NEWS YOU CAN USE

Would you like to stay up to date on the latest news across the rental industry but can’t wait for the next print issue of Rental magazine to come out? Be sure to subscribe to our e-newsletters— including Rental Watch, Rental Market Watch and Power Rental, just to name a few—using the QR code, so you can stay informed on what’s going on around the industry. https://rnt.news/58qmf9

To stay informed on the latest happenings around the rental industry, be sure to follow Rental’s social media channels:

Kiloutou Germany Joins Smartequip

SmartEquip added Kiloutou Germany, a major subsidiary of Europe’s third-largest generalist equipment rental company, Kiloutou Group, to its global network.

Kiloutou Group has been in the equipment rental industry for more than 40 years.

The group’s network spans across seven European countries with 560-plus branches, serving more than 400,000 customers and offering an extensive equipment range in earthmoving, access, utility vehicles, tools and light equipment.

By joining the SmartEquip Network, Kiloutou Germany will benefit from improved service technician time savings, streamlined spare part procurement processes and increased equipment uptime. https://rnt.news/ct1hfy

The platform will connect suppliers directly with the parts and service workflow of Kiloutou Germany’s locations, providing benefits to both sides. Suppliers will be able to provide real-time, equipment-specific service support at reduced effort and begin to receive electronic orders for parts and other items.

With the addition of Kiloutou Germany, SmartEquip continues to strengthen its presence in the European market.

DODGE MOMENTUM INDEX FALLS 5.1% IN APRIL

The Dodge Construction Network reported its latest Dodge Momentum Index, which tracks the dollar value of commercial and institutional projects in the earliest planning stages. Tracking these projects gives insight into future construction spending, usually about 12 months in advance.

“On par with expectations, the Dodge Momentum Index continued to recede in April as economic conditions weakened and the uncertainty surrounding the banking sector persisted,” said Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting at Dodge Construction Network.

The index is now 16 percent below the November 2022 peak, Martin said. Commercial building was down 8 percent, driven by slower activity in the office, hotel and retail sectors, while institutional building was up 0.3 percent. Building planning in education decreased, but that was offset by a rise in health care and amusement projects, according to Martin.

https://rnt.news/dnqhf4

Ara Forecast Projects Softening Growth

The American Rental Association’s (ARA) quarterly forecast predicted that the United States equipment rental industry’s growth will soften but still grow. Last quarter, ARA members were asked about the current situation of equipment rental, and 18 percent of respondents believed the situation was getting better. This quarter, 32 percent of respondents indicated a more positive outlook with 86 percent of respondents reflecting a generally positive sentiment.

“After talking with many manufacturers and operators at CONEXPO-CON/AGG and in the weeks after, it’s clear the headwinds are still there,” said Tom Doyle, ARA vice president of program development. “Inflation is still high, interest rates are still high and they may continue to rise, while issues remain with labor shortages and supply.” https://rnt.news/cvmdox

The most current projections indicate 7.6 percent growth in 2023 totaling $60.4 billion in construction and general tool rental revenue. As for 2024, a 3.1 percent revenue increase is now expected.

Additionally, investment in the construction industry and construction employment approaches a record high.

2023 Utility Expo Registration Now Open

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers opened registration for The Utility Expo 2023, which will take place Sept. 26-28 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.

Details of registration include: https://rnt.news/pmovvr

• Register by June 16 and save 50 percent off the full registration price using code NEWS50.

• Various airlines are offering airfare discounts as high as 10 percent off for The Utility Expo attendees, and securing hotel accommodations through the official Utility Expo hotel block gives access to the show’s free shuttle service at all hotels along the shuttle route.

• Education topics cover everything from aerial devices to vegetation management.

• The show will launch its mobile app this summer.

Celebration Of Construction Brings Policy And The Public Together

For the first time ever, the construction industry’s best and brightest congregated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in a three-day “Celebration of Construction” an outdoor, opento-the-public event.

“We’ve done field demos for construction equipment and agricultural equipment since 2016,” said Nick Tindall, the senior director of regulatory affairs for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

The Celebration of Construction was about bringing the equipment and the companies right to their front door. On Sunday, May 14, the event kicked off. May 15 and 16 focused on visits from officials.

https://rnt.news/3ek31z

Ipaf Names 2023 International Awards For Powered Access Winners

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) honored the winners of the 2023 International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs) at a gala ceremony on 20 April at the H4 Hotel Berlin Alexanderplatz. The host location for the 2024 event was announced as Copenhagen, Denmark.

“We had a fabulous set of entries across the various awards categories, and the competition was fierce,” said Peter Douglas, CEO and managing director of IPAF. “A very well-deserved congratulations to all the winners, and for all the companies or individuals shortlisted but not selected as winners this year, I hope you will enter the 2024 awards.”

There were 13 categories in the 2023 IAPAs program. The 2023 winners include:

• Access Rental Company of the Year: Sunbelt Rentals, U.K.

• Contribution to Safe Working at Height: Nationwide Platforms, U.K.

• The Sustainability Award: Genie, U.S.

• Digital Development Award: Alimak, Sweden, for its My Alimak customer portal

California May

EASE PHASE-OUT OF NON-ZERO-EMISSION FORKLIFTS AFTER 2026 BAN

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has proposed a new set of requirements for fleet operators under a broader set of regulations aimed at achieving zero-emission forklifts by 2035. With this proposal, CARB is taking a comprehensive approach to reducing emissions from the industrial sector. CARB held workshops to discuss the Zero Emission Forklift Measure.

Fleets would be subject to a model-year-based phaseout, affecting forklifts from model year (MY) 2025 and older. CARB discussed postponing the phase-outs for Class IV and Class V forklifts, which will begin in 2028 and 2030, respectively—not in 2026 as originally proposed. This means that these forklifts will have a 10-year and 13-year lifespan, respectively, before they need to be replaced with zero-emission models.

https://rnt.news/9axvva

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award: Vicki Allen, International Platforms, U.K.

• Innovative Technology Prize: Nationwide Platforms, U.K., Harness On, Phase 2

• Mast-Climbing Work Platforms and Hoists: Maber Hoist, Italy, MBC2000 transport platform

• Scissor Lifts and Vertical Mast Platforms: MEC, U.S., MMAE16 vertical mast lift

• Self-propelled Booms and Atrium Lifts: Manitou, France, 160 ATJ+e electric boom lift

• Vehicle and Trailer-mounted Platforms: Elliott Equipment Company, U.S., E150i truck mount

• IPAF Training Center of the Year: Dayim Equipment Rentals, Saudi Arabia

• IPAF Training Instructor of the Year: Anna Sarah Costa Morais, Mills, Brazil

• Access International/IPAF Lifetime Achievement Award: Dante Fracca, founder of Hinowa https://rnt.news/vi2aou

Construction Workers Learn How To Save Lives In A Bleeding Emergency

Bystanders and those on the scene are often the first to witness and respond to bleeding emergencies. Emergency services can take several minutes to arrive, and knowing how to stop bleeding in the interim may make the difference between life and death.

Stop the Bleed is a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the importance of controlling bleeding in emergencies. Launched in 2015, the campaign provides a range of resources, including online training modules, instructional videos and live training sessions to equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to respond effectively to bleeding emergencies. More than 2.6 million people have learned these essentials through Stop The Bleed training.

@JohnAlphonse.stock.adobe.com https://rnt.news/vn3qyk

BY SARAH WEBB, EDITOR

Achieving a perfect five stars is no easy feat—and yet, that’s exactly what the local rental center for Southern Sun Landscaping in Roanoke, Va., did.

“I’d give them a 10 out of 10,” says Andrew Grider, president of Southern Sun Landscaping, which provides mowing and maintenance, aeriation, design and snow and ice removal services to a commercial, residential and municipal clientele. “They’re always very polite. They answer any questions we have. We’ve rented a lot of pieces of equipment in our years of being in business, especially when we started out because we didn’t own as much. It’s important to use rental companies no matter what stage of growth you’re at in your company.”

Grider and Andres Montiel, general manager of Southern Sun Landscaping, describe their most recent experience of renting a stump grinder from their local rental center. In doing so, they also offer insight into what other rental companies can do to provide top-notch service.

The Project

For the project in question, Southern Sun Landscaping was servicing a residential property that needed four to five stumps removed.

“The stump grinder definitely came in handy, rather than hand-digging and using chainsaws to get the stumps out,” Montiel says. “It saved us several man-hours.”

Grider called to set up the initial rental, while Montiel dealt with the pickup and drop-off processes. Montiel had a more hands-on experience using the stump grinder in the field.

Overall, the project took about a half-day to complete using the stump grinder.

Southern Sun Landscaping had called on the rental center before for prior equipment rentals and knew the company would provide decent service for its next rental.

First Impression

Before anyone from Southern Sun Landscaping even set foot in the shop, Grider says the customer experience proved to be smooth due to the rental company’s easy-to-use website.

“The nice thing about them is that most of their prices are online, so I typically don’t have to call into the rental center when I’m working out the pricing for our clients,” Grider says, noting that sometimes the odd piece of equipment isn’t listed, but the rental company makes it easy to call in and ask for a price if one is not listed and reserve the equipment from there.

The pickup and drop-off processes were fairly simple, too, says Montiel, who picked up and dropped off the stump grinder in the same day.

“Once they see me pulling up, they’re already walking toward the truck,” Montiel says. “They always help me load and unload.”

While loading the trailer, the rental center employees asked Montiel questions such as how he wanted the equipment positioned in the trailer and whether he needed ratchet straps.

“Once I’ve entered the center and go talk to the guys I normally talk to at the front desk and pay, the equipment is already waiting in the back of my trailer,” Montiel says.

Layout Of The Center

In addition to easy pickup and drop-off processes, Montiel says the rental center itself is intuitive to navigate—helpful for potential clients who may not have entered the store before.

“You can just look around their layout and really figure out where everything is on your own, but the majority of the time, the rental center staff is already getting it for you,” Montiel says.

Equipment Familiarity

Before Montiel departed the shop, he says rental center employees asked him whether he was familiar with using a stump grinder and gave him a rundown on its safe operation.

“They always ask me if I’ve used the piece of equipment before and give me the proper, basic information that I would need to operate it,” Montiel says.

Montiel says he appreciates this because despite his tenure in the landscaping industry, he doesn’t know the ins and outs of every single piece of machinery.

“I’ve been doing landscape for quite some time now, but there are still tools that I’ve never used before,” Montiel says. “The rental center staff are just always polite and always making sure everyone stays safe using the equipment.”

Although Montiel had used a stump grinder before, he recalls the education he received the first time he rented one.

“They showed me step by step how to use it, and they even turned it on for me,” Montiel says. “They let me know how things run and said that if I have any questions, I can give them a call, and they will run through it all again for me.”

Not only does the rental center ensure its customers are familiar with the equipment, but it also makes sure it’s renting out quality and clean equipment, Montiel says.

Lessons To Be Learned

For other rental companies looking to step up their customer service, Grider says it helps if rental companies build in the price of attachments.

“We have a skid-steer and an excavator, but we don’t buy all the attachments for them because they’re expensive,” Grider says. “So, a lot of times, we’re renting out those attachments that we don’t regularly use that often, and it actually ends up being less money than if we were to buy it. My advice for rental companies would be to make sure that piece of rental equipment has a built-in attachment price that you’re charging the customer.”

Additionally, Grider says creating relationships with customers is key.

“Contractors know that a lot of times if they have a good repertoire with their local rental center, they’ll help make things happen for you,” says Montiel, upping the probability that the contractor will choose that particular rental center again for their equipment needs.

CHECK OUT PAST RENTER’S REVIEWS

2022: No Pressure Rental

The backstory: Rental Publisher Sean Dunphy rented a pressure washer at a local hardware store. https://rnt.news/i1redp

2021: Trailer Rental Goes Off Without a Hitch

The backstory: Previous Rental Editor Alexis Sheprak rented a car trailer to help her father pick up his convertible. https://rnt.news/leji8c

2019: A+ Rental Marred by Lack of Accountability https://rnt.news/js0kt9

The backstory: Then-Editor Jenny Leschohier rented a walkbehind trencher for her coworker’s son, who wanted to install 50 feet of gas and electric lines from his house to his garage.

2018: Beware the ‘YouTube Effect’: A Cautionary Tale

The backstory: Then-Editor Jenny Leschohier investigated repairing her old and uneven asphalt driveway, specifically an 8-foot by 4-foot area. https://rnt.news/f0w7qi

2016: A Tale of Two Rentals

The backstory: Then-Editor Jenny Leschohier helped a friend who wanted to build a playset in their backyard. https://rnt.news/ktgjaq

2013: Can You Handle the Homeowner?

The backstory: Then-Editor Jenny Leschohier rented a concrete grinder to remove worn-out sealant on her patio. https://rnt.news/c9bwpe

BY SARAH WEBB, EDITOR