Action Equipment Rentals, based in the California Central Valley town of Hanford, Calif., with a branch in nearby Madera, Calif., last week finalized the acquisition of the rental business of Morris Levin & Son, based in Tulare, Calif., with a branch in Porterville, Calif.

Morris Levin & Son was founded in 1934 as a hardware store, which later branched into the tool rental business in 1959, establishing a branch in Porterville during the 1990s. The hardware business — as well as MLS-owned dairy and contracting businesses — will continue under MLS. In Tulare, the hardware, dairy and contracting businesses are in a separate location across the street from the rental store. In Porterville, the company shut down the hardware section, but is sharing the facility with a small-engine repair division.

Action Equipment Rentals was formed in 2005 by co-owners Scott McCoy, Charles Emanuel, Robert Moffitt, Ron Silveira and Mitch Zapien. Action started its Madera store in early 2008. Action serves as retailers for Gehl and Takeuchi and plans to expand its coverage of those lines to the newly acquired stores.

“This past year has been a tough year, but we think this was a smart acquisition that will help us spread out our fleet and get more utilization,” McCoy told RER. McCoy said that although the current economy in California is challenging, people in smaller communities continue to do work around their homes and yards. With MLS having a considerable amount of homeowner-oriented equipment, McCoy expects the acquisition will complement and help expand the more contractor-oriented rental business operated by Action, which has a wide range of inventory from small tools to aerial and earthmoving equipment.