Volvo Construction Equipment Rents last week announced the opening of a new franchise in Gulfport, Miss., a city that was significantly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The new franchise is Gulf South Machinery of Gulfport, owned by Doug Clearman.

The new branch will feature the usual Volvo Rents mix of equipment for construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets, along with an extensive line of Volvo compact excavators and wheel loaders, backhoes and skid-steer loaders.

Volvo Rents has 74 rental centers in North America, 66 in Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Poland and Austria) and one in Mexico.

Based in Asheville, N.C., Volvo Rents is No. 15 on the RER 100.