LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Former rental industry executive Steve Paradis, whose Louisville, Ky.-based Resco Rents was an RER 100 company until it was acquired by Prime, has launched an Internet-based construction equipment service for the sale and rental of equipment. Although online auction sites are becoming popular, Ironmax.com is said to be the first web site that incorporates bidding and searching for equipment for rental.

"Using traditional, offline communication, think about how difficult it is, how much work it takes to get four or five quotes," Paradis told RER. "Consider voice mail, phone tag, the time it takes to transmit written estimates. We were looking for a more efficient way, in a retrievable and understandable format. Ten years ago, no one had ever heard of the Internet. Ten years from now, no one will know we ever lived without it. Businesses that don't embrace it will be left in the dust. Ironmax.com will allow users to go online to find the equipment that best suits their needs with choices in pricing and features."

The web site -[www.ironmax.com]- is designed to bring buyers and suppliers together. Potential buyers or renters of equipment fill out a profile and complete a request for quotes, specifying whether they wish to rent or buy, the type of equipment, preferred make and model if applicable, the specifications, the location, starting and end date of the project, and the deadline for receiving the quote.

Potential equipment suppliers who are registered with the site are notified by e-mail when a bid opportunity matches their profile. The seller or rental center electronically informs the site of the specific equipment it has available, its best price, and any extras or special services available. Ironmax.com then forwards the information to the potential buyer or renter, who selects a quote and notifies Ironmax, which informs the winning bidder and notifies all bidders when a quote has been selected. It then instructs the buyer and seller how to finish the transaction.