Rental April 2018

April 2018

PRODUCT NEWS INSIGHT ■

■

HOW TO NAVIGATE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORT

Aerial Market

REACHES the SWEET SPOT in 2018 >>

Record backlogs, early replacement activity and a healthy construction market are factors

TODAY’S LIGHT COMPACTION EQUIPMENT HOW VIRTUAL REALITY IS TAKING AERIAL EQUIPMENT TRAINING TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF SAFETY

Find the latest news at www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

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4/9/18 11:27 AM

SERVICE ERP

API

BILLING

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ELEVATE enables rental fleets to talk to your service team, your ERP, the end user, and most importantly, your bottom line.

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VOLUME 40 ISSUE 3

APRIL 2018

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SPECIAL REPORT Aerial Market Reaches the Sweet Spot in 2018 Record backlogs, early replacement activity and a healthy construction market are factors

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PRODUCT FOCUS

DIY/LIGHT EQUIPMENT

Light compaction

Spring Forward Toward Profitable Outdoor Power Equipment Rentals

See the latest plates, rammers and trench rollers from leading manufacturers.

Consider niche landscape products to assist your customers with cleanup tasks and more.

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 E verybody’s Business Can showing your weakness increase your strength?

8 Manager’s Digest 14 M arket Watch Rental centers from the country reveal what keeps them up at night.

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18 N ew Products

SPECIAL REPORT ON TRAINING

52 I ndustry Update

The Future Is Real

58 Eye on Rental

Virtual reality promises to take aerial equipment training to a higher level of safety and efficacy.

Dick Detmer gives tips on how to navigate family relationships in business.

APRIL 2018

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CONTENTS

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RentalWATCH

It’s easier than ever to find the industry news and information you need to run your equipment rental business. Just point your browser to ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL, and scroll for the latest reports. Whether you’re using your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, you get the same simple-tonavigate experience, only faster than ever before.

Get all the latest information pertaining to the topics that matter most to your business. Look here daily for the news and information you need most. To subscribe,

VISIT TODAY!

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APRIL 2018

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ForConstructionPros.com/ RENTAL/inventory features the

industry’s most comprehensive guide to construction-related products and equipment. Visit ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL and click on the New Equipment Directory for the most up-todate list of what today’s leading manufacturers have to offer.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

Join Our Social Media Community

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Fast, Relevant Product Information

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Rental and Construction Market Updates

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BUYERS GUIDE

Check out our Facebook page and join our Twitter feed. Leave a comment, post some news and photos, or just catch up on the latest happenings in the world of equipment rental.

NEWS FEED 4 Used Equipment Trends to Watch This Year The industry has a big effect on the used equipment market, from supply and demand to pricing.

Here are four key areas to watch.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/20997079

How to Make Telematics a Tool for Managing Machine Life and Projects With progressive goals and intentional planning, telematics can do so much more than find machines and make sure they’re fueled up.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/20995021

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4/10/18 10:57 AM

RENT BOBCAT LOADERS.

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Built with legendary quality, Bobcat® compact loaders are designed tough to resist damage and go from one rental to the next with fewer unexpected repairs. The toughest part for you is keeping enough machines available for all of your renters.

See how Bobcat equipment is tougher at Bobcat.com/RentCTL 1.877.745.7813 Bobcat is a Doosan company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power and water solutions, engines, and engineering, proudly serving customers and communities for more than a century.

Bobcat ®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2018 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 1326

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EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS // B y

J e n n y L e s c o h i e r, E d i t o r

jlescohier@ACBusinessMedia.com

FOR STRENGTH, Show Weakness Can a display of vulnerability lead to fewer misunderstandings, greater efficiency and more success at your business?

T

he other day my 13-yearold daughter climbed into the car and told me she had just had a really satisfying meeting with her orchestra teacher and felt great about it. I asked what it was about and she explained she had emailed him the night before about her extreme nervousness over an ensemble performance she was scheduled for that weekend. She approached him because she wanted him to be aware of how anxious she was, not so he could solve the problem, just so that he knew where she was coming from (her words). She also asked him for more details about how the event would run because she knew the more information she had, the better she would feel.

Long story short, my daughter’s teacher met her halfway, acknowledged her fears, provided the details she asked for, and then offered reassurance that it would all be fine. The end result is my daughter felt more comfortable, capable and prepared, and she wound up feeling good about a performance she was ready to bail on out of nerves.

I’m not sure I’ve ever been more proud as a parent. She didn’t get outstanding marks for her skills or talent, however, I’m impressed with her ability to articulate how she felt, her willingness to be vulnerable to an authority (and an audience!), and her capability to ask for what she needed and receive it.

If you’ve read this far, thank you for indulging me this proud parent moment. I think it could have value for all of us. What if we used similar tactics in business, in government, in politics,

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™

PRODUCT NEWS INSIGHT ■

■

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL Published by AC Business Media Inc. 201 N. Main Street Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 www.ACBusinessMedia.com

Publication Staff Publisher Eric Servais eservais@ACBusinessMedia.com Editor Jenny Lescohier jlescohier@ACBusinessMedia.com Columnist

Dick Detmer

Senior Production Manager

Cindy Rusch

Art Director

Kayla Brown

Audience Development Director Wendy Chady Audience Development Mgr

Angela Franks

Advertising Sales (800) 538-5544

THERE’S NOT A SINGLE ACT OF COURAGE THAT DOESN’T INVOLVE VULNERABILITY...

IT IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, AND CHANGE. in personal relationships? What if we strove to be transparent, vulnerable, straightforward, direct and receptive?

Would there maybe be fewer misunderstandings, more cooperation, greater efficiency and ultimately, more success?

“Vulnerability,” in particular, is kind of a buzz word in the workplace these days. It sounds soft and fuzzy, like something you’d hear in your therapist’s office, not a staff meeting. But according to Brené Brown, research professor and bestselling author, “Vulnerability is the willingness to show up and be seen by others in the face of uncertain outcomes. There’s not a single act of courage that doesn’t involve vulnerability... it is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change,” she says. “If you’ve created a work culture where vulnerability isn’t okay, you’ve also created a culture where innovation and creativity aren’t okay.”

Food for thought. ■

Kris Flitcroft, Vice Chair Sean Dunphy Nikki Lawson Erica Finger Amy Schwandt Denise Singsime Tom Lutzke

kflitcroft@ACBusinessMedia.com sdunphy@ACBusinessMedia.com nlawson@ACBusinessMedia.com efinger@ACBusinessMedia.com aschwandt@ACBusinessMedia.com dsingsime@ACBusinessMedia.com tlutzke@ACBusinessMedia.com

ForConstructionPros.com Digital Operations Manager Nick Raether nraether@ACBusinessMedia.com Digital Sales Manager Monique Terrazas mterrazas@ACBusinessMedia.com Editor Larry Stewart lstewart@ACBusinessMedia.com Managing Editor Kimberly Hegeman khegeman@ACBusinessMedia.com Change of Address & Subscriptions — PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605, Phone: (877) 201-3915 Fax: (847) 291-4816 • circ.rpnmag@omeda.com List Rental — Jeff Moriarty, SVP, Business & Media Solutions Infogroup, Phone: (518) 339-4511 Email: jeff.moriarty@infogroup.com Reprints — Erica Finger, efinger@ACBusinessMedia.com

AC Business Media Inc. Chairman President and CEO CFO Editorial Director

Anil Narang Carl Wistreich JoAnn Breuchel Greg Udelhofen

Published and copyrighted 2018 by AC Business Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. to rental centers, equipment distributors, and other businesses with rental departments. To subscribe please visit www.ForConstructionPros.com. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers.

One year subscriptions for nonqualified individuals: U.S. $35.00; Canada and Mexico $60.00; and $85.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single issues available (prepaid only) $10.00 each.

Rental (ISSN 1067-0904, USPS 686-370) is published eight times per year: January/February, March, April, May, June/July, August/September, October/ November and December by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Rental, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Printed in the USA. Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: RENTAL, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

Vol. 40, Issue 3, April 2018

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4/10/18 10:37 AM

13STK/16STK TRACK TRENCHER

With its compact size and weight of 1,085 pounds, the Barreto Manufacturing STK track trencher has the same key features as our larger track trencher. The innovative new track system and compact frame design provide both stability and maneuverability. A hydraulic cooler with incorporated fan keeps the oil temperatures regulated. Electric start is standard on all models.

The STK features Adjustable Trenching Controls (ATC) that use rod linkage instead of cables, and the ATC can be positioned to modify the trenching speed of the tracks individually while on the go. By utilizing the individual track controls, the operator has the ability to keep their trench straight when working on uneven terrain.

The floating track system utilizes independent undercarriage idlers that move in response to the terrain. This design keeps a significant portion of the track in contact with the terrain at all times, reducing ground pressure and increasing traction. In keeping with the Barreto standard, the STK trencher is low maintenance and reliable in the most difficult conditions. The effortless steering, tracks, and size of this trencher make the operator’s job simple and keeps customer satisfaction high. Components are protected yet easily accessed and maintenance costs are minimal.

At Barreto Manufacturing, we believe that in order for us to succeed, our customers must be successful. Since 1983, our products have been proven to provide consistent ROI with minimal downtime or repair. We build our equipment to withstand the demands an industrial environment requires. We believe in providing innovative, durable, quality pieces of equipment that will be of long-term profit to our customers.

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MANAGER’S DIGEST

IHS MARKIT

Materials Prices Continue to DRIVE CONSTRUCTION COSTS HIGHER

Construction costs rose again in March, according to IHS Markit and the Procurement Executives Group (PEG). The current IHS Markit PEG Engineering and Construction Cost Index registered 57.8, down 1.1 points compared to February. Both the materials/equipment and labor sub-indexes were above 50, indicating rising prices.

Materials/equipment prices rose at a slightly faster pace in March, with the index posting a 59.4 figure, up from the February figure of 57.4. Prices were up in 11 of the 12 categories; the only category to register lower prices was turbines, as heat exchangers and pumps and compressors rebounded above the neutral threshold. The previous month’s large gains in transformers and electrical equipment categories were met with lower figures in March, though they remained above 50. The three steel categories – fabricated structural steel, carbon steel pipe, and alloy steel pipe – posted the largest gains for the month.

“Steel prices surged on the announcement of Section 232 tariffs, with current prices in the United States rivaling or exceeding 2011 levels, the second highest ever recorded,” said John Anton, associate director – Pricing and Purchasing, IHS Markit. “Increased production will provide partial price relief late this year. In 2019 prices will be near 2006-2014 levels, which is 20 to 25 percent above 2015-2017 ranges.”

Current subcontractor labor indexes experienced broad declines in March, registering 54.0, down from 62.2 in February. Labor costs were up in all regions in the United States except in the Midwest, where subcontractor labor prices were unchanged. After increasing in February, labor costs were unchanged in both Eastern and Western Canada in March.

The six-month headline expectations index recorded another month of increasing prices: the index moved down 3.8 points from February but remains high at 69.4. The materials/equipment index remains elevated at 73.5, posting a slight gain from February’s reading of 73.3. Expectations for future price increases were widespread, with index figures for every component well above neutral. Price expectations for sub-contractor labor came in at 59.8, a sharp decline from 73.2 in February. However, labor costs are expected to rise in all regions of the United States and Canada.

In the survey comments, respondents indicated an outlook for increased activity in 2018. They also highlighted concerns about the impact of tariffs on steel prices.

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CONSTRUCTION BACKLOG INDICATOR REACHES HIGHEST LEVEL EVER Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) expanded to 9.67 months during the fourth quarter of 2017 — its highest level ever and a 2.25% increase from the prior quarter. Backlog records were broken in the Northeast region, the commercial/industrial segment and among firms with $30 to $50 million in annual revenues. CBI is up by 1.36 months, or 16.3%, on a year-over-year basis.

“During the fourth quarter of 2017, the CBI established an all-time high, breaking records set during both the first and third quarters of last year,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The implication is that the average nonresidential construction firm entered 2018 with significant momentum.

“A confluence of factors has produced this result...,” said Basu. “Recently enacted tax reform is likely to serve as an additional tailwind to an already strong construction story.

“While 2018 is likely to be a solid year for construction spending, there are grey clouds emerging from the silver linings.

A trade dispute with Canada has helped push softwood lumber prices higher.

Recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminum may have similar effects.

Indeed, inflationary pressures are building in various elements of the economy, including wages, health care, homes, apartments and tuition. The result is an increasingly inflationary economy likely to produce higher interest rates...,” said Basu. “Should interest rates rise too quickly, backlog is likely to eventually decline as fewer developments are greenlighted due to higher borrowing costs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/20997008

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MANAGER’S DIGEST

NEW CONSTRUCTION STARTS RECEDE 3% IN FEBRUARY ON WEAKER PUBLIC WORKS, UTILITIES At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $708.1 billion, new construction starts in February slipped 3% from the previous month, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. The reduced activity in February followed a 2% decline in January, as the early months of 2018 are showing some loss of momentum after the 12% increase reported back in December.

The nonbuilding construction sector, comprised of public works and electric utilities/gas plants, fell 23% in February, resulting in the decline for total construction starts for the second month in a row. In contrast, nonresidential building grew 5% in February, continuing the strengthening trend which resumed in December, and residential building improved a slight 1%.

During the first two months of 2018, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were $102.4 billion, down 7%

from the same period a year ago which had been lifted by the start of several unusually large projects, including the $3.6-billion Central Terminal replacement project at LaGuardia Airport in New York NY. On a 12-month moving total basis, total construction starts for the twelve months ending February 2018 were up 2% from the 12 months ending February 2017.

The February statistics produced a reading of 150 for the Dodge Index (2000=100), compared to 154 for January. “The 152 average for the Dodge Index during the first two months of 2018 is the same as the 152 average reported for the fourth quarter of 2017, as the pace of construction starts viewed over several months seems to have leveled off,” stated Robert A. Murray, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “What’s important to keep

in mind is that the moderately subdued amount for total construction starts during the first two months of 2018 reflects diminished activity by public works and electric utilities, which given their inherent volatility are likely to bounce back over the next month or two. Compared to last year’s fourth quarter, the first two months of 2018 have seen further increases for nonresidential building... and residential building, helped by multifamily housing. This suggests that the construction expansion, while slowing, is still in progress.

“It’s true the construction industry is now seeing more headwinds,” Murray says. “Material prices have risen over the past year, and the tariffs on steel and aluminum will lead to further price hikes.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/20997713

Federal Spending Bill to Boost Infrastructure by $21.2B Congressional negotiators reached a tentative agreement on a $1.3-trillion federal spending bill, releasing it to the public just 52 hours before a government shutdown deadline. Here are some key highlights: OVERALL SPENDING:

The “omnibus” appropriations bill doles out funding for the remainder of fiscal 2018 — that is, until Sept.

30 — to virtually every federal department and agency pursuant to the two-year budget agreement Congress reached in February. Under that agreement, defense spending generally favored by Republicans is set to jump $80 billion over previously authorized spending levels, while domestic spending favored by Democrats rises by $63 billion. The defense funding includes a 2.4-percent pay raise for military personnel and $144 billion for Pentagon hardware. The domestic spending is scattered across the rest of the federal government, but lawmakers are highlighting increases in funding for infrastructure, medical research, veterans programs and efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. Civilian federal employees get a 1.9-percent pay raise.

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INFRASTRUCTURE:

Numerous transportation programs will get funding increases in the bill. Transportation accounts are major beneficiaries, receiving $8.7 billion in additional funds. Within transportation, highways leads the way, with a $3.5-billion increase from 2017 levels—$1 billion from the Highway Trust Fund to meet authorized levels and $2.5 billion in discretionary funds.

Other transportation gains include $1 billion for Federal Aviation Administration airport grants—by far the largest hike for that program in recent memory—and $1 billion for the routinely oversubscribed Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants.

Environmental Protection Agency water infrastructure, including aid for wastewater-treatment and drinkingwater projects, would rise by $500 million. The Army Corps of Engineers civil-works program would get a $789-million hike.

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4/9/18 11:46 AM

THE ENGINE OF YOUR SUCCESS

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MANAGER’S DIGEST

US Housing Starts Slip In February DESPITE A 7% DROP in overall U.S. housing starts in February, new home construction continues to gradually build momentum. All of the month’s drop was in multifamily starts, which are notoriously volatile and are primarily driven by apartment construction. Multifamily starts tumbled 26.1%, following a 25.6% gain in January.

Apartment construction has been unusually volatile the past few months. Deliveries have increased significantly, which has pushed vacancy rates modestly higher and caused rents to ease a bit. Demand for apartments remains strong, however, and apartment development is picking up in many secondary and tertiary markets that had not seen much development during the earlier boom.

Single-family starts rose 2.9% in February, following a 3.5% rise in January. The winter months are normally a slow period for new home construction, but unseasonably mild winter weather and the lack of new homes available for sale have allowed for more construction to get underway, particularly in the supply starved West and South.

Through the first two months of this year, single-family starts are running 7.8% ahead of their year ago pace. Starts in the West through February are up 30.8%, with much of the gain likely coming from California, Arizona and Nevada. Singlefamily starts are up 7.4% in the South

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through February but are down 1.6% in the Northeast and a whopping 26.2% in the Midwest, where the weather has been more typical of past winters.

The South and West account for the overwhelming majority of single-family housing starts. The two regions were responsible for 77% of the nation’s single-family starts in 2017 and accounted for a like-sized share of completions.

Job growth remains exceptionally strong in both regions, which continues to fuel a steady stream of relocations to the areas.

Affordability is becoming a challenge for many parts of the region. Rising home prices have set off an affordability migration back toward California’s interior. The Inland Empire is one of the biggest beneficiaries, and starts are up solidly over the past year. Inflows of retirees to Florida, Arizona and Nevada have also increased, as more boomers reach retirement age and tax reform prompts more people to move forward with plans to relocate.

The sluggish pace of the housing recovery has been noted repeatedly over the past few years. New home construction has been held back by shortages of buildable lots and skilled construction workers.

Higher building material prices in the wake of the resumption of tariffs on imports of Canadian softwood lumber and rising prices for petroleum-based products have also made it harder to build entry-level homes.

The tide appears to be turning somewhat, with completions of single-family homes trending higher over the past year. Profits margins are still being crimped, however, and affordability is being constrained further by higher mortgage rates.

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO SPEED INFRASTRUCTURE PERMITTING PROCESS Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) have unveiled a bill that would allow railroads and public utilities the permanent ability to fund permitting reviews for some projects in an effort to fast-track the process.

“This legislation continues an available option for speeding up infrastructure permitting and provides the certainty that both private companies and the Army Corps of Engineers need to quickly review projects,” Donnelly said of the bill he introduced with Portman.

“I’m proud to work with Sen. Portman to keep red tape delays out of the way of these needed infrastructure projects.”

The bill comes as President Trump’s infrastructure proposal appears to have hit a wall in Congress, as lawmakers and the administration have yet to provide a revenue stream for the rebuilding blueprint.

The president has emphasized the need to streamline the permitting process in any infrastructure plan and the administration’s framework seeks to reduce the process down to two years.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/9/18 11:46 AM

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4903

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MARKET WATCH

By Rod Dickens, contributing editor

WHAT KEEPS YOU

UP AT NIGHT? Rental companies around the country tell us about their critical issues

COLORADO: ASPEN MARKET HAS HIGHS AND LOWS When your rental store is near not one but several ski resorts, the business landscape can be categorized as a “bit different.”

No, you still rent similar equipment to the same types of customers as other rental stores, but that’s where the commonality ends for Aspen Rent-All Inc., in Basalt, CO. Beth Hoff Blackmer purchased the business from her dad, Dave Hoff, in 1999, a store he had opened in Aspen more than 30 years earlier.

She later moved 15 miles west to this small community. As she explains, “I had a good run in the 2000s, made it through the recession, and now sales have nearly caught up to where they were in 2007.

“This is a different, wealthy market. We don’t have a lot of DIYers here.

Instead, we have homeowners who can afford to hire contractors to build new, even more impressive homes or remodel the ones they have. Just

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this past week, we rented equipment to one customer constructing a basement theatre and another who wanted a telehandler to install an in-house four-lane bowling alley.”

Because of all the remodeling and reconstruction, Hoff Blackmer’s store rents its share of earthmoving, demolition, and other construction equipment, which represents approximately 65 percent of sales; general tools make up the remainder. As attractive and different as it is, the market is not without its challenges.

“Housing is so expensive here that workers, including contractors and

our employees, are forced to live 30 to 45 minutes from here,” she explains.

“For contractors, that means they start their day early and so do we, opening at 6:30 a.m. Fortunately, our store is located on the main highway to Aspen, which makes it convenient for them.

“The high cost of living translates into higher wages, too. We start new employees between $16 and $17 an hour and go up from there for those with some experience. Other issues, such as higher freight costs and the fact we’re a small business that can’t purchase in volume, requires us to charge more for rentals than stores in other parts of the country. One of

WHEN YOUR RENTAL STORE IS NEAR NOT ONE BUT SEVERAL SKI RESORTS, THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE CAN BE CATEGORIZED AS A “BIT DIFFERENT.”

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/9/18 11:55 AM

“YOU HAVE TO TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES

the members of the and it’s ever-changing WELL. PAY THEM A GOOD WAGE, TREAT peer group I’m in is in to stay in compliance wine country where THEM WITH RESPECT, OFFER TRAINING, AND with the California the cost of living is also Air Resources Board GIVE THEM TIME OFF WHEN THEY NEED IT.” (CARB).” high. Comparing notes helps.”

There is a silver linBlackmer emphaing in the technology sizes she has a great His store employs 14 people, many challenge. This owner team, including two technicians of whom came to him for their first has a tech-savvy son who keeps his who work on large and small equipreal job. Skousen admits it’s getting computers up and running. In the ment and a shop manager. During more difficult to find good people meantime, it’s full speed ahead taking the busy season, from Easter through who are motivated, but he also takes advantage of a market that’s “growing” Thanksgiving, her store employs the challenge personally. in more ways than one. upwards of 12 people and backs down “A big part of what I like to do is to half that number during the slow motivate young kids, to teach them first quarter. a good work ethic and literally grow That change of pace isn’t all that them from the ground up to be good, bad for this owner, a former downsolid employees. We may start them FLORIDA: hill ski racer, who then can take the out by cleaning up in the shop and LONGEVITY, opportunity to enjoy the mountains. learning equipment and then movECONOMY MINIMIZE ing them along to get a commercial BUSINESS CHALLENGES CALIFORNIA: driver’s license, so they can deliver Being in business 43 years GREEN RUSH FUELS rentals. Eventually, they may even removes some of the mysteries and RENTAL SALES work behind the counter. They challenges associated with operating a For Brent Skousen, may leave after four or five years, rental store, according to Greg Sarver, owner of Twin Cities but not without the tools and work president of Bradenton Rentall Inc, Equipment Rentals in ethic to help them be successful.” in Bradenton, FL. “The business has Yuba City, last year was a That’s not to say all his employmatured, employees have been with good year and he anticiees are just entering the job us a long time, and so have many of pates the same for this year. market. One of his veterans, our customers,” says Sarver, who was “In Northern California, who had worked with the only 12 years old when his father, construction is up, the store’s previous owner, has Cy, launched the business. Today, homeowner market is healthy, been on the job 34 years. he’s 55 and works alongside his two and our agriculture economy is “You hear it time and sons Glenn, 25, and Daniel, 20, rentlooking strong,” he notes. “The again, but it’s true,” ing primarily to smaller contractors green rush, growing commercial he emphasizin the area. marijuana, has helped, too. We’ve been es, “You have to The Bradenton economy has renting heavy construction equipment treat your employturned around since the recession that to help clear fields and trenchers to ees well. Pay them a took a sizeable bite out of the housing install irrigation systems.” good wage, treat market. “We cater to smaller contracRenting to “weed” growers was them with respect, offer training, and tors who build and remodel homes certainly something Skousen didn’t give them time off when they need it.” and do the landscaping,” says Sarver. anticipate when he purchased the genAmong more immediate chal“People moving here seem to have eral rental store in 1991, but the owner lenges, he cites ongoing government money and are willing to spend it. knows in this industry you go where regulations and technological That’s always good, so right now busithe market takes you. “We rent primaradvances, especially as they relate ness looks pretty good.” ily to homeowners, smaller contractors, to diagnosing and repairing equipOne of his biggest challenges today and people in the ag business. We have ment, as two pressing ones. “It is is technology, he adds. “Daniel is helpour niche and don’t compete with the becoming costly to repair the coming me with social media and ordering big national companies in the larger puter-controlled equipment, says equipment online, something that industrial markets,” he adds.

Skousen. “The software is expensive, more suppliers want us to do.”

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MARKET WATCH

Labor is less of a challenge. Several employees have been with him since he bought the store from Cy 20 years ago. “My sons have known some of our employees so long they almost feel like they’re uncles. I think when dealing with employees, treating them with respect and kindness goes a long way. I’ve also found over the years that when employees come up with a new idea or system, let them run with it,” Sarver emphasizes, noting that you might not necessarily agree with them, but that’s less important than them taking ownership and having initiative.

Sarver impresses on his employees that the rental business is not transactional. No matter how small an item is, it takes work to rent it, to ensure it’s right for the customer and application, and the customer knows how to use it. When asked what he enjoys most about the rental business, it’s this interaction with the customers and his employees that gives him the most satisfaction.

“I’VE FOUND OVER THE YEARS THAT WHEN EMPLOYEES COME UP WITH A NEW IDEA OR SYSTEM, LET THEM RUN WITH IT.” For the last 43 years, for three generations of Sarvers, someone from the store has attended The Rental Show.

This year, Daniel attended the show for the first time with his dad. Did he enjoy the show? “He did. In fact, Daniel told me it inspired him,” says his father. Although Glenn enjoys the rental industry, he’s contemplating starting his own business in a different industry. That’s okay with his father, too, who understands how important it is to have passion for what you do.

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OHIO: STEADY AS YOU GO IN DAYTON Dayton might not have the vibrant economy that Columbus or Cincinnati has, but things are pretty steady, according to Beavercreek Rental store co-owner Mike Kosins.

As he points out, the area’s largest employer is Wright Patterson Air Force Base and it provides a sound base for overall economic stability.

Mike’s dad Robert launched a general rental store in 1976. Twelve years ago Mike, with twin brother Bobby and older brother Bill, took over the operation. Three years ago, they purchased a party rental store. Between the two locations, the company employs 40 people.

“We’re a bit of an anomaly when it comes to labor,” says Mike. “We have a good group of people who’ve been with us for many years so fortunately we don’t have the same issues finding workers that other stores do. But no matter who you are, when it comes to employees, the key is to hire good people and train them. Find out what they’re good at and enjoy doing and focus on that. I think it’s also very important to stay engaged with them.

Show you appreciate them, communicate openly with them, and lead by example.”

Bill is operations manager for the party store and Mike does the same for the general tool location. Bobby heads up the maintenance shop and spends time training any new technician who comes on board. Mike admits that finding technicians can be a special challenge today because young people aren’t looking to get into a skilled trade. “Some rental stores look to develop a relationship with a vocational school to help with their recruiting. We’ve found good success finding people with mechanical ability and training them ourselves.”

BUT NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYEES, THE KEY IS TO HIRE GOOD PEOPLE AND TRAIN THEM. FIND OUT WHAT THEY’RE GOOD AT AND ENJOY DOING AND FOCUS ON THAT. The two stores, which cater to a wide range of customers from homeowners to large and small contractors, have different sets of challenges. One of the biggest in the party store is how labor intensive the business is. On the equipment side, it’s keeping the fleet updated. Explains Mike, “People’s perception is their reality. Not only does equipment have to be in good running order, but it also has to look nice. We usually try to rotate equipment every four to five years, depending on how much it’s costing us to maintain it.”

Going to The Rental Show every year keeps them up to date on anything new and interesting. “We usually purchase a couple smaller items that we think will have a niche. Larger equipment like bull dozers, telehandlers and so forth are purchased prior to the show,” Mike notes.

He adds two caveats he and his brothers have learned about the rental industry: One, it’s not a retail industry, it’s a service industry and providing excellent customer service is an absolute requisite. Along with that, the industry is also constantly evolving and changing. Every day, they can expect to be confronted by different sets of challenges, all of which will require their own solutions. ■

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/9/18 11:55 AM

Search: 10076018

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4/9/18 11:55 AM

NEW PRODUCTS The following are products recently introduced to the rental market, as well as models which have undergone significant changes.

 Vanguard Expands

EFI with E-Governing to Small Block Engine Line Vanguard expands its lineup of electronic fuel injection offerings to include a horizontal-shaft Small Block V-Twin engine. The Small Block engine features an open-loop EFI system with electronic governing engineered for the demands of the commercial construction and rental markets.

• Vanguard EFI is now available on four engine platforms across nine horsepower ratings varying in output from 23 to 37 gross horsepower • Vanguard engineered the Small Block system to deliver fuel based on operator throttle inputs, shifting the system’s primary benefits to power delivery and throttle response, making it ideal for generators and general purpose equipment • Vanguard designed the electronic governing system to optimize usable power while providing more responsive and efficient delivery. www.forconstructionpros.com/20997533

 Sotcher Model 450 Power Cord Tester The model 450 is designed for field testing of any 2, 3, 4 or 5 wire cord set. In seconds the user can verify the continuity of all conductors and ensure there are no shorts and opens.

• No dangerous high voltage is used • V erifies the continuity of each conductor in the cord set, that there are no shorts between any conductors, and there are no crossed wires

 JLG Previews X1000AJ Compact Crawler Boom

The JLG X1000AJ Compact Crawler Boom (CCB) provides a work envelope of 56 ft. up and over and 54 ft. of horizontal outreach, plus a 105-ft. working height with a 500-lb. unrestricted platform capacity.

• Articulated column design gives operators the ability to work flush with the surface of a structure

• G oes beyond the OSHA requirements

• Smart technology improves boom functionality by enabling multiple simultaneous movements, introducing a go-home function and by delivering 90° +/- jib movement for added reach

• Checks every conductor

• Below-grade capabilities

• Two-second test duration

www.forconstructionpros.com/20993085

• One-button operation www.forconstructionpros.com/20997454

 General Equipment Company Self-Propelled FCS18 RIP-R-Stripper General Equipment Company introduces the new FCS18 RIP-R-Stripper – the first self-propelled unit in its line of floor-covering removal machines. The FCS18’s self-propelled capabilities take much of the work out of removing VCT tiles, rubber-backed carpeting and other sheet-type coverings from concrete surfaces.

• Direct-drive, random-orbit action removes up to 720 sq. ft. of material per hour, making it ideal for flooring removal projects ranging from 8,000 to 30,000 sq. ft.

WANT MORE

PRODUCT INFO? USE THE EIGHT-DIGIT CODE

For more information on any of the products in this issue, simply type the unique eight-digit code into the search bar at the top of www.ForConstructionPros.com/Rental.

• Powered by a 3/4-hp electric blade motor (115 VAC/60 Hertz) and 1/3-hp electric drive motor (230 VAC/50 Hertz), FCS18 offers quiet operation and a top cutting width of 18 in.

• Intuitive variable-speed forward and fixed-speed reverse controls • Built-in emergency stop button allows for both motors to be disengaged immediately • Integrated lift handles are included on both side plates and the front surface of the machine for easier loading and unloading www.forconstructionpros.com/20995590

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www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/9/18 12:00 PM

NO OTHER MACHINE RAISES THE BAR SO HIGH.

When it comes to ROI, the Kubota SSV75 stands head and shoulders above all the rest. A hinge pin height of 128.3 inches provides the kind of reach your rental customers have always wished for. The proven 74.3 HP Kubota engine adds the muscle, with 5,884 pounds of breakout force. And world famous Kubota engineering brings the kind of durability that keeps the SSV rolling off your lot.

Bring profitability to a whole new level. Locate your dealer at KubotaUSA.com. Š Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2017.

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4/9/18 12:00 PM

NEW PRODUCTS The following are products recently introduced to the rental market, as well as models which have undergone significant changes.

 UP Equipment Hoeflon Compact Tracked Cranes UP Equip has introduced its range of Hoeflon compact crawler mini cranes to North America. The four C series models (C1, C4, C6 and C10) are offered in combustion and electric modes.

• Lift up to 8,810 lbs. to a max height of 72 ft.

• Hydraulic jib for up-and-over capability • Two telescopic sections • 210 degrees of articulation • S earcher hook, hydraulic winch or vacuum lifting device can be used in articulated mode and straight mast with jib removed • I nfinite swing-out and telescopic outriggers for up to 7,200 different positions without removing a single lock pin • Outriggers feature retractable curved end-tip • 100% Hoeflon-made wireless remote control • LCD display www.forconstructionpros.com/20994894

 Merlo Roto from Applied Machinery Sales

Rotos are unique to the heavy equipment industry as they offer versatility in site work that would normally require several pieces of equipment. Packed within every Roto’s compact footprint are a 360-degree slewing turret, independent and jacking stabilizers, and capacity to lift and move loads at height.

 Maxim Mini Max Tiller/Cultivator

Maxim has debuted the Mini Max, a mini tiller/cultivator powered by a Honda GX35 engine. The Mini Max can till hard soil to create new garden beds or prepare soil for planting by loosening and mixing soft soil.

• Exclusive, heavyduty transmission enables the tiller/cultivator to work in tough ground conditions and maintain existing or overgrown gardens • Adjustable tilling width allows widths of 7-, 13- or 16-in.

• Six rugged and durable steel forged tines • Drag stake is easily adjustable without tools • Carrying handle doubles as an engine guard and makes for easy transport www.forconstructionpros.com/20998541

• Adapt to a variety of attachments including manbaskets • Lift heights range from 68 to 96 ft., with a reach from 58 to 83 ft.

• Maximum operating capacities range from 8,820 to 10,000 lbs. www.forconstructionpros.com/20998544

 Epiroc Solid Body (SB) Breakers The Solid Body breaker line is suited for demolishing light concrete structures and asphalt pavements both indoors and outdoors.

• Solid Body concept eliminates common parts to enable a high durability and slim, compact, lightweight design • Energy recovery automatically utilizes the piston recoil energy to reduce vibration levels with a simultaneous increase in performance • Maintenance-free high-pressure accumulator with diaphragm support

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 John Deere Worksite Pro Pallet Forks

John Deere’s Worksite Pro pallet forks are optimized to work with John Deere G- and E-Series skid steers and compact track loaders and the L, K-II and K-Series compact wheel loaders as well as most competitive models.

• 45- or 60-in. frame • 45-in. frame available with 42- and 48-in. tines and rated at 3,750-, 5,500- and 6,200-lb. capacities • 60-in. frame available with 48-in. tines and rated up to 6,200 lb.

• Brick guard design adds strength • Smooth surfaces protect against load damage • Load-securing “D” ring

• Integrated pressure relief valve protects against overloads

• Unrestricted visibility to fork tips

• Floating fit tool bushing with tool locking system for quick and easy on-site replacement

• Compatible with universal, selfcleaning Quik-Tatch attachment system

www.forconstructionpros.com/20991741

www.forconstructionpros.com/20997741

• Angled side corners

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4/9/18 12:01 PM

 Forever-ODM 32/15 Scissor-Boom Forever-ODM introduces its patent-pending 32/15 Scissor-Boom, which is a new category outside the traditional scissor and boom lift.

• Combines a scissor lift’s low cost, easy operation advantage with a boom lift’s outreach capability • One joystick control • Large working platform • Tight site maneuverability • Easy transportation • Model 32/15 is designed for industrial and municipal application • Model 45/22 is in development and is designed for construction; expected to be introduced early 2019 www.forconstructionpros.com/20998548

 Bobcat Grading and Trenching Buckets

for Compact Excavators Bobcat Company expands on its current attachment line-up with the newly redesigned trenching buckets and all-new grading buckets for Bobcat E26 through E85 compact excavators. Both buckets will offer maximum digging capabilities and easier clean-out when cleaning ditches, backfilling, leveling or grading.

• Grading buckets available in 36-, 48- and 60-in. widths with larger capacity than the current grading buckets, allowing for more material to be moved in one cycle of the excavator work group • Grading buckets also equipped with waffle plates to add extra strength and rigidity to the bottom of the bucket for longer life • Trenching buckets available in 12-, 16-, 18-, 20-, 24-, 30- and 36-in. widths, featuring a replaceable cutting edge, leaving a smooth work area when the job is completed; toothed version is also available using the same teeth as the previous bucket model so customers and dealers do not have to stock two types of teeth • Both trenching and grading buckets optimized to fit the standard clamp and the optional Pro ClampTM System, allowing operators to better move and grab more materials • Pro Clamp grading tool can serve as a smooth cutting edge when grading or trenching with a toothed bucket, and can also be reversed to serve as a clamshell when paired with a smooth lip bucket www.forconstructionpros.com/20998553

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Search: 10072961

4/9/18 12:01 PM

2018 AERIAL INDUSTRY REPORT

B y J e n ny L e s co hie r, e di to r

Record backlogs, early replacement activity and a healthy construction market converge to form a rosy picture for the aerial market

In the

SWEET SPOT

What’s interesting is that backlog is all over the world too, not just any one market. Certainly North America drives a lot of it, but Europe is very strong and Asia is strong.

RENTAL: How does the North American market differ from others?

FEARON: In 2017, North America was showing growth rather than replacement. In 2018, we’re starting to see both growth and replacement. In Europe, the recovery is broadening.

The European market has been good the past couple years, and we’re starting to see Spain and Eastern Europe come back. In Asia, it’s still all about adoption. Globally, the market is healthy.

These are the times you wait for.

RENTAL: Does that make you feel anxious at all?

We talked to industry leaders to get a feel for the pulse of the aerial market in 2018 and beyond. Following are excerpts from discussions with the heads of Genie/Terex Aerial Work Platforms, Skyjack, JLG Industries Inc., and Snorkel/Xtreme Mfg. Inc.

THESE ARE THE TIMES YOU WAIT FOR

Matt Fearon, president, Genie/ Terex Aerial Work Platforms

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RENTAL: How do you see the current state of the aerial market?

MATT FEARON, President of Genie/Terex Aerial Work Platforms: The market’s stronger. This time last year, we were starting to see all the signs, and now they’re clearer. If you look at rental fundamentals - time utilization and rental rates have come up, the used equipment market is healthy - those are the core things we’re looking at. Our backlog at the end of December was the highest yearend backlog in Genie’s history, and now 2018 just keeps getting stronger.

FEARON: We look for signs it’s getting too hot, too fast over too short a period of time. Are people starting to take on crazy amounts of debt? Things like that. We’re not seeing any of that right now. We’re at the beginning of a nice part of the cycle. We always have an ear to the ground on whether fundamentals are going to stay healthy.

RENTAL: Do you believe rental companies are savvier today in the way they weather market dynamics?

FEARON: Yes, that’s one reason we’re seeing so much backlog. They can see it, they know they need to get their orders in really early, so they’re managing their fleets very well. They know when they’re going to need equipment, they know when they’ll need to replace equipment. They’re giving us the heads up and that’s perfect.

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4/12/18 2:55 PM

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2018 AERIAL INDUSTRY REPORT

RENTAL: What are the underlying factors currently driving market strength?

FEARON: We have a nice combination of things happening.

Nonresidential construction is always going to be the driver for this business, but if you look at industrial, it’s healthy and it’s not going away. Even housing, which gets into telehandlers… all the core industries are well balanced and fueled with the replacement cycle.

RENTAL: How much are the Trump administration’s policies affecting the market?

FEARON: Certainly, the tax changes are not hurting anything. US companies having a lower tax rate means they’re going to have more money to invest. Rental companies, especially those in acquisition mode, are going to look at whether they can expense their machines rather than depreciate them over a long period of time, and we’re going to see a lot of them saying hey, this is a unique opportunity. I don’t think it’s going to radically change what people are doing, but it’s certainly not hurting the overall sentiment.

The recent actions by the Trump administration on tariffs and concerns over trade wars has had a dampening effect on the growing optimism that the tax changes had created. There was an immediate reaction by U.S. steel mills who significantly raised domestic steel prices. This lead to increased costs which have unfortunately been passed on as a steel surcharge.

You can see the effects that talk of infrastructure spending is having.

There hasn’t been a huge infusion of money yet, but it seems like every airport I go to is putting up a terminal.

There’s no clarity on where the money is coming from, but there are a lot of people saying it looks like it’s going to happen.

RENTAL: What do you hear from your customers?

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FEARON: Customers are upbeat.

They’re getting busier and healthier.

And they’re seeing the growth broaden out, so I think people are feeling good, that’s for sure.

RENTAL: What do see as the major technological trends?

FEARON: For us, it’s the XC product line and the way we’re using the ANSI standards change as an opportunity to innovate. We’re trying to provide machines that do more work.

Our philosophy is based on a pragmatic approach to the application of technologies so rental companies can make more money. We’re always looking for opportunities to come out with technology that’s not just really cool, or interesting to the engineers, but that can translate to value for our customers.

Telematics is a topic with almost endless possibilities that will re-shape the industry. We’re putting an enormous amount of effort into making sure our machines have the capacity built in. You’ll see the telematics are going to be a big part of the answer, but where do you get the service mechanics? There aren’t enough of them. We want to make the machines smarter and provide tools to the rental company so they don’t have to touch them as much, they can anticipate when they should have some parts changed out. We feel like we have the capability, and in partnering with our customers, we can change a lot about the way the machines are managed throughout their life.

got to be able to meet demand. We’ve built our manufacturing system and supply chains to be able to handle the upticks in the market.

We’re optimistic about the next couple of years. We’re not without caution, and from a manufacturer’s standpoint, the issues around tariff and trade are going to have a big impact on steel. The labor shortage, across the board, is also a concern.

There aren’t enough truckers to move the equipment around, the supply chain is getting pinched. As everything comes up, there are going to be hurdles, but I view these as the good problems. There’s hard work to do to keep up with the growth, but it’s nothing we’re not used to.

INDUSTRY FOCUSED ON ROI WITH A NOD TOWARD TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

Brad Boehler, president, Skyjack

RENTAL: What do you see in your crystal ball?

RENTAL: Where do you see the aerial market going in 2018 and how does that compare to last year?

FEARON: Right now, we’re anticipating the replacement cycle will come into our favor in 2018-19. That’s happening, it’s real. So we’ve got that underlying demand that’s going to be driven just by replacement alone. We need to watch out and always be careful, but when this market runs you’ve

BRAD BOEHLER, president of Skyjack: 2017 started a little bit slower than normal, picking up in Q2 and Q3 and actually accelerating through the normally down cycle of Q4. For Skyjack the result was a record year.

That positivity has continued into Q1 of 2018. The ARA has set its forecast

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/12/18 2:55 PM

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2018 AERIAL INDUSTRY REPORT

at 4.5% growth and sees the sentiment continuing beyond year end. We entered 2018 with our biggest sales backlog ever and continue to ship aggressively this quarter. Skyjack feels very positive about 2018 as a whole.

RENTAL: What are the main factors driving the direction of the global market?

BOEHLER: In North America, strong stock market indices, a growing construction segment and continued positive rental market penetration seem to drive the market. In Europe, the market seems to have awoken from its slumber of the past few years and is growing effectively at the moment as well.

RENTAL: How will the new steel and aluminum tariffs affect the aerial market?

BOEHLER: The short answer is that no one really knows, but it’s exceedingly likely to add to everyone’s overall cost. Ultimately tariffs of any sort are a blunt attempt to influence nature or the market, when the real action needed is to increase productivity and efficiency. That being said, the industry is facing strong headwinds in terms of commodity costs, but we have decided to see the overall outcome of the new tariffs to our production costs prior to raising our prices in the market. If we do feel it’s necessary to pass through some sort of commodity surcharge in the future, we will ensure that we pass the message personally and effectively through our customer channels in our traditional, simple, reliable, easy relationship manner.

RENTAL: Do you think the industry is ready for the new ANSI standards?

BOEHLER: The development and awaited publication of the new suite of ANSI standards has been a long and arduous road. I think most rental

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companies have a good degree of understanding by now. Skyjack has taken steps to educate, our white paper on ANSI is available at our website for example, (www.Skyjack.com) and we have given numerous customer presentations on the subject, produced much editorial material and encouraged rental companies to inform their customers through the use materials we do supply. The one area I think we have decided to focus on now us the actual operator and general construction companies. We have recently seem some confusion and misunderstanding at this level and are of the opinion that more general construction communication is required (as opposed to access-oriented publications).

RENTAL: Skyjack had a lot of news at The Rental Show and seems to be really embracing technology in conjunction with its “Simply Reliable” philosophy. What was the inspiration and where do you think it will take the company in the future?

BOEHLER: The one constant in life is change and to that end, Skyjack knows the future involves adopting some of the most advanced technologies. We also know that the way we implement these needs to be an adaptation in the sense that no matter how complicated the given technology is, it still needs to be simply reliable in both use and application. So if we look at our new telematics package we spent a great deal of time thinking the adoption through from the customer perspective. In doing so we identified a number of barriers to adoption that made us take another look at the technology and how it has been traditional packaged. That’s probably best exemplified by the “On-highway legacy” that we replaced with a true

off-highway approach whether it be in partner choice or cost structure.

Following on from telematics one immediately finds that there is a whole eco-system of “spin-offs’ that result... q Skyjack introduced its first compact telehandler, the SJ519 TH at The Rental Show in New Orleans this year.

predictive analysis, insight reports, fact-based new engineering designs...

Our focus will remain with the rental company, but we need to understand their day-to-day operations and in parallel with new technologies, we hope to supply pragmatic, but futuristic, products and services.

RENTAL: Skyjack has partnered with Serious Labs in the development of VR in aerial training efforts.

What is your highest hope for this partnership?

BOEHLER: Well it’s a serious partnership in more than one sense. For Skyjack, we see VR as a way to reach more people and provide a revolution in the training segment. Time will tell but ultimately we see this and similar technologies in such a way that people will say “what did you do before simulation... and wow, that must have been hard.” The final goal would be to have effective, efficient training for everyone who will ever need to operate a boom or scissor lift.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/12/18 2:55 PM

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4/13/18 2:20 PM

2018 AERIAL INDUSTRY REPORT

RENTAL: What do you see in your crystal ball for the future, near and long term?

BOEHLER: Once the fuss around ANSI has calmed down, we will have a product that is well placed to take advantage of our new designs and move to a new control system. I see growth in the low level sector, some changes in the way our machines are powered, and continued expansion of products and services in the telematics or related ecosystems. But having said all that, the industry focus on return on investment will ensure that Skyjack will continue to bring simple and pragmatic solutions focused on the rental industry’s need to market at-height solutions to their customers.

Longer term, being able to perform tasks at height remotely or autonomously will certainly come eventually.

IT’S ALMOST A GLOBAL SYNCHRONOUS RECOVERY

Frank Nerenhausen, president, JLG Industries Inc.

RENTAL: How do you see the aerial market shaping up this year?

FRANK NERENHAUSEN, President of JLG: I see general health and a sense of optimism for the year and for the future of the aerial business. Folks are seeing strong business in 2018, and we’re also seeing some of that outlook spilling into 2019, and then I think there’s a general overlay of potential support from the current administration for the outlying years of the cycle. Spending and tax reform are creating a positive long-term view that stimulates short-term behaviors, like investing in machines and making acquisitions.

RENTAL: There have been many promises made by the Trump administration, but much has not come to fruition yet. How is this affecting the aerial market?

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NERENHAUSEN: You have business on the ground. There’s a current atmosphere in the construction markets that’s very positive. You can see that. You don’t have to get a macro report to tell you that, you can drive around and see the level of construction. That fulfills the current 2018 view. There’s a general probusiness type of atmosphere out there. Whether or not all of the infrastructure spending comes to fruition, there’s still a positive tone that helps the long-term view.

RENTAL: What are you hearing from customers?

NERENHAUSEN: They’ve bought quite a bit of equipment already. We came into this calendar year with record backlog, and we’re seeing

t Like many aerial equipment makers, JLG saw record backlog coming into 2018, evidence of general optimism for the short-term future of the market.

RENTAL: How do you see things shaping up globally?

that optimism reflect itself in purchase orders. That’s good. No one wants to get out over their skis and talk about 2019 or 2020, because you could always have some sort of binary event that changes things. But almost unanimously, 2018 is looking positive for customers across the board, and switching to hopeful for the future beyond that.

NERENHAUSEN: This is an interesting time. There’s almost a global synchronous recovery within the aerial market, but for different reasons in the various regions. You have mature markets in North America and Europe that are experiencing general economic growth.

Then you have adoption that comes in for China, which is our fastest growing market. South America has been lying flat for three years, but it’s starting to come back a little bit. Otherwise, the rest of the world is pretty strong.

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2018 AERIAL INDUSTRY REPORT

RENTAL: Where does North America fit in?

NERENHAUSEN: I tend to think there’s some replacement buying already coming into 2018. One thing we try to make people understand is that the eight-year replacement cycle is just a guideline, it’s not a hard and true fact. You can’t look at 2009 and 2010 and say eight years later, there’s going to be a trough. Our customers are sophisticated, they can hang onto machines, buy early, there are regulatory milestones that come into play; it’s just a guideline. If the economy holds up, it could be good continued growth for the aerial industry for quite some time.

RENTAL: What are some of the big challenges facing the industry and how are you dealing with them?

NERENHAUSEN: It’s not unique to JLG, but many companies are talking about the lack of good quality labor.

We try to approach it in a number of different ways. We look to provide world-class training, and so far we’ve been successful in finding the labor we need. It is challenging, and if the industry continues to grow, it will become more challenging. So we have to look at different ways of adding productivity to our business and retaining our current team members so we don’t go through this constant training cycle.

It’s part of our “People First” initiative.

We try to treat everybody as part of the JLG family, we want them to bring their hearts and minds, as well as their hands, to work. That’s the challenge.

And then we look to other investments that can help us to grow the company in the future such as new technologies that help our customers gain efficiency advantages on the job.

RENTAL: What are your predictions for the future?

NERENHAUSEN: If we don’t have one of these binary events, something

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out of the blue that clips our wings, we could have progressively good years for the foreseeable future. Every good thing does come to an end, but 2018 looks good and we’re starting to see positive momentum going into 2019.

MARKET HOLDING STRONG THROUGH 2019

RENTAL: What’s coming next for JLG? NERENHAUSEN: We’re spending a lot of time listening to customers and the users of our equipment, then putting the right analytics around what they tell us to either modify the equipment we already have or develop completely new machines or technologies. I’m not going to tie this to any one project we’re working on right now, but we definitely have our ear to the street in a different way to bring useful information into our company which then drives our roadmap and strategy. One thing that’s fairly visible is our company thrives on producing the biggest machines in the world; our team loves that. But there’s also real opportunity for products under 6 meters, that’s where we see our investment in Power Towers, different EcoLift products that require no electricity to run, products that create a safe working environment, not only on the construction site, but within the entire maintenance life of those commercial properties. It seems small now, but the industrial ladder market is a pretty big market. If we can gain traction with low level access and create a safer work environment, I think it’sa win-win.

Matthew Elvin, CEO, Snorkel & Xtreme Manufacturing

RENTAL: Where do you see the aerial market going in 2018?

MATTHEW ELVIN, CEO of Snorkel & Xtreme Mfg.: The global aerial market has started strongly in 2018, and most, if not all, customer sectors are feeling confident about the future and the equipment they need. We are really seeing positivity in most of our markets currently, and for Snorkel, this is being helped along by our continued expansion of our global distribution network, both with the appointment of new independent dealers, and the opening of new wholly owned distribution locations, such as Ahern Canada.

RENTAL: How does this compare to last year?

ELVIN: I would say there is greater confidence in the market this year. The customer base is acknowledging this and they are understanding that t The new self-propelled Snorkel TM16E is the third model in the line of Snorkel selfpropelled telescopic mast lifts.

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equipment availability may be reduced, compared to prior years. I think what we are seeing is actual growth this year, not just replacement as we have seen in previous years.

RENTAL: What are the main factors driving the direction of the market?

ELVIN: It’s really the number of projects currently underway, and the number of projects that are being planned to start that are making rental companies look at how their available fleet will be consumed, and the effect on utilization rates. I think this is what is driving the further investment in equipment.

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RENTAL: What’s going on globally; how do the various markets compare?

ELVIN: Globally, we are seeing many markets that are growing. We are seeing continued or increasing demand in most of the markets that we are active in currently. Europe is very positive, and in particular Southern Europe is strengthening. Scandinavia is continuing to perform well, and the UK is stronger than we expected to see following the Brexit decision. China is a market that is being closely monitored, and we are continuing to see growth and find new opportunities, particularly since the opening of our manufacturing facility last year in Jintan, China, which produces some of our core products for the domestic market.

RENTAL: How will materials prices affect the aerial market?

SINGLE DOOR ACCESS

ELVIN: All manufacturers will be under pressure to increase prices, driven by increases in underlying commodity costs, and/or the implications of tariffs. While no-one enjoys raising prices, there is only so much that can be absorbed before it has to be passed on.

RENTAL: Is the industry ready for the new ANSI standards?

ELVIN: Any manufacturer that sells machines now into the CE markets are technically ready for the new ANSI standards.

I do believe that customers in North America will still have a learning curve when the new compliant machines are delivered, and we are working with our customers to help them with this process.

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RENTAL: What do you see in your crystal ball for the future?

ELVIN: In line with most of our industry associations and our peers, we see the market holding strong at least through the next 18-24 months, barring any unforeseen challenges.

Certainly, the underlying business foundation is solid, however we may feel some bumps in the road from the uncertainty around economic and political situations, such as tariffs, trade wars and the realization of Brexit. ■

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SPECIAL REPORT ON TRAINING B y J e n ny L e s c o h i e r, e d i t o r

The Future is REAL

Virtual reality promises to take aerial equipment training to a higher level of safety and efficacy

Editor’s note: The following report combines discussions held during the Skyjack/Serious Labs joint press conference at The Rental Show in New Orleans in February, and at the IPAF Summit in Miami in March. Comments have been edited for space and clarity.

E

veryone’s heard the term virtual reality, but despite the relatively relatable state of the art, for many it still conjures up images of science fiction. In “reality,” the technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in our day-to-day lives. One area where this is particularly true is in equipment training.

The nature of aerial equipment has traditionally presented unique challenges to safe and effective training. Today, however, virtual reality promises to play a prominent role in the movement toward getting appropriate training to everyone who needs it, thanks in large part to the recent introduction of the MEWP Virtual Reality Training Simulator

by Edmonton, Canada-based Serious Labs, which is working in partnership with Skyjack, United Rentals and Nationwide Platforms to develop its products and get them to the people who need them.

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Getting serious about training “Traditional, conventional training is somewhat flawed – and can be really boring,” says Jim Colvin, CEO of Serious Labs, which officially introduced its new simulator at the IPAF Summit in Miami in March (see related article on page 36 for details).

“Quite frankly, one reason people come into our industry is because they don’t like sitting in classrooms, they want to be physically engaged.”

He continues, “The workforce is changing. There’s such a lack of skilled training in the world right now. How are we going to get through to young people about the workplace of the future unless we train them in the way they want to be trained? People learn Jim Colvin, CEO of Edmonton, Canada-based Serious Labs, says virtual reality simulators could someday take the place of practical training on actual equipment, but the technology needs to be accessible to everyone.

by doing. It’s the best way to teach.”

Colvin points out that simulators are not new, they’ve been used in the military and aerospace for decades.

But old-school simulators weren’t very engaging or experiential, and they were very expensive and not at all portable.

This began to change about five years ago, however, when Palmer Luckey, a college student from Long Beach, CA, developed the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality head-mounted display, making the technology more accessible and easier to use. He ultimately sold his creation to Facebook for $3 billion.

“They saw a massive revolution coming,” says Colvin. “And we’re just leveraging that.”

He continues, “We’re coming to a time where practical evaluation and assessment should move into virtual reality. An airplane pilot would never be able to get into a jet unless he had extensive hours of experience.

We believe the same thing is true for heavy equipment. Everybody has the right to come home the way they left.

Everybody’s family relies on them.

Our mission is to create a better world with 21st century technology.”

Not really reality, but similar A VR simulator is a completely immersive experience, Colvin explains. “You feel like you’re on an actual worksite, you can feel a visceral effect,” he says. “And it enables us to track everything the operator does.

If you’re assessing someone from the ground and he’s up in a 150-foot lift, you don’t know where he’s looking.

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SPECIAL REPORT ON TRAINING

SERIOUS LABS LAUNCHES NEW MEWP VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING SIMULATOR Serious Labs launched its new MEWP Virtual Reality Training Simulator at the IPAF Summit in Miami in March. The new simulator combines Serious Labs’ new scissor lift modules with its boom lift modules to provide a comprehensive aerial operator training solution for the rental industry.

“The labor force is changing,” said Jim Colvin, CEO, Serious Labs. “Immersive VR simulations provide the perfect learning medium where new operators can explore realistic jobsite environments and safely test the limits of equipment in dangerous situations.”

The new scissor lift modules consist of 18 training scenarios on slab and diesel roughterrain scissor lifts. There are also 16 articulating boom lift scenarios. The simulations progressively become more challenging, isolating tasks around driving, lifting, platform

Serious Labs officially introduced its MEWP Virtual Reality Training Simulator at the IPAF Summit in Miami on March 8. Wade Carson, director of business development at Serious Labs, is shown here demonstrating the simulator, which was on display at the conference.

positioning and operating. Metrics provide feedback about the operator’s performance, showing weakness and strengths.

The simulator kit includes Serious Labs’ motion base, connecting what the operator sees with sensory feedback. “Because the motion base makes you feel just like you are moving on an aerial, the operator can become fully emerged in the virtual world of a jobsite,” said Wade Carson, director of business development, Serious

Labs. “This feeling is what provides the critical capability of suspended disbelief allowing the user to become engaged in the training. It also eliminates the nausea which is felt in other VR products that are on the market today.”

The MEWP VR Simulator will be available globally this spring for subscription, lease or rental. For more information about Serious Labs, please visit www.seriouslabs.com

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And how you judge compared to another instructor is not objective.

A simulator is completely objective, however. It measures every way the operator leans, everywhere they look, how they do things and in what order.”

Wade Carson, director of business development at Serious Labs, says VR simulated training can be uniquely collaborative, bringing people in different parts of the world together in one place, virtually. “We bring an avatar into a virtual space,” he says. “It’s a network that goes to the cloud. As long as you have somebody on the simulator, they can be in the same space at the same time.”

Darren Bechtel, managing director of Brick & Mortar Ventures, which has invested in the development of Serious Labs’ simulator, notes the value of this type of collaboration in the future of training. “We can actually simulate the exact scenario the operator will be operating in... so when the operator shows up to that situation for the first time, it’s familiar.”

He continues, “We’re laying the groundwork for having not just simulated training environments, but this takes us one step closer to where an equipment operator could be halfway around the world from the worksite.”

danger?” asks Colvin. “I personally believe VR should be mandatory in aerial equipment training. It’s ludicrous to suggest a pilot would ever be able to get into a plane without getting enough seat time, and this is no different. The ‘just enough, just in time’ training philosophy doesn’t work.”

Brad Boehler, president of Skyjack, which assisted Serious Labs in the development of its new simulator, says virtual reality has great potential for aerial equipment training, but stops short of suggesting it can replace on-machine practical training entirely. “I’m not sure if in five years we’ll

Could VR replace practical training methods?

Currently, the best aerial equipment training programs consist of classroom or online theoretical training combined with a practical portion performed on the actual equipment, followed by evaluation by the instructor. While programs have come a very long way in recent years, there still has been no perfectly safe way to ensure operators get enough hands-on experience with machines to become truly proficient before they hit the jobsite.

“What if you could put people into dangerous situations, and be able to track their behaviors in those situations, but not actually put them in

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SPECIAL REPORT ON TRAINING

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get to where VR will fully replace practical training, but for ongoing training purposes, if we can look at what the operator’s skill set is in an actual operating environment, and evaluate how they react in that environment, that’s pretty invaluable,” he says. “I envision that as the next step.”

Brad Boehler, president of Skyjack, says volume Giles Councell, director of will eventually make VR operations at IPAF, says one of the technology and training things simulation does is show the affordable for all. consequences of not following safe procedures on the jobsite. “We all learn by mistakes but there can be dire consequences,” he says. “Doing that in a virtual environment teaches operators what’s going to happen in a real environment, without the risk.”

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Few can argue the potential benefits that virtual reality could bring to training and the jobsite of the future, but like all high-tech solutions, it’s questionable how accessible VR simulators will initially be to those with fewer resources.

According to Boehler, the evolution will follow the same pattern as other impactful technological advancements, such as the smartphone, where technology became less expensive as scale increased, ultimately making it ubiquitous.

“Volume will drive down the cost to a place where VR can be more readily available to everyone,” he says. “But I also see the simulator of the future, which might be sort of a simulation of the simulator. It could be something on your phone... but it will allow you to actually do the same thing. I see something like that allowing the technology to get to every corner.”

Bechtel echoes that statement with a comparison to today’s golf simulators. “Few of us have ever been on a true flight simulator, but a lot more of us have been on a golf simulator,” he says. “Professionals are training on the $75,000 version, where they can see the terrain of any golf course in the world. That same technology is used on mobile apps today. You obviously don’t get the feel of the golf club in your hands, but you can still go through that simulation to see what the course is like, and having that knowledge of the surroundings is very powerful. You don’t need the same capital but you can still benefit from some of that knowledge.”

Bringing the benefits of virtual reality to equipment operators everywhere is the ultimate goal, Colvin concludes. “It’s critical that we make sure this product is available,” he says. “It can’t be an elite product, it has to be a ubiquitous product. By working with IPAF, with its reach, and United Rentals, with its United Academy, we have the ability to get this out to the people who need it.” ■

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NEW NORTH AMERICAN MEWP STANDARDS:

ARE YOU COMPLIANT YET?

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ANSI A92 standards in the US and CSA B354 standards in Canada define requirements and responsibilities for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), formerly known as aerial work platforms (AWPs), addressing design, safe-use and training requirements. New Canadian standards were published in May 2017 and US standards are anticipated by June of 2018.

These new standards will provide the most significant changes since there were first publish in the 1970s. For the first time, a standalone safe use and training standard is offered and will bring focus and details to the requirements that will better assure the safe and effective use of this equipment.

The training standard “provides methods and guidelines to prepare ME basic level of knowledge to work safely on the MEWP WP training materials, defines administrative criteria, and delivers elements required for proper training and familiarization”. Through increased scope and detail, the standard defines requirements that the trainees must be physically and mentally fit for the task and the training be offered in a manner the trainees can understand.

Requirements for operator training content are defined to include both theory (classroom/online) training and practical (hands-on) operation and evaluation. There are 25 topics required for the theory training and seven for hands-on practical training.

New are requirements for MEWP occupant knowledge and supervisor training. Occupant knowledge is the basic level of knowledge to work safely on the MEWP, with seven topics defined as the minimum that an occupant should receive. This instruction should also provide at least one of the occupants with the knowledge to operate the controls in an emergency where the operator cannot.

This instruction does not give the occupant authorization to operate the controls at any time except in an emergency.

A supervisor is defined as entity assigned by the user to monitor operator performance and supervise their work. Significant to this new training requirement is the inclusion of the rules, regulations and standards that apply to MEWPs, including the provisions of the ANSI A92.22 safe-use standard.

The new safe-use standard places clear and detailed responsibilities on user who employ supervisors. The requirement to develop a safeuse program designed specifically to MEWPs incorporates all aspects of the safe use standard – performing a risk assessment and rescue plan, proper MEWP selection, access, preparation and maintenance of the site for support of MEWP operations, maintenance, inspections and repairs, MEWP operator authorization, monitoring and ongoing documented operator evaluations are just some of the requirements.

The training standard also has new requirements for the administration of training. Ensuring trainers are qualified, that the curriculum incorporates the topics and subjects defined in the standard, meeting requirements for the training environment for theory and practical training and testing and documentation requirements are defined.

The IPAF MEWP operator training program has been compliant with ISO standards for many years and required only minor adjustments to meet the new requirements in North American standards. IPAF MEWP operator training and manager training courses are ready to help you become compliant. Visit www.ipaf.org for more information.

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• RX-264H rammer delivers up to 650 bpm with 2,600lb. average impact per blow, and includes a Honda recoil-start, four-cycle engine and durable wooden foot reinforced with a heavy steel plate • BXR-300H vibratory plate can cover 5,231 sq. ft./hour with a 16-in. maximum compaction depth, and has a Honda gasoline engine with protective engine cage and integrated lifting bail • SX-170H roller provides 2,000 lbs. of centrifugal force for a 9-in. compaction depth, and includes a Honda four-cycle engine with automatic low oil shut-off and rear-mounted roller and font-mounted bar to prevent tipover

• Built-in wheel kit allows ease of movement around the jobsite • Optional rubber mat available • Heavy-duty roll cage with lifting eye protects against dirt and damage and also provides for easy transportation • Handle folds to 45- and 90-degree positions for easy transport and space-saving storage • User-friendly, low-vibration handle • Infinitely variable hydrostatic forward and reverse motion • Convenient oil drain hose for ease of maintenance • Fully sealed lubricated wear-resistant cast-iron vibrator assembly • Reverse travel safety protection ensures the plate automatically reverts to slow forward travel if the operator releases the travel control lever while reversing

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SRV 300 Rammer Weber MT introduces its lightweight SRV 300 vibrating rammer specifically designed for compacting around conduits or pipe supports with onecentimeter accuracy.

• Tipping the scales at merely 70 lbs., this rammer provides the operator effortless, flexible and safe handling even in tilted positions and tight spaces • Ideal for installations of drainage systems and compacting along sidewalks or utility connections or for minor compacting jobs in the gardening and landscaping sector • Easy to transport; single person can load and transport the rammer in a small van or even a hatchback • The unit is powered by a four-stroke Honda GX 35 gasoline engine that has been specially modified by Weber MT for easy starting • Reliability of operation is ensured by a sturdy engine guard and the modified, and thus more powerful, air filter fitted into the SRV 300

Pneumatic MS595 and MS695 Tampers The MS595 and MS695 feature a sleek, slim build that allows operation closer to obstacles and in confined spaces as well as narrow trenches.

• 6-in. foot size version on the MS595 joins the traditional 9- and 11-in. models • 3.6-hp Honda GX R120 four-stroke engine is tailor-made for tampers and features a large fuel tank and a dedicated lubrication system • Compact muffler and overhead camshaft design minimize noise and reduce emissions to meet environmental standards • Three-position throttle and engine control lever allow the operator to switch to idle with just one hand • LED indicator warns the operator if the oil level is too low www.forconstructionpros.com/12093281

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Wacker Neuson has dominated the compaction rental industry in North America for over 60 years. As the inventor of the rammer and reversible plate, as well as the first cordless, battery powered rammer, no other manufacturer understands a contractor’s compaction needs better. Let us show you how we have all it takes to keep your rental business on solid ground.

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LIGHT COMPACTION Products

 BOMAG BVP 12/50 A Single-Direction Vibratory Plate Compactor

The BOMAG BVP 12/50 A single-direction vibratory plate compactor is specifically designed and equipped for asphalt compaction, expanding the machine’s use beyond traditional soil compaction.

• Base plate specifically designed to avoid asphalt material pushing, shoving and scuffing to deliver a superior finish • Operating weight of 159 lbs.

• 19.7-in. x 20.9-in. base plate offers more than 400-sq.-in. coverage to make quick work of asphalt repair work or compacting around obstructions • Working speed of up to 82 ft/min with an amplitude of 0.043 in. and centrifugal force of 2,698 lbs.

• Powered by the 3.5-hp Honda GX120 gas engine meeting CARB Phase III emission standards www.forconstructionpros.com/20994669

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Pneumatic MV224 Forward and Reversible Plate Compactor Chicago Pneumatic Construction Equipment (CP) features the MV224 in its lineup of forward and reversible plate compactors. The plate compactor is a gasoline model that is durable and operates at a high speed for increased efficiency on the jobsite.

Our comprehensive selection of more than 8.3 million parts ensures you get the right part, at the right price, at the right time.

• 19.7-in. plate width with a bottom plate made of Hardox 400 steel, a multi-use, abrasion-resistant steel at a hardness of 400 HBW (Brinell Hardness) that resists wear while maintaining good flexibility • Delivers nearly 8,100 lbs. of centrifugal force at 3,500 vpm and speeds up to 82 ft/min • Honda engine is well protected by a heavy-duty frame • Vibration-dampened handles enable smooth, consistent operation that helps achieve optimum compaction levels www.forconstructionpros.com/20998565

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ARR 1575 from Alliance North America The Ammann ARR 1575 is an articulated trench roller with two steering cylinders to help make it responsive and precise, while the oscillation feature provides excellent stability on the uneven surface of a ditch.

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Neuson AS50e EmissionFree Cordless Rammer The 154.5-lb. AS50e battery-powered vibratory rammer uses lithium-ion battery technology, delivering similar compaction results to those of enginepowered units but with zero emissions.

• Percussion rate of 680 bpm • Quick, push-button start • Unique guide handle enables easy operation along walls and results in low hand-arm vibration (HAV) • Quieter, environmentally friendly design suited for noise-sensitive applications • Long-life battery can be replaced in a few quick steps without any additional tools www.forconstructionpros.com/12302984

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DIY/LIGHT EQUIPMENT

SPRING FORWARD

Toward Profitable Outdoor Power Equipment Rentals Consider niche landscape products to assist your customers with clean up tasks and more

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H

arsh winter conditions often provide opportunities for increased spring rentals of outdoor power equipment and this year should be no exception. Whether you are currently offering lawn and garden equipment, or are considering doing so, landscape crews who do not normally own niche landscape products will be looking for clean-up solutions at their local rental store this spring.

A perfect example of this can be seen in Florida, where an unseasonably cold winter has resulted in an increase in rentals for sod cutters — a product not universally a part of landscaper fleets. Landscapers in the sunshine state have been replacing yards damaged by cold weather and using 12-inch sod cutters in the replacement of irrigation and sprinkler systems. As warmer weather comes to the rest of the country, rentals of sod cutters will increase nationally, and offering sod cutter units with multiple cutting blade options will give savvy dealers an advantage.

Pre-season clean up Lawn damage from winter cold and storms will also result in more calls for pre-season turf preparation and maintenance that homeowners might not normally require annually. Landscapers that source equipment at rental in order to offer aeration and dethatching services will be looking for larger-scale solutions than they might after a milder winter.

For example, the use of stand-on aerator technology is becoming u Stand-on aerator use is growing in rental with units like the PRO StandAer from Classen.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/9/18 1:52 PM

LANDSCAPERS THAT more accepted pulling more (and requestcores per square SOURCE EQUIPMENT AT ed) within the foot will also be RENTAL IN ORDER TO landscape coman important munity. The talking point OFFER AERATION AND ability to get on when directDETHATCHING SERVICES and off large ing customers properties quicktoward the most WILL BE LOOKING FOR ly will drive an efficient rental LARGER-SCALE SOLUTIONS solutions. Your increase in rentals of stand-on THAN THEY MIGHT AFTER service staff will aeration equipalso appreciate A MILDER WINTER. ment and units featurpresent tremening easy access dous opportunities for quick paybacks points and jack stands that lift the unit on this product’s investment. Before allowing for speedier maintenance and investing in this type of equipment, clean up time. do your homework. Look for units Wet snow and winter winds have featuring zero-turn agility and generalso led to higher volumes of refuse ous speeds forward and reverse. Units now littering landscapes and paved

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Well balanced, heavy-duty steel tubular frame allows for 2 position operation.

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DIY/LIGHT EQUIPMENT

p Sod cutters are ideal for lawn replacement and repair. The Classen PRO Hydro-Drive Sod Cutter offers 18” blade standard with optional 12”, 16”, 20” or 24” blade assemblies.

areas. Rentals of wheeled blowers and powerful vacuums will also be indemand this spring. Most landscape crews feature backpack blowers, but heavier and more voluminous debris will require a more powerful and time-saving solution. Wheeled blowers provide the hurricane force air power that backpacks simply can’t and will be at work throughout the spring moving broken branches and matted leaves from various surfaces. Rental dealers should consider offering a selection of these powerful work-reducing blowers to their customers to assure the right tool is matched to the application.

Walk-behind vacuums will also be in demand, as business and homeowners alike become anxious to clean up winter’s mess and move on to mulching and planting on their properties.

Powerful vacuums that feature not only superior suction capability, but also offer high-load capacity will be a welcome solution to landscapers looking to move efficiently from one property to the next.

Brush cutters are also important products to consider as the spring moves toward summer. Thick, nasty weeds and overgrowth that is currently dormant or covered beneath snow will begin to grow with a vengeance

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in less tended-to areas. Landscape crews and active homeowners will look to tame ragged and thorny areas with heavy duty brush cutters that can clear large swaths of weeds while going easy on the operator. Dealers should be aware that there are subtle but important differences between various brush cutters on the market.

Models that feature solid linkage controls as opposed to cables will stay in the field longer. Cables often fall

victim to the overgrowth the brush cutter is supposed to control. They become tangled, break and wear out, causing downtime. Solid rod linkage keeps units in the field and requires less maintenance.

Soil prep Not all remedies to winter damages require large equipment solutions either. As shrubs and bushes will require replacement on a larger scale,

www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL

4/9/18 1:53 PM

quickest paybacks in the industry; having sufficient inventory on hand when landscapers seek them out for tree, shrub and bush planting will be efficient digging tools key. Not only do these tools reduce the to create planting holes physical wear and tear of digging with will also be attraca shovel, they improve soil conditions tive rentals. Small to the benefit of the plantings. tillers already feature Small tillers that include optionsome of the best and al attachments like aerators and dethatchers (rakes) are also great rental LANDSCAPE CREWS AND ACTIVE offerings for homeowners looking to HOMEOWNERS WILL LOOK TO TAME repair the damagRAGGED AND THORNY AREAS WITH es from winterkill, HEAVY-DUTY BRUSH CUTTERS THAT CAN a general term used CLEAR LARGE SWATHS OF WEEDS WHILE to describe various turf loss caused GOING EASY ON THE OPERATOR. by various factors including snow, t Little Wonder Hydro Brush Cutter features solid rod linkage to reduce downtime.

mold, desiccation, low temperatures, ice sheets and other seasonal damage.

Demand for these simple yet indispensable products will come from both homeowners and professionals.

Rental dealers that have units on the floor available to rent will profit from the foresight.

Make it pretty Looking for product offerings that can set a dealer apart from his local competition is always a tactic worth exploring when looking for growth opportunities. For example, spring is when pre-existing flower and shrubbery beds at residences, commercial complexes and other large properties are being edged and sculpted. This is work usually done by hand using a flat-edged spade. While the results

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DIY/LIGHT EQUIPMENT PRODUCTS LIKE THE LITTLE WONDER BEDSHAPER HAVE CHANGED THAT DYNAMIC BY OFFERING THE ABILITY TO CREATE IMMACULATE EDGES AT 100 FEET PER MINUTE.

LIFT YOUR BOTTOM LINE For years, UPequip offers a full line of rental ready compact aerial lifts and cranes for the most complicated, demanding and cramped jobsite.

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p Work-saving edging tools are always in spring demand. Little Wonder BedShaper cuts easy-to-remove stips of sod.

of such handwork are impressive, it is normally the only option, as traditional edging power tools were not as proficient in creating a deep, crisp edge. Products like the Little Wonder BedShaper have changed that dynamic by offering the ability to create immaculate edges at 100 feet per minute.

Here too, do your homework. Some edging equipment actually grinds the turf in an effort to create the edge, leaving mounds of dirt, dead grass, old mulch and other debris. Look for a tool that cuts easy-to-remove strips of sod from the turf, leaving a deep, clean border and edge.

As winter finally yields to spring, landscape crews and householders will also look to rebuild their lawns on larger scales with thorough seeding and overseeding. This is the process of embedding seed into the soil at a sufficient and appropriate depth.

Consistent depth, lay of seed, seed proximity, moisture, and ground temperature are all crucial elements to the successful germination and establishment of new seed. Seeding should be done in a crisscross pattern and at a consistent depth for the lay of seed

Search: 20998545

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the rentals your customers need is an investment in the long-term health of your business. ■

t For spot lawn repair, small tillers with lawn care attachments are high-turn rentals, as shown with the Mantis XP Tiller with optional lawn aerator attachment.

Leaving winter behind offers more to look forward to than ball games and the beach. Generating profits with

to germinate and root properly and evenly throughout the area planted. Inconsistent lay and depth can result in bald spots and a higher level of weeds. A powered turf seeder is the most efficient and effective way to achieve the consistent depth and lay of seed needed to achieve a healthy lawn with rich, thick turf.

For established turf with bare or weakened thinning areas, lawn care operators tend to dethatch and overseed at the same time. Dethatch first to remove matted thatch (dead grass) and then overseed. Doing both allows for the best possible penetration of seed and root establishment to quickly thicken up the turf. For small to moderate sized lawns or larger flat areas, a standard overseeder is a fine choice as the unit will be lighter in weight and easier to control. For large areas or more hilly terrain, a self-propelled unit will limit user fatigue and get the job done quicker. An overseeder with a floating seed box will offer the best possible seed coverage. Again, the most important aspect of successful seeding is the lay and consistent depth of seed.

An overseeder with a floating seed box will hug the terrain and maintain consistent seed drop, ensuring tight pattern seed coverage on hills, over undulating or chopping terrain.

Offering dethatching and overseeding equipment and having these units on-hand for spring rentals are a must. Some manufacturers offer turf rakes that can be easily converted into seeders which only improves the speed of payback.

Information provided by Schiller Grounds Care Inc., makers of Mantis, Classen, Little Wonder, Ryan, Steiner and Bob-Cat equipment.

In a game that relies on consistent performance, Rammer® hammers from Allied Construction are the perfect utility players. Rammer delivers simple operation, better flow control, blank firing protection, and superior lube systems – everything you’d expect from Allied, an experienced player.

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INDUSTRY UPDATE

HERC HOLDINGS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER BARBARA BRASIER Herc Holdings Inc. announced Barbara L. Brasier, senior vice president and chief financial officer, will retire for personal reasons, effective April 30, 2018. The company has commenced a search process to identify its next chief financial officer. Mark Humphrey, vice president, controller and chief accounting officer, will serve as Herc’s interim chief financial officer.

“Barb has been instrumental in positioning Herc Rentals to succeed as a standalone, publicly traded company by helping to establish its solid financial foundation, supporting the company’s growth while maintaining a disciplined approach

to capital management, and overseeing the ongoing implementation of key strategic initiatives, including leading our efforts to strengthen the company’s internal controls,” said Larry Silber, president and chief executive officer.

“During her tenure, Barb built a strong and experienced finance and accounting team and, on behalf of the Board and the entire Herc Rentals team, I thank Barb for her contributions and offer best wishes in her next chapter. Mark Humphrey is a highcaliber finance professional who has played an important role in the company’s success since joining us a year

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ago. I am confident that Mark’s leadership will ensure a seamless transition as we secure a new CFO.” Humphrey has served as the company’s vice president, controller and chief accounting officer since April 2017 and will continue to serve in those roles in addition to assuming the duties of interim chief financial officer. Prior to joining the company, Humphrey was employed by Alico Inc., a Nasdaq listed agribusiness and resource management company. He served as chief financial officer of Alico from June 2011 through June 2015, as well as Alico’s chief accounting officer prior to joining Herc Holdings.

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Caterpillar Launches Rental Power National Accounts VIP Program Caterpillar Inc. recently launched a National Accounts VIP Rental Program to better meet the temporary power needs of larger businesses operating in multiple regions by offering resources and customized services quickly, conveniently and expertly.

your temporary power need in North America, customers enrolled in this new program will find the personalized service they’ve come to expect from Caterpillar over the past 90-plus years.”

With the National Accounts VIP Program, each client is assigned an Account Manager to deliver individualized service. One master agreement covers all the client’s locations in North America, ensuring they receive the rental equipment and service needed at all their facilities without the hassle of multiple contracts.

The new program is designed to provide clients a streamlined approach to rental products by providing a single point of contact and single-agreement policy. Additionally, the program offers a 24/7 representative within the Caterpillar Customer Interaction Center to maintain continuity betwen the customers and dealer rental locations.

A streamlined billing system with 24/7 online account information is included, which itemizes bills by location, simplifying expense tracking. Custom loyalty programs are also available for qualifying participants.

“This program is another example of the commitment Caterpillar is making to put the customer first, so it’s easier for them to do business with us and be successful with our products and solutions,” says Tom Frake, vice president for the Global Power Solutions Division at Caterpillar. “No matter the size or location of

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INDUSTRY UPDATE

CAMSO IMPLEMENTS A PRICE INCREASE IN THE AFTERMARKET Camso will be implementing a price increase for products distributed through its aftermarket business.

In the past year, the company has introduced technology innovations in solid and pneumatic tires, tracks and track systems across its construction, material handling and agriculture business lines.

These improvements offer enhanced performance and life.

“We’re very proud of the new products we’ve brought to market. However, we’ve seen significant increases in the cost of raw materials, logistics and other operating costs required to manufacture and distribute our products over the past year,” says Derek Bradeen, executive

director, brand, communications and global marketing at Camso. “We’ve done our best to avoid a price increase with our aftermarket customers, but are now required to take action on this at the present time,” concludes Bradeen.

The price increase will affect Camso aftermarket customers globally. Percentage increases will vary from 1% to 6% across product lines and regions. The timing of the increases will be rolled out based on market dynamics in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

Camso remains committed to delivering high-performance products to meet the unique niche mobility needs of the

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Percentage increases will vary from 1% to 6% across product lines and regions.

DEREK BRADEEN, CAMSO off-the-road market and will continue to best serve its dealers and distributors by providing them with the right tire, track or system for any application their clients are running.

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WINNER’S CIRCLE

AEMP AND JOHN DEERE PRESENT 2018 TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

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The Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) and John Deere Construction & Forestry presented the 2018 Technician of the Year Award to Troy Freyer, lead field technician for Civil Constructors Inc. of Freeport, IL.

“This award celebrates the dedication, hard work and professionalism of skilled technicians who keep both public and private fleets running,” says Jack Butler, owner of Cranes & More in Lexington, OH, and a senior member of the judging panel. “This year’s slate of nominees was not only the largest we’ve ever had, but also one of the most talented. I’m proud to have been involved with honoring Troy and all of our finalists and top nominees.”

Troy Freyer was nominated by his superiors at Civil Constructors, who said, “Troy demonstrates the ability to keep equipment running on the job at all times, regardless of whether or not the right parts are on hand or available. He’s a fabrication wizard whose innovations include a guard for a Ditch Witch earthsaw, conveyor belt guarding on a Blaw Knox road widener, and a ‘blue bar’ mounting system for asphalt paver electronic skis.”

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INDUSTRY UPDATE

ARA PARTNERS WITH TECHFORCE FOUNDATION TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF TRADE AND TECHNICAL CAREERS The American Rental Association (ARA), Moline, IL and TechForce Foundation, Scottsdale, AZ, are collaborating in an effort to raise the profile of trade and technical careers necessary to support future growth in the equipment rental industry.

TechForce Foundation is a leading, educational, nonprofit 501(c)(3) that has developed the FutureTech Success campaign, an industry-wide initiative to drive tomorrow’s workforce of technicians by inspiring, supporting and connecting middle and high school students and their influencers with the resources to support their technical

education and career development.

“We are excited to announce ARA’s support of the FutureTech Success campaign, and proud to be named an association partner. The demand for skilled technicians to keep the equipment rental industry thriving has become increasingly dire,” says Tony Conant, ARA CEO. “ARA recognizes that this labor shortage is a significant issue for our members and the industry as a whole. Partnering with TechForce Foundation is one step that ARA is taking to address the growing concern and provide resources that our members can benefit from.”

“Having ARA on board as an association partner with TechForce Foundation in the FutureTech Success campaign helps us reach a new audience and opens up opportunities for us to assist an additional segment of the industry,” says TechForce Foundation CEO, Jennifer Maher.

“The more companies and organizations that join in our cause and help share the message, the increased likelihood for success.”

For more information, visit forconstructionpros.com/news/20997026

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Matthew Flannery Named President of United Rentals, Kneeland to Continue as CEO United Rentals Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Matthew Flannery as president of the company, in addition to his responsibilities as chief operating officer. Michael Kneeland, who became president and chief executive officer of United Rentals in 2008, will continue to lead the company as its CEO. Kneeland said, “Matt Flannery is an engaging leader with a talent for inspiring our organization. As president, he will ensure that our company remains at the forefront of innovation, customer service and operational excellence.”

Flannery joined United Rentals in 1998. He has over 25 years of sales, management and operations experience in the equipment rental industry, including extensive experience in all areas of the company’s operations. In addition to chief operating officer, he previously served as United Rentals’ executive vice president - operations and sales, and in various field management roles at senior, regional, district and branch levels.

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EYE ON RENTAL // B y

Dick Detmer

Navigating Family Relationships in the Rental Business Family members are the same — but also different — from other employees, so treat them with careful consideration

S

ome rental business owners are quite certain that having a spouse or other family members in the business with them would never work out. I believe many of these business owners might have tried to make this work but had a poor outcome. Some of them have told me they had hoped it would be a win-win, but had such a bad experience they would never attempt it again. In their minds, the odds of failure in this regard far outweigh the obvious potential benefits.

As some of you might know, I work for independently owned and operated rental companies. An important part of my consulting service is the guiding of the family relationship portion of the rental business. Most of my customers have at least one additional family member actively involved in the day-to-day activities of the rental company.

Perhaps surprisingly, the combination of family and business can have a very happy outcome, and if I had to summarize the potential results in one word, it would be “fabulous!”

In fact, some rental companies were started to give family members a way to stay close to each other through teamwork and a common mission.

Although there are a number of techniques I use to build a much

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more harmonious family work environment, some family members are not destined to work together. Some personalities clash. Certainly, having family members in the same company isn’t for everyone.

All in the family Here are a few additional thoughts concerning this important and complex topic: Every person and relationship is radically different. With that in mind, it’s important to view adding a family member to your business as worthy of good planning – and don’t expect it to be easy. It’s wise to put structure into the work relationship and prepare the person for success.

Sometimes a rental business owner believes their loved one knows more about what it takes to succeed in the business than they really do.

Prepare the other staff members for the addition in a way that they aren’t unnecessarily threatened by the arrival of the new family member to a key position in the company.

Don’t make things overly difficult for the family member.

Some well-meaning parents are sometimes overly hard on their sons and daughters when they enter the business. Perhaps these parents feel it’s better to keep from showing favoritism by doing this. This approach has generally been proven to be misguided.

Separation of duties is often one of the keys to harmony and productivity. It’s usually not a good idea for husband and wife teams to work day in and day out together in the same office. There are exceptions to every rule, but generally speaking, a little separation throughout a good portion of the day is usually wise.

Family members can complement each other’s abilities. It can be helpful to enlist the help of an experienced rental business consultant to aid in the process of defining the roles, parameters and responsibilities.

Another helpful strategy is to only have “business discussions” only during certain hours, and other times are business “quiet hours.” Some relationships can suffer from an overload of talking too much about the business, so some moderation is wise.

It can really work Some family members who join the company grow into rock stars.

Some family members (including spouses, sons, daughters and the spouses of sons and daughters) become awesome producers.

Even though there are a number of potential icebergs that can cause damage to the personal relationships as well as to the company, the potential for successfully navigating around the hazards can be well worth the journey. It can be especially rewarding and very enjoyable. ■

Dick Detmer is a nationally recognized consultant, lecturer and writer with almost 40 years of experience in the equipment rental industry, including 30 writing the Eye on Rental column for Rental. For consulting, training or to order one of his books, visit www.DetmerConsulting.com. Dick can be reached directly at dick@detmerconsulting.com or at (309) 781-3451.

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