All Interviews & Profiles Articles

Three of the biggest US rental companies – United Rentals, RSC and Volvo Rents - are using sophisticated customer benchmarking techniques to measure how they are performing. Lucy M Peterson, in the first of a two-part article, reports.

Malcolm Jackman is leading the integration of Coates and National Hire following the December acquisition and has ambitious global aims for the business, as he explains to IRN’s Murray Pollok.

Compact equipment manufacturer Komatsu Utility is updating and adding to its range of mini and midi excavators, adding features that will find favour with rental companies. Murray Pollok reports from the company’s production plant in Este, Italy.

Japan’s Aichi Corp has finally shown its new ‘global’ machines in public, and also outlined an ambition to be the world’s biggest aerial platform manufacturer. Murray Pollok tried to get the details from Aichi’s CEO, Shinji Takeuchi.

Ahern Rentals has been one of the fastest growing independent rental companies in the US for the past 10 years. Now, however, the company’s founder and president, Don Ahern, is becoming more cautious about growth. He spoke to John Wyatt at one of Ahern’s rental yards in Las Vegas.

Heikki Pentti, the long-serving chairman of Lemminkäinen died on 19 April after a serious illness. He was 61.

Ken McDougall is the Linamar man who will oversee the growth of Skyjack's product range and its continued globalisation. He spoke to Murray Pollok, AI's Managing Editor.

Market leader Hek Manufacturing launched sweeping changes in its transport platform and mast climber product lines in October. Patrick Hill was at the company's headquarters in Middelbeers, The Netherlands to see the new machines.

IRN's financial correspondent Jeff Eisenberg looks at the stalled takeover of United Rentals by private equity form Cerberus, and concludes that United is still likely to be sold, but for a lower price.

KDM Hire in Northern Ireland has benefited from a buoyant construction market, but now, in the face of increasing competition, it is having to work hard to exploit all the advantages of its independent status. Murray Pollok spoke to KDM's managing director, Keith McIvor.

Don't expect an explosion of rental growth in Romania, says Razvan Marcu, marketing manager at Marcom (pictured), a Bucharest-based distributor for Komatsu, Potain, Grove and Sennebogen.

Poland is one of the big potential rental markets in Eastern Europe, but is still very much in its infancy with total rental revenues of around €110 million in 2006, according to the European Rental Association (ERA).

Rental software company Result Group aims to become the market leader in the rental sector within three years. Murray Pollok spoke to managing director Derek Robson.

Atlas Copco Portable Air is developing lighter, smaller compressors and generators, and offering additional services targeted at rental buyers. Murray Pollok reports from the division's headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium.

High reach demolition rigs are becoming a more common site across North America’s demolition sites, many supplied by custom modifier Jewell Equipment. Lindsay Gale spoke to demolition product specialist Mark Ramun at the recent NDA Convention in Las Vegas

Terex Aerial Work Platforms has been producing electric scissor lifts at its UK Coventry facility since November 2007, now it is looking for anothe European to manufacture rough terrain scissors.

Peter Bigwood has been involved with Atlas Copco's North American construction tools operation for some 17 years, originally as national sales manager and now president. Lindsay Gale met up with him at the recent World of Concrete event in Las Vegas

Volvo Construction Equipment made use of the Bauma trade show to unveil its first standard high reach demolition specified excavator, the EC700BHR. Lindsay Gale talked with Eddy Powell, director - demolition and recycling solutions, about the new machine and the other plans for the sector

Craig Paylor, the newly appointed president of JLG Industries, promised the company would listen more to customers and work to shed its sometime–reputation for arrogance.