CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sunbelt Rentals recently opened branches in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Wake Forest, N.C., thus resuming expansion efforts that had been on hold because of the downturn.

The West Palm Beach branch is a large facility that includes a wide array of equipment accessories such as diamond blades and safety equipment in addition to Sunbelt's standard fleet of aerial equipment, generators, pressure washers, paint sprayers, forklifts, compactors and other construction equipment.

“Rental customers often have to call around to multiple suppliers to outfit themselves for a project, going to one place to rent the equipment and then driving across town to one or more hardware stores for all the extras,” said branch manager Kurt Zilch. “What's unique about Sunbelt's West Palm Beach location is that we remove all that hassle. Everything our customer needs relating to their equipment rental is right here in the showroom, ready for them to rent or purchase.”

The showroom is designed with each particular piece of rental equipment and all its related items displayed together, which helps to remind customers of all the other items they may need on the jobsite.

“The wide selection of equipment and the unique design of the showroom will greatly improve service and convenience for our customers,” added Zilch. “For instance, if you need to rent a saw, not only do we rent the saw, but we also have every diamond blade you'd possibly want, plus safety goggles, earplugs, etc.”

The Wake Forest branch, in a suburb of Raleigh, N.C., is a pump and power services store concentrating on rental power, fluid-handling, compressed air and trench-shoring services.

Sunbelt's power-generation equipment ranges from 20kW to 1500 kW, with custom models available, including specially designed units for noise-sensitive applications. It also offers transformers, load banks and distribution. Its pump fleet includes sound-attenuated diesel-driven trash pumps, along with a complete line of accessories. Its compressor fleet includes oil-free units, oil-flooded and high-pressure models. Sunbelt has dessicant dehumidifiers up to 15,0000 cfm.

Store manager David Naylor is a trained civil engineer, with 20 years experience in the rental industry, in the general rental and specialty businesses. He came to the United States a year ago from the United Kingdom where he worked in the power generation division of Sunbelt's sister company A-Plant.

In other Sunbelt news, its Jacksonville, Fla., branch recently began a critical pump station bypass for Jacksonville Electric Authority, Sunbelt officials told RER. They are pumping 20 million gallons per day, 14,500 gpm, using four 12-inch electric drive pumps with a 1000-kw genset on standby. The entire project is monitored remotely.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Sunbelt Rentals is No. 4 on the RER 100.