It's the season for predictions. By now almost everyone in the world of business has read reams of predictions about the economy for the coming year. We pretty well know that most of the economic numbers for 2010 look a little better than 2009. The stock market is doing better. The overall economy is growing rather than contracting and there is far less panic. So supposedly we are in a recovery mode or at least bouncing along the bottom until the second half of this year when, at least in theory, things will improve.

But while what Benjamin Bernanke thinks is important — some moderate growth in 2010 compared with 2009 — we at RER decided what would be most interesting to our readers would be what people in the rental industry are predicting. And while those predictions might be less hopeful and, candidly, more depressing, at least they would pertain to the reality most of our readers are living in. So we asked rental company owners, manufacturers, service providers and economists what they expect for 2010. And here we present 30 takes on the economy for 2010. Some are more optimistic and positive than what you might expect; some are more pessimistic and negative than you want to hear. But all of it is candid and straight from the heart.

1. Woody Weld, CEO, Acme Lift, Phoenix

   We anticipate an increase in business during 2010 due to the slight rebound of the economy (a stop in downward movement being perceived as up), increases of spending in oil and gas production and refining, slight return of commodity and mineral business spending, healthcare facility, bridgework, governmental (military), and some other industrial and infrastructure increases (slight).

   Oil is active both at the wellhead and at the refinery level. Gold, copper, coal, and other mined commodities have risen in price. Natural gas pricing is improving. We are participating in the current build of a number of healthcare projects and more are planned. Electrical power generation (including clean air updates), transmission and distribution are not where they should be but are recovering (much grid work must be completed in order to allow for new power generation to enter the grid), base closures have meant expansion on existing military bases, and infrastructure projects (specifically transportation, waste and water treatment, bridge projects, and ports) are just now receiving a small amount of governmental aid. These are the industries in which we expect business increases.

   Rental companies tell us that they are quoting more than ever, that they have huge projects ready to kick off in the near future, and then when that future date arrives they tell us that the project in question didn't get funded. We expect to hear that story quite a bit in 2010, but with some improvement. Our customers say they think it will get better in 2010, that they are not going to buy much and that they have cut back as far as they could up to now.

2. Ed Sullivan, chief economist and vice president economic research, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.

   For residential it will probably reflect a relatively large percentage gain. That really doesn't mean anything because we're at such low levels percentages kind of disguise things. Percentage-wise, it's going to show a big increase in terms of where we're at, but most people in the construction industry are not going to see much relief.

   Non-residential is expected to see dramatic declines [in 2009] followed by dramatic declines [in 2010]. That is still in contraction. On the private side, there really is no relief coming. If demand goes up, the meager gains you might see in overall construction dollars in residential will be largely offset by further declines in nonresidential.

   That leaves the public sector, and that's the key. In there, the issues are a little more complex, what you've got and what everyone focuses on is the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), or the stimulus spending. In our industry, there is quite a bit of discussion, but they haven't seen much work come their way. Only 15 percent of that money has been spent. Paperwork delays have been one of the key problems, and those paperwork delays are gradually being overcome.

   There is some momentum there, we are starting to see some money get out there, and now what you've got is the potential for some of these ARRA projects to start to materialize in the spring of next year. But the problem is that ARRA is only a portion of the public [sector], because state and local fiscal conditions will, in our mind, sterilize a large portion of those ARRA funds. Any improvement that you do see next year is probably going to be in the back half of the year.

3. Dan Kaplan, Daniel Kaplan Associates, Morristown, N.J.

   I'm not expecting improvement. Only the very well-managed companies will do better in 2010 than 2009. Those that have taken actions to delete or sell off underperforming assets, close underperforming branches, and cut their expenses will see a better year. For the industry as a whole, it's going to really be a year of positioning for 2011, and as in 2009, survival and liquidity is the name of the game. National companies like United Rentals are better positioned.

   Rental rates will remain under pressure, but I am expecting rental rates to stabilize in 2010 versus 2009 and not see a decline like we saw in 2009 versus 2008.

   Those who have industrial bases, where some revenue will be there, will probably perform somewhat better but it's going to be hard. National accounts are critical because national accounts have a stable rental base versus no revenue base at all, although national accounts require national account pricing.

   I'm hopefully expecting to see somewhat of a minimal improvement in time utilization because many rental companies have taken action to cut fleet. But the key is time utilization. So in 2010 as a whole, I don't see any sectors particularly strong. There are stronger sectors like industrial but the key to success for the rental industry is nonresidential construction and I just don't see non-residential construction coming back any time before 2011, maybe 2012.