Volvo Construction Equipment Rents last week announced the opening of a new independently owned franchise equipment rental center in Louisiana. The Volvo CE Rents store is the third Volvo franchise in the state for its owners, Paul and Penny Bullock, and their four children Jason, Melissa, Stephen and Maggie, principals of JPS Equipment, LLC.

JPS Equipment opened its first Louisiana Volvo rental center in October of 2003 in West Monroe, and a second center in Alexandria in July of 2004.

The Bossier City Volvo CE Rents franchise is independently owned and operated, and will carry, in addition to Volvo construction equipment, a comprehensive line of essential equipment and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets. Principal Volvo products for its rental centers include the company’s extensive line of compact excavators and wheel loaders, and backhoe and skid-steer loaders.

The store has been open for a few weeks, but will officially launch Wednesday, June 6, during a special open house event. Most of the vendors will be on hand for product demonstrations.

“We very much want to meet our new neighbors,” said Allen Poovey, store manager, “so we’re making a huge effort to host a large-scale open house to introduce ourselves and our capability.”

“We are very happy to expand into the Shreveport area,” said Paul Bullock. “It was a natural progression of our growth. We are happy with the economic prospects of the Shreveport and Bossier City business community and look forward to growing with the community.”

Asheville, N.C.-based Volvo Rents has 75 equipment rental centers open in North America, 66 centers in Europe and one in Mexico. It is No 16 on the RER 100.