Access to rental

With europe's access rental companies buying again, this year's APEX exhibition will be a serious affair: not just a talking shop, but a real shop window.

The three-year gap since the last APEX - the normal two-year cycle was extended at the request of suppliers-not only makes the event well timed for the current upturn in demand, but also means visitors will have a genuinely exciting selection of new equipment to see. Every exhibition has its fair share of platform launches, of course, but APEX is an access-only show and therefore the natural place for important major introductions.

Once again, the show enjoys the official support of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), which expects the event to be “the most important meeting place for the powered access industry this year.”

AI, which sponsors APEX and organises the free conference, will publish a full guide to the event in its September issue, giving details of exhibited equipment. The official show website (www.apexshow.com) also presents a full list of exhibitors and many of them, if not all, will have something new on their stands.

Likewise, the second RentEX exhibition takes place during a period of enormous change in Europe's equipment rental industry. Only one of the region's rental markets can be described as mature-the UK - while the rest of the continent is seeing continual growth and the emergence of ambitious national and international rental businesses.

The European rental sector is valued at about € 15 billion a year, with the UK, France and Germany being the largest markets. However, rental markets in Scandinavia and Southern Europe are still growing, and Eastern Europe is now emerging as a rental market with enormous potential.

Construction equipment rental is the largest sector of the market, with operations like Cramo (Sweden) and Loxam (France) bringing to the industry a new level of professional rental services, exploiting the continued trend for major equipment users to outsource their machinery needs. Equipment manufacturers including Caterpillar and Volvo are also promoting rental through their dealer rental strategies.

Rental is also expanding in other areas, such as power and temperature control equipment, which is expected to double in value by the year 2010, temporary accommodation, and the rental of smaller tools and homeowner/DIY equipment.

ERN will publish a full guide to the event in its September issue. The show's official website (www.rentex.com) also has a full list of exhibitors.