already in Windsor, Chatham, London, Stoney Creek, Leamington, Cambridge, and downtown Toronto, we believe there is tremendous value in relocating the Mississauga office to a larger market in addition to expanding its inventory, overall space, features and resources,” said Mike Crouch, vice-president of business development for Volvo Rents.
Stores that have made donations to the Red Cross include: 4-Way Equipment Rentals, The Cat Rental Store, Roger’s Rental and A.C. Dandy (Temp Power). Many CRA members also donated rentals of equipment to help in the effort.
“I’m proud of how the rental industry responded to the disaster, even when some members’ homes were underwater,” said Jim Boddez, president of CRA Alberta. At his company alone, four employees were evacuated and two have probably lost most of their material possessions because of the flooding.
Not only did the flooding damage homes and businesses, it also pressed CRA member businesses into much longer hours of operation. The equipment CRA members offer for rent is still in great demand as people try to rebuild their lives.
“Our members and employees in Alberta were personally impacted by the flooding, and I am very proud of our industry’s commitment to the communities we serve and the donations we are making to help in the recovery effort,” added Boddez.
The Alberta flood aid effort was also given a big boost after Finning Canada and the Caterpillar Foundation made a $170,000 donation to The Calgary Foundation’s Flood Rebuilding Fund and The Red Cross.
Bee R A W inne R
Kim Scott Rixon of Muskoka Party Rentals in Bracebridge, Ont., may have a new sideline as a brewmaster after winning People’s Choice award in a local beer festival. The festival, called called Griffin Session Muskoka, was hosted Aug. 3 by a Bracebridge pub to support Ontario craft breweries and wineries. Rixon was involved because Muskoka Party Rentals donated a number of items to the event. Organizers asked if she would be interested in brewing her own beer and entering the competition. “I jumped at the chance as I enjoy learning new things and I wanted to see how beer was brewed on a small scale,” Rixon says. “I also thought it would be a great way to promote my business.”
Rixon selected a lemon sage mixture with the assistance of Sam Corbeil of SawDust City Brewing in Gravenhurst, Ont. Rixon was surprised at the complexity of the process, which took over a month to complete. The finished product, called Carny Brew Ale, went up against two other competitors in a straight ballot voted on by festival attendees. The win was exciting, Rixon said. “I yelled at the top of my lungs and even got some of the crowd yelling with me,” she reports. Rixon’s beer will be available at the Griffin Gastro Pub in Bracebridge this fall and is also being distributed to an existing beer club which has pre-bought 100 cases of the winner’s beer. She says she is looking forward to brewing a larger batch with Lake of Bays Brewery from Baysville, Ont. soon so it will be ready for the fall.
BOARd
WesternOne is pleased to announce that former federal cabinet minister and leader of the Canadian Conservative Alliance Party, Stockwell Day, has been appointed to WesternOne’s board of directors. “This appointment is part of an on-going effort to enhance and strengthen both the board and the senior management team at WesternOne” said Darren Latoski, CEO of WesternOne. “Stockwell Day’s service at the most senior levels of the provincial and federal governments will be of enormous benefit as we continue to expand our business operations in Canada and abroad.”
Over the past two years WesternOne has acquired businesses in Alberta, in Texas and in Australia, significantly expanding the geographic reach and project execution capabilities of its British Columbia-based modular construction division, Britco. WesternOne’s infrastructure services division, WesternOne Rentals and Sales, has strong growth in Western Canada and is seeking expansion opportunities throughout Canada.
“Stockwell Day’s unique national and international experience will provide an important strategic perspective on the opportunities before us in our key markets,” stated Latoski.
When he was a Member of Parliament, Stockwell Day was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Regional Minister for British Columbia, advancing the economic and trade interests of B.C. He currently serves on the Board of the Canada India Business Council and is vice-chair of the Canada China Business Council.
“I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of such a dynamic Canadian business,” said Stockwell Day.
oakville rent-all closes Oakville Rent-All and Sales has closed its doors after 46 years in business in Oakville, Ont. Owner John Fedoruk released a statement in late August saying the company would continue to operate until Sept. 5, after which time the remaining equipment was be inventoried and auctioned by Ritchie Brothers on Sept. 19. “While this has been a difficult decision, it is time we enjoyed the hardearned fruits of our labour,” Fedoruk wrote. Neil De Jong of ITE Rentals in Hamilton commented, “John ran a top-notch organization; a clean, tidy and organized shop. His equipment worked and he enjoyed an excellent industry reputation.” Oakville RentAll was started in 1967 by John’s parents, Anne and Mickey Fedoruk, in partnership with ITE Rentals founders Peter and Frances Sulyma, John’s aunt and uncle. The store specialized in industrial rentals to the nearby Ford plant and Petro Canada refineries.
for more industry news, visit www.canadianrentalservice.com or follow us on twitter @theRentalMart
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Temperatures may run hot or cold, but our equipment never does.
At DOOSAN Portable Power, we expose our equipment to conditions in the extreme, including temperatures ranging from -30° to 140° F, in the name of extreme performance. Rigorous testing and Tier 4 technology ensure that our machines perform efficiently in the most demanding and complex settings across the world. Ingenuity,
by Jeff CAmpbell
Finding tR u St
You can find supplier partners you can rely on in the CRA.
Your relationships with your suppliers are some of the most important your business has. In this business, it is not just a case of a salesman selling you a piece of equipment for the most money he can get and walking away from the result. You actually have a vested interest in promoting your suppliers’ equipment to the wider public, which makes you quite different from contractor and homeowner customers. You may very well have an even closer relationship as an official parts and repair outlet for the supplier. All this means the relationship between rental operators and their suppliers is more like a business partnership than a vendor/client situation.
So loyalty is critical. You reward your customers for loyalty, and your suppliers are just the same (or should be). The reward might come as a price discount, but more often is in the form of special attention to your account. Maybe your phone call gets returned a little faster. Perhaps the supplier makes an extra effort to make you aware of coming trends or new products in the market. By creating a personal relationship with your supplier you gain an inside line on product information as well. Some extra attention and care when providing parts and service is always welcome. All this increases your status as a rental professional.
You would never want to enter into such an important relationship lightly. So there are a few things to take into account when choosing a supplier. Price and quality of products and services are the obvious ones. But the supplier’s profile in the industry is also important, as are its ethical standards and reputation. Price is pretty obvious, and quality can be quickly assessed with an experienced eye. But characteristics like integrity and industry knowledge are harder to evaluate. How can you find suppliers you can trust?
The answer is: work with a Canadian Rental Association associate member. These are companies and individuals who have gone the extra mile to give back to our industry. They support the association with their money and time with no guarantee of any return at all. Many of them are among the most dedicated and energetic members we have. Please keep an eye out for them and reward them for their loyalty. Your customers notice and reward you when you go the extra mile for them - please extend your suppliers the same courtesy. You can tell who is supporting the CRA when you see them at your local trade show or find the CRA logo on their advertising in this magazine. Loyalty still exists in this industry. All you have to do is earn it.
In other association business, keep your eyes peeled for announcements about CRA events at next March’s Canadian Rental Mart. Your association is working on some educational and training opportunities that could deliver benefits to your business that would cost you thousands to buy anywhere else. Also, plans for the CRA Ontario banquet are coming together quickly. You won’t want to miss this fun event and rare chance to spend an evening with all your friends in the rental industry. CRS
Jeff Campbell is co-owner of St. Thomas Rent-All in St. Thomas, Ont., and has been a member of the Canadian Rental Association for 34 years.
Solid on the Ro C k
Brad Smith and his well-rooted Crosstown Rentals family continue to branch out.
Planting seeds on a rock usually doesn’t work. But when that rock is The Rock (specifically, Mount Pearl, N.L.) and the seed is Brad Smith, the energetic owner of Crosstown Rentals, great things can happen.
by CO llee N CROSS & pAT flANN e RY
Smith started S&S Supply in 1995 out of his garage. Today, he owns three companies and has moved into this custom-built facility.
Since Canadian Rental Service last spoke with Smith in 2004, he has tripled his rental inventory and moved his business interests in such diverse directions as prefab building construction and rental, renovation of shipping containers into office trailers, and construction and rental of bathroom trailers. He’s done all this while expanding and growing his line of imported Chinese power tools and actuating systems that he started out of frustration with his dealers’ inability to satisfy his customers’ demands. Crosstown and its sister organizations exist in a place where some supplies and services are hard to come by, but
Smith and company have the drive and vision to fill the vacuum.
Smith’s first business, S&S Supply, which he started in 1995, has since added to the family Crosstown Rentals, CTR Fastening Systems Ltd., a manufacturer/importer of products, and BRS Holdings, which now rents buildings.
In 1999, he launched CTR after experiencing frustration with an unsatisfactory supplier for power tools and hardware, and undertaking a search of his own that ended in a fruitful partnership with a supplier in China. The line, which originally consisted of fastening items
Photo credit: Mike Mahoney
such as concrete screws, drill bits and pins-and-shot, now also includes hammer drills, drill bits, safety vests, safety cones, barrier fencing, forklifts and pallet trucks.
No grass growing under his feet, Smith created yet another company, BRS Holdings, which constructs and rents prefabricated buildings, renovates shipping containers into office trailers, and builds and rents bathroom trailers.
“We’ve probably tripled the inventory since the last article. Our revenues are up too, about 4.5 million on the average a year from just S&S Supply, which is the rental company,” says Smith. S&S Supply and Crosstown Rentals represent the rental side of the business, which carries $2 to $3 million between rentals and sales of inventory at any one time.
Offshore drilling has proven not only a boon to Smith, but also the genesis of his business ventures. In 1995, his belief that the Hibernia drilling operation, located in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, 315 kilometres east of St. John’s, was undersupplied, motivated him to establish S & S Supply.
“Now we have a new project called Hebron, which is another gravity-based structure similar to Hibernia,” he says. Workers poured concrete for the new Hebron structure on July 15, and right now they’re working on land. They haven’t gone to what they call the deep-water site, says Smith.
“We have introduced a unique bathroom unit for large job sites as well as small job sites.” This involves heated 10- by 32-foot bathroom trailers that are available for long-term rental. Smith believes the trailers, which he estimates will be in use anywhere from three to five years, are the first for Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We now have produced one that’s what we call a heavy duty, has a flush toilet, has a sink where you can wash your hands,” he adds. “It’s heated for the wintertime, good for minus 43 degrees and it’s now taken us by storm. We can’t get the units fast enough right now.”
The big ones are on trailers and require a tractor-trailer type truck to tow them, but the small units can either be laid in place via boom truck or forklift on a job site, or rented with a little small tow-behind trailer for a pickup truck or a car.
“So right now,” Smith says, “our busy section is people taking them for weddings in their backyards or gardens and they love them, you know, because it’s a class act. It’s a top-notch bathroom.”
“Hottie-pottie is the name that I patented and they make this unit for me, my style . . . . The federal government we’re in today looks like they’re going to buy two or rent them for long-terms.”
He expects that over the next two years, 50 to 100 of these small washrooms will be required on this job site as the roughly 300-foot, multi-level structure is built. Hundreds of men and women will work on the project and they will need facilities on each level so that they can use the bathroom in a timely fashion.
Interestingly, female workers have proven strong advocates of the units, he says. “It’s the bathroom that people want now, and now that we have more women on job sites, the women are going to the bosses and saying ‘We want the Hottie-pottie.’ ”
The luxury bathrooms are not cheap. Anyone thinking of getting into this line should figure on making an investment of
$100,000 for five units.
“You’re dealing with, you know, an $18,000 bathroom,” says Smith. “We’re not talking about a $1,500 plastic box. So, you know, you’ve got to have the money to invest but if you do have the money to invest and you want to bring that to your market, by all means readers can call me and we can make it happen for them. We can put their name on the bathroom so that they can rent it to their customers. . . . It takes a bit of time to get your money back. Maybe other markets can get more than what we are. We’re getting a rule of thumb so that we don’t scare people away, like $5-600 a month for this bathroom, so there’s a return. It takes a bit of time to get a return.”
Back in 2004, Crosstown was preparing to open a 7,500-foot shop. Since then, the family of companies has continued to grow.
“We’ve built five more buildings, and again, started renting them,” Smith says. “So the success has come from the rental business through S&S and Crosstown Rentals to give me the ability to build these other buildings and then start a rental company through my company called BRS Holdings.
“We’re just presently building 12,000 square feet in Truro, N.S., with a company called Lindsay Construction. It’s going to be a two-facility building for rental and it’s just up the road from our warehouse with our CTR.”
The buildings, made of prefabricated steel, offer such amenities as air conditioning, upstairs offices, mezzanines, and warehousing and loading ramps for tractor-trailers.
“It’s beautiful, beautiful building, this last one we’re building,” he says with pride.
Over the past two years, with the help of what he calls a very intelligent fabricator with professional engineering staff, BRT also has been renovating steel shipping containers – known in the East as sea cans – into 20-, 32- and 40-foot trailers offices, lunchrooms or change rooms.
The company is currently building one as a rescue training facility for the Hebron, Smith tells us. “So it’s a five-, six-building facility for which I came up with a gasket joining,” h explains. “You got five sea cans and you want to join together. You want to make a big office complex. Well, I built one of those two years ago for Hebron and just recently they came for me to build them the training facility . . . . I went
to a rubber plant and they made me a special gasket for joining these containers together, watertight seal. And so they liked my idea and now they feel confident in it and they’ve come back and asked for pricing for the training facility. So we’re into a little bit of everything. A little bit outside the norm when it comes to just general rentals, so, you know, whatever it takes to make a living is the way we look at it here.”
He buys the containers directly from China, which gives him a cost advantage over competitors. His advice for those wanting to explore importing items from China?
“Don’t be afraid of it,” he says. “Just dive into it. You know, I did it right out of the blue, jumped on a plane, landed in China. Met this person and they took me to factories. And that’s how I started my relationships with some of these companies.
“You have to be careful from the financial side, of course, because you pay up front for everything and so you have to find reliable companies and reliable manufacturers in China. So the combination of a little bit of good luck and a little bit of brass brought me to where I am today.”
Smith combines three brands under one roof: S&S Supply, Crosstown Rentals and CTR fasteners. He also recently became the Terex dealer for Newfoundland.
Smith’s companies have done a lot of business with the Hibernia oil platform project, which was completed in 1997, and continue to supply the Hebron oil platform, which is scheduled for completion in 2017.
Where he and his people are today is a good place to be, perhaps also because he has managed to balance business growth with job satisfaction.
“I think majority-wise, our company is a happy bunch of people working together as a team to reach a goal and I think the success is in everybody’s lives that work here, not just mine. And I’m very proud to say that as well. As I get older and I don’t need the money, I’m glad to see that other people are happy to stay with me.”
As for what’s next for Smith and company, the entrepreneur sees more buildings in his future.
“I really enjoy that side of it because it’s where, as you get older, physically you can’t do much more, but, you know, from the pocketbook, you can build more buildings and rent them and keep the revenue coming in the door that way, you know, as I look towards possible retirement over the next 10 years.” CRS
INDUSTRY NEWS
GOING LOONIE
It is tradition. On the first night of every Canadian Rental Mart, the Ontario Canadian Rental Association holds its gala banquet where rental operators from all over the province get together to shake hands, rub shoulders and bend elbows. The national and local presidents address the crowd, and awards are handed out to the outstanding companies, individuals and suppliers in the industry over the past year.
Then there is entertainment. Past events have featured bands, comedians, dinner theatre and casinos. But this time, the Ontario CRA has come up with something a little different.
“It is called a loonie auction,” Ontario CRA president Dale Brinklow explains. “A fellow named Doug Pearson from Kinmount [Ont.] does them. He does not charge anything, he just does them for fun if it is a good cause. And he makes it fun.”
The loonie auction starts when the auctioneer puts a prize on the table for bidding. Then anyone who wants to has a chance to bid by buying a numbered ticket for one loonie. An individual can only bid once per round, but the auctioneer keeps holding rounds of bidding until he runs out of bidders. Then a number is drawn and the holder of the winning ticket gets the prize. Another prize is produced, and the process starts again.
Brinklow hopes this event will be fun for everyone, especially the wives and younger family members in attendance. He thinks the CRA banquet should be as family-friendly as possible.
Registration opens soon! CRA members are encouraged to watch their email and CRA Ontario newsletter to find out when the event becomes available for sign-up on Cvent. The banquet will take place on the evening of Tuesday, March 18, in the International Plaza Hotel ballroom.
Rise above your competition with innovative lift products from these
top suppliers.
li F t S ho WCAS e
CoNVENIENCE foR
8www.mecawp.com
The 4069 ERT/RT Series is MEC’s newest offering in the mid-sized rough terrain scissor class. Building on the success on earlier models, the 4069 Series offers versatility in both 48V electric and Kubota diesel powered options. With powerful fourwheel-drive performance, a tight 79-inch inside turning radius and gradability of 40 per cent, the MEC 4069 can handle the roughest terrain on the toughest job sites. Optional outriggers increase rough-terrain usability. Smooth proportional lift and drive functions and fullheight drivability make this a machine user-friendly. Total lift capacity is 900 lbs and includes 300 lbs loaded on the patent-pending integrated sheet materials rack. The 51-inch platform entry height,
a full two steps lower than other machines, facilitates safer entry and exit. Coupled with a platform height of 40 feet and standard roll-out deck extension, the MEC 4069 helps users get the job done faster.
BAS k ETS foR MoST k N uCk LEBooMS
8www.diversifiedproduct.com
Diversified Products now offers its single man baskets with the ability to attach to any knuckleboom that meets ASME standard B30.23. Thanks to specialized adapters, the baskets install easily and quickly to extend the capabilities of knuckleboom trucks. Eliminating the need to use ladders or climb on equipment, they also provide fall arrest and fall protection. With the ability to hold up to 350 lbs, Diversified’s single man basket contains a large, open work area to allow maximum productivity. The full-sized floor is 30 inches wide by 30 inches deep, and it contains
slots for water drainage, as well as upset holes for skid resistance. Additionally, the basket includes a tilt angle indicator and a lowmaintenance disc brake. To meet the high demands of any access application, the baskets are constructed from heavyduty steel and fabricated with laser-produced parts, which are keyed together and then welded into place. The entire assembly is designed using solid modeling and finite element analysis, and the finished product meets or exceeds industry standards. In addition to the single man basket, Diversified offers the ability to attach any of its baskets to knucklebooms, including its larger units with capacities up to 1,200 lbs.
BooM Lu BRICAToRS
8www.beka-lube.com
Beka-Lube Products has introduced three new lines of professional-grade pneumatic spray grease gun systems depending upon the amount
of surfaces that need to be covered. Service technicians have more options with a cleaner, cost effective and more efficient way to maintain proper lubrication on telescoping booms and other large or chain-type surfaces. The LubeJet-Eco system, the PneuMATO55-Static and the PneuMATO55-Mobile have been designed to lubricate large surfaces of machines, vehicle gears, ropes, chains and telescoping booms. The LubeJet-Eco system works with the same refillable, efficient and economical screw-type cartridges that keeps reloads fast, simple and clean. Easily portable and ideal for field service applications, it simplifies the job. The PneuMATO55Static and -Mobile systems are identical in principle to the LubeJet-Eco system. The grease gun connects to a unique sheath-wrapped twin hose. This hose arrangement has been developed to manage both the grease and a high-pressure air supply. The system can be matched to grease kegs from a 25 kg pail to a 200 kg barrel on a trolley. The spray pistol can handle greases up to NLGI 2. Developed for in-shop usage, these economical and efficient spray grease systems are ideal for applications where large surfaces need to be maintained.
8www.mecawp.com
With their huge decks and platform heights up to 60 feet, MEC’s Titan Boom Series truly stands apart in the world of high-capacity boom lifts. The combined platform load of up to 4,000 lbs takes tools and materials to the where the work is actually getting done. Three steering modes, 40 per cent gradability and
smooth proportional controls make moving the machine and positioning the platform easy and trouble-free, while stabilizer support and 10 degrees of frame leveling per side give the MEC Titan Booms the ability to work on the roughest jobsite.
The innovative wire rope lanyard anchors allow workers full platform mobility, and the capacity and size of the platform enables users to create an actual elevated workshop customized to the task at hand. Optional platform accessories include pipe racks, glazier frames, sheet material racks and a large material cradle. When your customers need large capacity, large workspace and the ability to operate in even the most unimproved job sites, the MEC Titan Boom is a suitable solution.
TACkLES RouGh TERRAIN
8www.mecawp.com
The 4069 ERT/RT Series is MEC’s newest offering in the mid-sized rough terrain scissor class. Building on the success on earlier models, the 4069 Series offers versatility in both 48V electric and Kubota diesel powered
options. With powerful fourwheel-drive performance, a tight 79-inch inside turning radius and gradability of 40 per cent, the MEC 4069 can handle the roughest terrain on the toughest job sites. Optional outriggers increase rough-terrain usability. Smooth proportional lift and drive functions and fullheight drivability make this a machine user-friendly. Total lift capacity is 900 lbs and includes 300 lbs loaded on the patent-pending integrated sheet materials rack. The 51-inch platform entry height, a full two steps lower than other machines, facilitates safer entry and exit. Coupled with a platform height of 40 feet and standard roll-out deck extension, the MEC 4069 helps users get the job done faster.
S AF e de S ign A nd ope RAtion
Expert advice on how to choose, and use, a safe lift platform.
by J. lYNN fRAS e R
Steve kissinger, president and owner of Custom Equipment (CE), operating since 1981, states that the most common source of failure that causes injury with lift platforms is a lack of proper training for workplace safety and area lift safety. As with most things in life, being proactive provides the best protection against accidents.
It is critical to keep in mind that the training for each type of equipment is specific to that machine. Different models of scissors have different functionality and training on one machine does not mean you are trained on all scissor lifts in the industry. For safety’s sake users must be aware of the capacities and limitations of the specific model they are using. That’s why they should pull out the operator’s manual and familiarize themselves with that exact model of the machinery, according to marketing manager, Justin Kissinger. “If the operator has never been on the HB-1030 model (that’s one of our machines) he should be reading the operator’s manual we provide,” Justin cautions.
“But say he buys a Hy-Brid the first time and the second time buys a Genie. It’s a different machine, different brand, different model. They should always make sure they are familiarizing themselves with that machine based on that user manual.”
The International Powered Access Federation website, Kissinger advises, is a good place to get general safety on area work platforms. IPAF also advises operators to familiarize themselves with their specific model [and] how it operates. Steve notes that “ANSI [American National Standards Institute] sets the standard for the U.S. It is the dealer’s responsibility to make sure that they’re training all operators.” In Canada, the
SJ63 AJ ARTICULATING BOOM
69’ 7” working height and a horizontal reach of 40’
Combining a working height of 69’ 7”, a horizontal reach of 40’, and an up and over clearance of 27’ 6”, Skyjack’s SJ63 AJ is designed for versatility. Superior positive traction and terrainability is provided by the axle based 4WD used in many of Skyjack’s product designs, which accounts for a proven low maintenance, rugged and reliable drive train. 360 degree turret rotation and zero tail swing allow for flexible operation in tight locations.
The 63AJ features a unique open center knuckle riser design for improved visibility, compact dimensions, and below grade reach capabilities. Dual lifting cylinders provide superior comfort and stability, while also maintaining true vertical rise which prevents drifting forward or backwards.
safety of elevated lift platforms is certified by different agencies in different provinces, but the Canadian Safety Standards certification is referenced by most and is certainly the most common across the country. “If the CSA documentation is there, the machine is safe,” Steve assures.
Accidents occur most frequently when machinery is not used properly. “Crushing, that’s happened. Mostly that happens on booms though, not as much on scissors. But there would not be a crushing hazard if people would not be putting a lift that goes to 26 feet in where you only have a 15-foot-high ceiling,” Steve Kissinger observes. Choosing the right machine for the task is always key. Another common mistake is that users tie off extension cords around the railing and run them down and plug them into a wall. “What happens is, guys will come around the corner with a forklift or something like that, catch that cord and pull the machine over,” Steve points out. “The machine is designed to be plugged in at the bottom so that can never happen. If a machine is improperly maintained, if it doesn’t have power…most machines come with power to platform.” It is an example of how a seemingly minor maintenance oversight – a non-functioning power outlet – can lead to a tragic mishap.
Marking out the machine’s territory of use is also important. “Machines get hit by forklifts or somebody driving some piece of equipment when they don’t have their work area properly marked off so that people know that they’re working around there,” Steve Kissinger notes.
Using equipment in the way it was designed for is critical. “Standing on the railings would be an improper use. It is a user violating what the machine was designed to be doing, which is to keep you in a railing system for enclosure,” Steve Kissinger says. He adds that “non-manufacturer certified additions to the machine” shouldn’t be made. Examples of these additions include putting hooks on the side or putting pipes on the side. Unauthorized additions change the machine’s centre of gravity. They are also not manufacturer tested or certified and are therefore dangerous. Overloading is another problem as the machines are designed to carry specific weight capacities.
Use proper safety gear. Manuals specify the types of gear needed, Steve Kissinger says. “On scissor platforms, there is controversy over whether the railings provide
the protection for you versus putting on a harness,” he notes. “It is typically up to the operator or the contractor if they want to use those added protections or not.” Justin, Steve and the IPAF have mixed feelings about the protection lanyards provide. They fear they might actually encourage risk-taking because the user feels protected. Justin notes that the user has to make sure they have a proper lanyard of the right length for the correct model, or risk using a lanyard that does nothing for safety at all.
Safety and maintenance help keep risk of injury low. Keeping equipment clean ensures that it operates in a predictable and therefore safe manner. Steve comments, “It is a huge thing because you don’t know if you have had anything drop between the scissors and you are crushing things.” Justin suggests giving the lift a 15-minute pre-inspection as you would an airplane that needs a visual inspection by its pilot before a flight.
“There are pre-start inspections we provide in the manual. Equipment should be inspected daily. I would say that most of the time that doesn’t happen,” Steve notes with regret.
A user’s “pre-flight” check should include an inspection of “all machine components for missing parts and obvious damage including torn or loose hoses; hydraulic leaks; torn, frayed or disconnected wires; and damaged, dented or bent structural members,” Justin says. “Replace boards if necessary. Check the hydraulic fluid level when the platform is fully lowered. Check the tires for damage. Check the wheel axle retaining rings and set screw in rear wheel are tight. Check the hoses and cables for worn areas or chafes and replace as necessary. Check the platform rails and safety gauges for damage. Make sure the gate closes properly. Check all snap rings are secure and grooves on pivot pins. Check the warning and instructional labels are legible and secure.”
“The retaining rings are on the scissors,” Steve Kissinger adds. “They are the ones that hold the machine together. You want to make sure that all of them are in there. You just never know. You run it into a doorway, maybe you damaged something, knocked a ring off or maybe somebody came along and banged into the machine or something and knocked the retainer off. On job sites, anything can happen.”
Justin advises the user should “inspect the platform controls and ensure the load capacity is clearly marked. Check the base
control for proper operation. Check all switches and push buttons for proper operation. Check the platform controls for proper operation. Check all switches, and push and push buttons on upper control for proper operation also. Brakes, the machine stops when the joystick is released and check the pothole guard is in place and lock when the platform is raised.” The Kissingers caution that these steps are only a partial list of what should be done to inspect a machine, and rental operators should always consult an operator’s manual for a comprehensive safety checklist.
Steve says there are important differences between active and passive pothole protection that rental operators should be conscious of when choosing a machine. “Active pothole systems are ones where there’s a bar that will flip down between the wheels when the machine elevates past a pre-set height,” he says. “The bar is designed so that if you are elevated and you are driving along and you fall into a manhole, the machine will not tip over.” The bar also prevents the machine from “just tipping and going down” at the end of a loading dock because “the machine will fall down onto the bars and it will
stop the machine from moving and it will just sit on the bars between the front and rear wheels.” Passive systems use a bar that stays in place at all times, rather than moving into position only when the platform goes up. These systems are less expensive, but the bars can get in the way around job sites and when loading the scissor lift on to a flatbed.
Paying attention to the health of the hydraulics system is important for user safety too. Steve Kissinger notes that a burst hydraulics line means users will contaminate the whole work area. He warns, “if you have a hose that is frayed and you are up on the platform, that is all that is holding you up in the air.” Custom Equipment’s machines use safety valves that prevent a freefall, but Steve warns, “you never want to go up on a machine with a hydraulic leak or anything because you are asking for trouble there.” To prevent falls due to hydraulic failure, Custom Equipment uses a velocity fuse that is installed at the base of the cylinder. Thus, Steve says, “if the flow rate becomes greater than what we have specified it to be, what will happen is the valve will close and it will lock the machine in
that position. So in order to get the machine to be lowered at that point, you have to replace the hose and get an equal pressur on the other side of the valve to release the valve to make it operate again.” Steve adds that Custom Equipment does this on other machines, as well. “We’ll have a holding valve that is designed right into the cylinder, right at the base of the cylinder. There are reasons for doing it different ways in different countries.” Custom Equipment, Steve notes, follows the Canadian Standard Association’s design rules in Canada. Safety on a lift platform requires careful maintenance, daily pre-use inspections, as well as the creation of a safe operating environment. It also requires training and certification for each lift model for users and rental operators. Using check lists for maintenance, inspections, safety, training and certification is a proactive process that will reduce accidents. CRS
Scissor lifts come with active and passive pothole protection. Understand the difference to make sure you are getting the right kind of machine for your operation.
Explore what makes the new K 760 even better.
The new Husqvarna K 760 is the follow up to our best-selling, all-around power cutter of the same name. Optimized engine performance, enhanced startability and ergonomics are just a few areas of improvement to boost efficiency and profitability.
HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS 2077 Bond Street • North Bay, Ontario P1B 4V7 • 800-461-9589 • 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.ca
(publ.).
S o F t WAR e S ho WCAS e
E MP ow ERING MoBILE woR k ERS
8www.point-of-rental.com
Mobile WorkForce from Point-of-Rental empowers workers on a jobsite as well as in the rental yard, capitalizing on their mobility. Many rental employees don’t work behind the counter or have access to electronic information or computer systems. Mobile WorkForce is designed to allow those employees to update contract-related information in real-time from their mobile device or tablet. For example, a driver delivering a high-reach lift to a jobsite can open the contract from that site and take a photo of the item delivered as well as have the customer sign for it right on the device. The signature capture is instantly reflected in the contract, eliminating the need for paper to be delivered back to the office and filed. Similarly, if an employee is sent out to survey a site for
delivery and setup, notes can be added to the contract or reservation, detailing the surface and size of the area or any other number of logistical elements. A webbased application rather than a device-specific app, Mobile WorkForce can be used with any mobile device, be it a smart phone, tablet or even a laptop. With options to add call logs, photos, signatures, arrival, departed and on the way notifications, Mobile WorkForce offers possibilities to enhance a rental store’s success.
I N foRMATIoN oN DEMAND
8www.equiprenter.com
Unique Business Systems has introduced CR2 rental, sales and service software for heavy construction and light equipment rentals. With accurate data that your business can depend on, CR2 is the product of choice of over 450 companies worldwide. The system is
configurable to your business workflow, easy to learn and use, stable and scalable. Users have the option of customizing quotes and contracts that will delight customers with their easy read and professional look. Quotes can have multiple versions with date, time and employee name capture and users can add attachments to all comments throughout. Pricing and discount structures are very flexible and can be per location and per customer. Availability, status and location of equipment and parts is always at the user’s fingertips. All re-orders and purchase orders are tied to jobs for accurate gross margins. Preventive and corrective repairs are tracked with warranty and segmentation. Users have the ability to manage yard dispatch with trucks, drivers and route tracking. Companies with multiple branches can see real time equipment and parts availability and create transfers or drop ship orders to meet customers’ needs. CR2 enables users to create their own reports and to export report data to Excel also. IPhone, Android and BlackBerry mobile apps offer equipment and parts availability information on demand. CR2 comes with comprehensive
product training including best-practice consulting and 24-hour, six-days-per-week customer support.
8www.flexrentalsolutions.com
Flex Rental Solutions has introduced rental management software on an elegant and intuitive web-based platform, becoming an industry leading provider of rental software in three short years. Requiring nothing more than an Internet connection, it natively supports users on Windows, Mac, Linux and Google Chrome OS platforms. Flex 4 is available as a monthly service (SaaS - Software as a Service), delivered via cloud hosting which dramatically reduces up-front costs. Key innovations include drag-anddrop inventory management, phonetic search, single click conflict resolution and integration with Quickbooks and Quickbooks Online, Google Calendars, Facebook Events, and Production Exchange.
oNLINE f EEDBACk 8www.c3fb.com
C3 Feedback is an online feedback community where customers can rate their experiences with your company. It is designed to help consumers connect with companies at the level they want, and for companies to get critical feedback on what their customers are thinking and wanting. Using C3 is free to the consumer with no ties or connections. There are no ads, making navigation much easier with no distractions. The consumers connects at the level they choose on their terms, and can join a rewards program to encourage them to shop local. Consumers can view posted feedback submissions from companies and see a company’s level of customer satisfaction, if posted. For businesses, C3 Feedback collects high response volumes and accurate results while consuming little money or time. Companies get exposure on a fair and equitable website with no advertising to draw visitors to competitors. C3 generates an independent, real-time level of customer satisfaction for your company. Listed companies can post their location, contact info and a link to their website as part of the base package.
fLE x IBLE f IELD -MAPPING
8www.junipersys.com
Juniper Systems has introduced a new release of its field mapping software, Juniper Aspect 1.2. The new release builds upon and adds to its previous strengths as an easy-to-use, versatile mapping tool. Juniper Aspect is field mapping software designed to boost efficiency and productivity, while being simple enough that anyone can
quickly learn how to use it. Simple, yet powerful, it places the capabilities of GPS and GIS in the hands of field workers, resulting in more streamlined processes. Used for any job that requires locating, documenting, and inspecting assets, Juniper Aspect is a flexible solution for many different lines of work. Aspect version 1.2 offers many improvements upon its predecessor, including a number of new features that further boost worker
efficiency and user-friendliness. With a new feature to more extensively filter and organize data, and an ability to more easily import large amounts of data into Excel, Aspect 1.2 offers greater benefits in time savings and ease of use. Furthermore, the software appeals to a very broad audience, as it will now operate on most devices running Windows Mobile 6.0 or higher. Current Juniper Aspect customers will automatically receive the new
VERSATILE AND PRODUCTIVE
Get more done with Terex® compact equipment. You need a machine that offers the right combination of power and productivity. And that’s what you get with purpose built Terex® equipment.
We offer over 60 unique models within our construction product line. Our skid steer loaders, wheel loaders, backhoes and compact track loaders provide the traction, maneuverability, reach and clearance you need to take control of demanding repetitive workloads.
Call today for more information on Terex compact equipment and limited time finance offers.
1-888-90-TEREX
www.terexconstruction.com
upgrade simply by checking for new updates in their current software version. New customers can contact Juniper Systems to learn more about Juniper Aspect 1.2.
JuST foR PARTY RENTALS
8www.unibiz.com
Unique Business Systems brings you industry leading rental software for the past 30 years. With accurate data that your business can absolutely depend on, our software is the product of choice of over 450 companies worldwide. R2 is flexible and scalable so it adapts and grows as your business grows. R2 has been designed with feedback from companies worldwide and is very easy to learn and use by employees.
R2 is a comprehensive rental, sales and service software solution.
Customizable quotes make a favorable first impression on your customers. Multiple quote versions with a date, time and employee name capture give you audit trail and you can add attachments to all comments throughout R2. Pricing and discount structures can be per customer. Availability, status and location of rental and sale equipment is always at your fingertips. Sub-rental purchase orders are tied to jobs for accurate job costing. Preventive and corrective repairs are tracked with great detail on product
ROI. Warehouse shipping and management of trucks, drivers and routes is easy and task based. R2 is a real time, multi-site software where you can transfer inventory between your sites and also drop ship to a customer Location. The ability to rename any field in the software to match your workplace requirements and to create user definable fields to capture additional data offers maximum flexibility. Reports are user customizable and data is exportable to Excel.
We offer comprehensive product training including industry best practice consulting. 24 X 6 customer support.
MAk ING IT SIMPLE 8 www.xgensoft.com
Xgensoft’s Rental Manager handles both rental and sales and addresses the time management challenges of smaller and expanding rental business owners. It is a Windows-based order entry and inventory management system that allows an unlimited number of customers, inventory and orders. It interfaces with Excel, Outlook, and QuickBooks®.
Rental Manager integrates all the rental, inventory tracking, and customer information into reports and organizational tools. Functions such as secure on-line payment processing, cycle billing, a seamless export of invoices and
payments to QuickBooks® and extensive reporting provide the financial tools for daily fiscal management. The new Favourite Reports screen provides quick and easy access to “key” reports.
Your busy rental staff can easily handle quotes, reservations, and orders from one screen aided by real-time inventory availability, an overbooking monitor, a schedule calendar, email, and bar code scan-in. Inventory management includes kit organization (inventory can be included in a kit and/or rented separately), equipment usage tracking, and maintenance scheduling.
The Truck Load Planner expedites delivery scheduling. The Rental Return screen makes inventory control easy when returning multiple items with serial numbers.
Contact management functions provide sales staff with easy access to customer history information and tools for marketing campaigns and sales strategies.
Run Rental Manager as a single or networked system on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7/8 Professional for either 32- or 64-bit machines.
Currently Xgensoft Rental Manager meets the needs of small-/mid-size party, event, tent, tool, and equipment rental businesses. It improves control from inventory to money management, thus providing a great ROI. Targeted future directions include Cloud Hosting with apps for, and access from, mobile devices. Visit us at www.xgensoft.com to download a free demo. Call us for an on-line demo: 877-895-6410!
GATh ER B uSINESS INTELLIGENCE
8www.opendoor.ca
Propel your business into the fast lane with an equipment rental solution from Open Door Technology built on Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the most flexible accounting system in the world with nearly 100,000 customers. The Open Door Rental Software solution offers a full suite of modules including equipment rentals, service management, preventative maintenance, inventory, financials, sales order, purchase order, manufacturing, HR, payroll, and fixed assets. The system is built in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which was developed to conform to and enhance your business processes while ensuring you have the necessary functionality to operate all the divisions of your business. Our software has all of the usual rental functionality including the ability to rent or sell either fixed assets or inventory items, groups for managing customer demand, rental kits, availability checking, dispatch, service integration, preventative maintenance, flexible rental terms and periods, and specific pricing for customer or customer groups. The powerful toolkit allows your company to quickly add business processes to enable you to gain a competitive advantage and stay on top of your competitors. Business intelligence modules
allow you to analyze your information and quickly determine whether you are meeting your financial and operating objectives.
Purchase a software license and install it in-house or at a hosting center or take advantage of monthly subscription pricing to convert capital expenditures to a monthly operating charge. Either way you are protecting your investment by signing up for Microsoft’s most popular accounting/ERP system.
P REVENTS DISTRACTED DRIVING
8 www.azuga.com
Azuga, a leading instantinstall cloud-based GPS fleet tracking and driver behavior solution, has announced the launch of Azuga DriveSafe – a service that implements mobile device policies for fleet customers. The new offering is powered by the world’s leading technology to stop distracted driving, CellcontrolTM. With Azuga DriveSafe, employees’ phones are put in do-notdisturb mode, blocking disruptive emails and texts when vehicles are in motion.
The Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association estimates 20 percent of all fleet vehicles are involved in a crash each year, and the National Safety Council predicts each crash costs an average of more than $25,000. Azuga DriveSafe is immediately available to Azuga’s vehicle tracking subscription customers for a low initial offering price.
“Azuga DriveSafe is
a must-have for fleet operators of any size” said Chris Parisis, president of CG Appliances and an Azuga customer. “While we use Azuga for tracking driver behavior, this now moves it up a notch since it can almost eliminate all driver distraction.”
“Distracted driving is not only part of the national conversation today, it’s the law. Talking or texting while driving is a huge liability for our fleet customers” said Ananth Rani, vice president and general manager of Azuga. “The launch of Azuga DriveSafe demonstrates our commitment to our customers and to public safety.”
“The launch of Azuga DriveSafe is a great example of how quickly Cellcontrol’s technology can be integrated into services offered by our partners,” said Joe Breaux, chief technology officer of Cellcontrol. “Our simple triggering methodology, mobile device application, management console and suite of API’s allow partners like Azuga to instantly integrate Cellcontrol distracted driving technology.”
The company expects Azuga DriveSafe customers will benefit from fewer rear-end crashes – saving costs, minimizing liability and keeping drivers safe. Visit the website to learn more about this distracted driving business solution.
San Jose-based Azuga is shaking up the traditional GPS vehicle tracking market with industryfirst price points, easyinstall hardware, lifetime warranties and no contract terms. The company’s cloud-based Azuga G2 TM technology can begin tracking fleets in as little as 22 seconds and for just 70
cents per day per vehicle. Azuga is a subsidiary of Danlaw, Inc. whose 300+ engineering professionals have been providing cloudbased, connected vehicle telematics solutions and embedded electronics to OEM’s and their Tier1 supply base for more than 29 years. For more information, visit www. azuga.com and follow @ Azuga_GPS on Twitter.
Established in 2009, Cellcontrol TM is the world’s leading technology to stop distracted driving for vehicles ranging from passenger to commercial trucks. The company’s patented non-pairing Bluetooth signaling technology integrates directly with a vehicle’s onboard electronics, and eliminates a driver’s ability to talk, text, email and browse on mobile devices while the vehicle is in motion. Cellcontrol’s technology has been recognized by the Consumer Electronics Show and the National Traffic Safety Institute, and is used by families and Fortune 500 companies. For more information on the Baton Rouge, La.-based company, visit cellcontrol.com and follow @Cellcontrol.
8 www.rentp.com
RentalPoint Software recently released the RentalPointToGo
bar code tracking app.
RentalPointToGo is a barcode scanning App that integrates with RentalPoint to enable users to track equipment as it leaves and returns to their warehouse, plus it offers a host of supporting features such as rack and road case support. The app establishes a real time connection to the database server so that warehouse staff can get immediate feedback when they scan equipment. The app has generated phenomenal interest from an established RentalPoint user base which is spread over 21 countries from North America, to Asia, Australia, South Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The app which runs on iPhones from 3rd to 5th generation, plus iPods and iPads, can scan barcodes using the built-in camera or using an attached barcode scanner such as the Linea Pro™ from Infinite Peripherals. The advantage of developing for the iPhone/ iPod base is that everyone (that has an iPhone or iPod), knows how to use them. For example, to delete a barcode, the user only needs to swipe the touch screen with their finger in much the same way a message is deleted on an iPhone. Plus the app is easy to download and install. http://www.rentp.com/togo/ index.html
RentalPoint’s premium desktop based system can run from a cloud server or a traditional Windows desktop, and can be obtained as a Purchase, Rental or Cloud version.
E-mail the company for a Live Interactive demonstration at lloyd@ rentp.com and we will contact you to arrange an online meeting.
BARC oDE TRACk ING
8http://www.ramco.com
Are you a traveling salesperson, an operator at a remote site or an on-field maintenance engineer? Or you could be a Chief Executive or Senior Manager who likes to transact business from anywhere, anytime without being wired to any device. Ramco Equipment Rental Solution helps you with world-class mobile solutions that are available on iPads and are compatible with iphone, Android & Windows based systems as well. A completely integrated, industry-specific solution with broad and deep functionalities for managing the end-toend business functions of a rental company, Ramco’s Equipment Rental
Management Solution provides real-time tracking of the entire fleet by interfacing with GPS-based devices. The centralized Rental & Lease module is integrated to Asset Life Cycle Management (Maintenance), Supply Chain Management (Inventory, Procurement, Sales), Financials and Human Resources modules.
Powerful dashboard portals help monitor rental metrics and a pre-built Rental Analytics solution (BI) ensures complete real-time visibility and intuitive analysis of rental operations. Benefits include fleet-wise tracking of revenue and expenses, real-time analysis of business performance, higher rental rates, better fleet utilization, improved asset life and strict adherence to safety compliance. “We settled for Ramco ERP which was flexible and scalable to fit all our needs. The system is truly commendable and has rich out of the box features,” avows Al Faris, an equipment rental company in Dubai.
CLou D -BASED RENTAL MANAGEMENT
8www.orion-soft.com
Orion Software is presenting its entirely new application: Sirius e. Based on the best practices of rental operations, Sirius e was designed from its inception, to be a complete rental, distribution and service application by combining a Windows application, a web portal with mobility through the cloud. Sirius e is a complete new rental software developed with the newest technology and an SQL database.
With its integrated web portal, Sirius e stands apart from competitors by offering a very flexible e commerce solution. Client can use it as a full shopping cart for the general public or by offering it to specific customers who are regularly doing business with them or simply as a portal for clients to view their transactions. The web cart is fully integrated and
configurable to the point that each customers can have a different experience when they log in.
Sirius e provides powerful tools to manage availability, resolve conflicts and transfer equipment between branches. With its graphics interface and new “Drawer” concept, users can pull a graph on a need basis directly in the transaction screen and resolve conflict with just a few clicks.
From its inception Sirius e was also designed to be used on touch screen and eliminate the mouse entirely at the point of sale and in the field. It’s so versatile that users who access it at the counter or on the cloud can get a mobile interface with tiles to select items and view transactions. Transactions can be completed in just few touches by selecting tiles. The application deployed is the same whether users access it from a computer or a mobile device, making it cost-effective and low maintenance.
for more suppliers of software solutions for the rental industry, check out our new products section and our online Buyers Guide at www. canadianrentalservice.com
The lightweight, Gen-Eye POD™ and MINI-POD™ combine camera, reel, and monitor in an all-in-one package. The large 7” LCD color monitor is protected by a padded case, and is mounted on a flexible gooseneck that swivels for the best viewing angle.
The Gen-Eye POD trouble-shoots 3” to 10” drain lines up to 200 ft long and the MINI-POD™ is for 2” to 4” lines up to 175 ft. long. A video out connection lets you record on an external device. For more information, contact the Drain Brains® at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200, or visit www.drainbrain.com.
While beer and cars seem to be the toast of the town, there are other fine products that come from Germany. Because, for more than 132 years, a family-owned, Bavarian company named Motorenfabrik Hatz has designed and manufactured some of the highest-quality diesel engines in the world. The company, now in its 4th generation of family management, has thrived because its workers still take great pride in the Hatz products they make. So next time you raise a glass to Germany’s finest cars or beer, raise another to one of the country’s finest diesel engines…Hatz. And let’s toast you for your appreciation of the finer things from Germany.
