All Rental operations Articles

UK rental company Hewden will hold a used equipment auction in September that it claimed is Europe’s largest ‘direct from user’ sale.

Netherlands based, powered access specialist, Riwal has set up an operation in the UK. Riwal UK is being managed by Les Warren (general manager), Tim White (sales and commercial manager) and Dave Freebody (operations manager).

Japanese rental company Kanamoto has established a subsidiary in Hong Kong to sell used equipment and to “aggressively develop” equipment rentals.

Dubai-based power and temperature control rental company Rental Solutions & Services (RSS) has signed a joint venture agreement with Muscat-based construction group Mubadarah Investments (MI) to provide rental services in Oman.

German rental company Mateco has bought the Kühne Arbeitsbühnen rental company from its owner Mr Michael Kühne, who retires after many years in the business.

Access Link, a group of independent access rental companies from the UK and Ireland, has extended its depot network into mainland Europe by forging a partnership agreement with German rental organisation, PartnerLift.

HSS Hire is now offering to rent people as well as equipment through its new HSS Resource service. The company will supply specialist engineers or site labour throughout the UK.

Access Plus in Scotland, UK, has opened its first depot in Aberdeen with a fleet or around 50 machines. The branch will be managed by new recruit Gary Rose, an ex-Lavendon and MB Plant branch manager.

Rental companies recruit from too small a group of people and so exclude some of the most talented individuals in society. This was the message from Mike Davies, human resources director of Finning UK (which owns Hewden), at the European Rental Association's annual convention in Manchester on 26-27 May.

HSS Hire in the UK has launched what it believes to be the first ever online renting service that allows selected customers to on- and off-rent equipment in real time over the internet, as well as access a wide range of other information on their rented equipment.

German rental company HKL Baumaschinen has opened a new depot in Göppingen, its eighth depot in the Baden-Württemberg area in the south of Germany.

European Rental Association (ERA) president Gerad Deprez said rental company and equipment dealers should cooperate more closely, and in particular could do more to work together on remarketing of used equipment.

Financial advisor gives tips on how to stay on top at annual Construction-U event

HSS Hire's head office and its 14 Supercentre rental locations have been certified to the ISO 14001 environmental standard. The UK company now aims to certify the rest of its 300-strong network.

Crane, heavy haulage and aerial platform rental house Boom Logistics in Australia is restructuring its Melbourne operation

Even in a recession there are opportunities for rental companies to grow, whether through diversification, internationalisation or by using franchising arrangements. Will Leftwich and Michael Bellenger of Will Leftwich Associates outline the opportunities.

Norwegian rental company UCO said it has set an “ambitious goal” to maintain its revenues in 2009 despite an anticipated 15-20% fall in construction volumes from many of the country’s biggest contractors.

A rental website that allows individuals and businesses to rent a wide range of equipment and products has just started operating in the UK after successful launches in France, Belgium, The Netherlands and the US.

Hertz Equipment Rental Company (HERC) has closed three of its six depots in Spain and will focus on power generation and climate control rentals until the general construction market improves.

Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services, the oil and gas rental division of UK rental group Vp plc, has placed a multi-million euro order with Doosan Infracore Portable Power for a new fleet of Ingersoll Rand Rigsafe portable compressors.