Alliance Rental, based in Dahlonega, Ga., just north of Atlanta, has reached an agreement to purchase the assets of the southern division of Interstate Aerials, chairman and CEO Rusty Kaylor told RER. The acquisition includes branches in Chattanooga and Cleveland, Tenn.

The acquisition of the southern operations of Interstate Aerials does not include the northeast locations of the Swedesboro, N.J.-based Interstate.

Kaylor, a 33-year veteran of the aerial industry, was working with Interstate and formed Alliance to acquire the three southern locations. Joining him as shareholders are aerial industry veterans Russ Stear, who will serve as vice president of fleet, and Stephen Sears, who will be vice president of sales.

Kaylor originally worked for a JLG distributorship, which sold to BPS Equipment and was later sold to Sunbelt Rentals, then worked for NationsRent, which also was acquired by Sunbelt. Kaylor later joined Interstate Aerials before breaking off to acquire the three Interstate Aerials facilities.

“This market is still pretty soft, but we believe we have enough work to cover us for the next two or three years,” Kaylor told RER. “There’s really not another independent pure aerial company in the Atlanta market or east Tennessee and we think we can make it work.”