BELLE CHASSE, La. — Louisiana Rents opened North America's 350th Cat Rental Store branch in Belle Chasse, La., a 20-minute drive from downtown New Orleans, in concurrence with the American Rental Association show last month. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by dealers and media attending the ARA convention, owner Bobby Webb, director of operations Donald Charbonnet; Mike Bruch, marketing manager of the Cat rental services program and other Caterpillar officials celebrated the continuing growth of the Caterpillar equipment rental network.

Caterpillar pitched its Cat Rental Store concept to its Caterpillar dealers at the American Rental Association trade show in New Orleans five years ago. It has added 300 locations since that time to reach the current number of 350. Caterpillar now has more than 1,100 rental service branches worldwide including Europe, Asia and Latin America.

The branch is the seventh for Louisiana Rents, a division of Louisiana Machinery, which opened its first rental locations in October 1999. It handles allied equipment lines such as Genie aerial work platforms, Godwin pumps, Lincoln Electric welders and Sullivan air compressors. Louisiana took possession of the branch 20 days prior to the opening, refurbishing an oilfield service and pipe-cleaning facility, with a paved 4-acre lot and a 6,500-square-foot building.

“We are a full-service rental operation, not only with equipment but supplies as well,” said Charbonnet. “We have become the market leader in most of the markets we have entered, and with the opening of this store, our staff has a combined 700 years of experience. We looked at this facility for two years and finally were able to negotiate for it. From this location, we'll service the off-shore oil fields as well as industry and downtown New Orleans construction.” Louisiana Rents specializes in the offshore market and much of its equipment is built on skids rather than wheels. Also Louisiana Rents is the only Cat Rental chain in the country to handle Cat Rental Power generator rentals, which is usually handled by separate divisions, with generators up to 2,000 kw.

Lousiana Rents is No. 41 on the RER 100, and has branches in Bossier City, Gonzales, Lafayette, Monroe, Morgan City and Port Fourchon.