H&E makes move into specialty rentals

H&E Equipment Services has established its first specialty rental business with the addition of trenching products through an exclusive partnership in the US with GroundWorks Safety Systems, a Canadian manufacturer of trench boxes and shoring products. The initiative follows H&E’s expansion of earthmoving equipment rental activities over the past three years.

H&E has the exclusive US rights to rent GroundWorks’ products, which are hi-tensile steel products designed for quick assembly with only one machine, one operator, and one worker. They boxes lock tight when lifted, reducing the danger and difficulty of setup and takedown, with workers not required to be under a suspended load.

“Our 60 years in business have always been about equipment solutions, strategically growing product lines and locations. Over the last three years we’ve expanded our fleet of earthmoving products to all branches across the US, positioning us to enter the specialty market,” said H&E President and CEO Brad Barber.

“We have a long history in dirt, and GroundWorks offered the right product and reliability to enhance our earthmoving business.”

GroundWorks President and CEO Jim Foley said, “We knew H&E was a solid company with a focus on earthmoving rental products, so our businesses were a good match…We saw that H&E took care of both its employees and customers, and we knew that it was the type of company we wanted to align with. There’s good reason why H&E was named one of the Top 100 Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes.”

Barber added; “We had been planning our entry into the specialty rental business, and GroundWorks offered the product solution and culture to come alongside us to reach pipeline, oil and gas, chemical, industrial and civil projects. Together, we can make trenching jobs safer, more efficient, and cost-effective”.

The concept of specialty rentals has grown in recent years as rental companies seek to offer specialist services - in products such as power, temperature control, pumps or trenching - with the aim of generating higher returns than on conventional ‘standard’ products. United Rentals, Sunbelt Rentals and Loxam are among those ro have expanded their specialty offerings in recent years.

Founded in 1961, H&E Equipment Services is one of the largest equipment rental and sales companies in the US, with locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, West Coast, Intermountain, Southwest, Gulf Coast, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions.

GroundWorks was founded in 2015 and is based in Innisfail, between Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada.