Pon to take on the Cat Rental brand

Pon Equipment, Caterpillar dealerthe Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, will take up the development of the Cat Rental Store network in its territories following the ending of the rental store brand.

It is thought likely that Pon will develop Cat Rental Stores in all four of its territories, although Andy Zucherman, Caterpill division manager for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, told IRN that the details of the agreement with Pon were still being negotiated.

Pon's Cat dealerships have two locations in Denmark, five in the Netherlands, eight in Norway and 12 in Sweden. Pon Equipment & Power Systems was established by Pon in 2003 following its acquisition of Geveke. Pon Equipment also operates aerial platform and forklift rental company Gunco – which has five locations in The Netherlands and Belgium.

Meanwhile, Caterpillar said the focus on its European Cat Rental Stores business would be switching from growth of the network – which numbers around 600 branches (excluding Cramo) – to growing the operations in its existing network.

Mr Zuckerman said the network would still grow, but that there would now be a greater focus on expanding the equipment offering to customers at existing locations; “We aim at ensuring that the local product offering in every country meets the needs of both small and large customers in terms of short- or long-term rentals, equipment delivery and pickup preferences.”