Canada’s Komatsu Rents network of rental centers last week changed its name to SMS Rents. Quebec rental centers, previously known as Location Komatsu, will change to Location SMS.

The company made the name change to enable customers to better recognize the expanding range of equipment tools and services offered by SMS Rents. The name change also aligns the rental network with parent company SMS Construction and Mining Systems, a Sumitomo Corp. company.

Marcel Langlois, SMS Rents president, said only the company’s name is changing.

“We will continue to work with the same management group as we have since Komatsu Rents was established in 2003,” Langlois said. “We will continue to support the same equipment rental services through an expanding store network.”

Langlois added that SMS’ fleet involves many other kinds of equipment besides Komatsu and the name change will enable customers to more clearly understand that. The company rents everything from material handling and aerial lift equipment to generators, compressors and compaction rollers as well as handheld tools from welding and cutting tools to landscaping and lighting equipment.

Langlois said converting current Komatsu Rents stores to new signage and business graphics will be “an evolutionary process” beginning in January 2008 and continuing through spring on a store-by-store basis.

Based in Mississauga, Ontario, SMS Rents has seven branches in Ontario and three in Quebec.

Canada’s Komatsu Rents network of rental centers last week changed its name to SMS Rents.