Fort Mill, S.C. — Sunbelt Rentals last month announced it has significantly expanded its relationship with SmartEquip. In addition to recently going live with SmartEquip's B2B Exchange, allowing for the electronic transmission of invoices with its trading partners, the company has contracted to join the SmartEquip Network to drive fleet efficiency and conduct electronic procurement with its suppliers.

Established in 1983, Sunbelt Rentals has evolved into a giant in the rental industry with more than $1.6 billion in revenues. By joining the SmartEquip Network, all 454 rental locations will experience a more streamlined aftermarket parts and service process, increased fleet uptime and an overall decrease in the cost of fleet ownership. The SmartEquip Network provides real-time connectivity between Sunbelt's rental locations and the fleet and customer support systems of their preferred suppliers.

“We believe the SmartEquip Network represents a significant opportunity for increased OEM fleet support, transaction speed and accuracy and represents a major new initiative within our company,” said Charles Snyder, executive vice president-sales/fleet management. “We are already realizing efficiency gains from using SmartEquip's B2B Exchange and are looking forward to multiplying this value by using the entire SmartEquip product suite to its optimum potential.”

SmartEquip's applications are fully integrated with Sunbelt's RentalMan business system, automating many aspects of equipment service, inventory management, parts procurement and other processes critical to the management and support of its rental fleet. Sunbelt will also utilize SmartEquip's Network to conduct electronic commerce with non-equipment vendors, including for shop supplies and a wide variety of “indirect” expenditures.

SmartEquip's mission is to provide an industry platform that enables manufacturers, distributors and equipment owners to dramatically increase asset productivity while reducing the cost of doing business. The SmartEquip Network supports key product support activities — from parts, and service to safety, training, warranty submission, and electronic procurement. Manufacturers on the SmartEquip Network include JLG, Mi-T-M, Sullivan, Deutz, Multiquip, Genie Industries, Sakai, Manitou, Sullair and Wacker.

Sunbelt Rentals, a wholly owned subsidiary of U.K. based Ashtead Group plc, is No. 2 on the RER 100. Based in Fort Mill, S.C., near Charlotte, N.C., Sunbelt provides equipment rental solutions for the industrial, construction and municipal markets, plus the DIY markets, from its network of more than 450 branches, including 90 Sunbelt at Lowe's facilities, in 35 states and the District of Columbia.