HERC Enters Hawaii Market with Acquisition of Western Machinery

Nov. 16, 2010
Hertz Equipment Rental Corp. has acquired Western Machinery, a leading rental company in Hawaii. The acquisition is HERC’s first foray into the Hawaiian market, said Hertz Global Holdings chairman and CEO Mark Fissora. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Hertz Equipment Rental Corp. has acquired Western Machinery, a leading rental company in Hawaii. The acquisition is HERC’s first foray into the Hawaiian market, said Hertz Global Holdings chairman and CEO Mark Fissora. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

“The Hawaiian construction market is estimated to be a $3.4 billion market,” Fissora said. “By acquiring Western Machinery, Hertz will be able to introduce new product lines, including aerial, pump, power and general rental while tapping into opportunities in the industrial and entertainment services sector.”

Western Machinery was founded in 1986 and headquartered in Kapolei, Oahu, with branches on Oahu, Hawaii and Maui. Western has a predominantly commercial customer base, and offers material- and earthmoving equipment to customers in the industrial and government sectors. Western is also a dealer for Gradall, JLG, Bobcat, Liebherr, Linkbelt and Allied Hammers, and provides parts and service support to customers.

In the past year and a half, HERC has aggressively pursued growth by acquisition and international expansion. In August of this year, it bought RentOne, an Italian power generation rental specialist; in July of this year it acquired 1st Call Studio Equipment, Sylmar, Calif.; in February it entered into a joint venture to establish equipment rentals in Saudi Arabia; in July 2009, it acquired Irving Industrial Rental, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; in April, 2009 it bought Rent One, a power generation rental company in Spain. HERC also established rental facilities in China.

Based in Park Ridge, N.J., HERC is No. 4 on the RER 100.