TLS, GE Plant Hire to Share Locations
TLS Vehicle Rental has opened a new branch in Oldham, United Kingdom, on the same property as sister company GE Plant Hire. The opening is the first result of a program looking at opportunities for the two companies to expand their presence by sharing locations....
Stephenson’s Jumps 35 Percent in First Quarter
Toronto rental chain Stephenson’s Rental Services posted a 35-percent revenue increase for the three months ended March 31, grossing CA $13.5 million (about U.S. $12.3 million). Stephenson’s officials credited the increase to the return of normal weather patterns and the contribution from the acquisition of A-1 Equipment Rental in May 2006. ...
Italian IMER Group Opens Turkish Production Plant
The Imer Group, a major Italian construction equipment manufacturer based in Siena, Italy, recently opened a production facility in Aksaray, Turkey. The Imer Group produces mortar spraying and conveying machinery....
Spanish Firm GAM Acquires Aerial Rental Specialist
Spanish rental chain General de Alquiler de Maquinaria recently acquired Vilatel, an aerial work platform rental company based in Valencia and primarily doing business in the eastern part of the country. Vilatel has 15 branches....
France’s Loxam Acquire Spain’s Airent
French rental giant Loxam, Europe’s largest rental company, recently acquired Madrid-based Airent S.A....
British Rental Company Adds on to Facility
British rental company Dereham Hire Centre has added 10,000 square feet of space to its building in Dereham, United Kingdom. The company had moved into an 8,000-square-foot facility a year ago after outgrowing its previous location and is expanding again. ...
Caterpillar Opens Component Manufacturing Campus in China
As part of a long-term strategic plan to support manufacturing growth in China and at its operations around the world, Caterpillar last week celebrated the grand opening of new manufacturing operations in Wuxi, China. ...
Volvo Group Inaugurates New Volvo Center in Poland
The markets in Eastern Europe have been growing rapidly for the Volvo Group and sales in the region increased by nearly 40 percent during 2006. To further strengthen the position in Eastern Europe and meet increased transport and infrastructure needs, Volvo Group is continuing to invest in the region. Last week, Volvo Group opened a new Volvo Center in Mlochów, Poland. The multifunctional center covers different Volvo activities operated by Volvo Trucks, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Buses and Volvo Financial Services....
Wacker Begins Marketing Shares in Germany
Munich, Germany-based Wacker Construction Equipment AG began marketing its shares last week, offering up to 18.4 million shares based on a secondary placement combined with a capital increase. The company intends to use the IPO proceeds to consolidate its market position and pursue its international growth strategy....
Aggreko Opens Shanghai Service Center
Aggreko plc recently celebrated the opening of a service center in southwest Shanghai, in the industrial area of Songjiang. Aggreko entered the China market in November 2006 as Aggreko (Shanghai) Energy Equipment Rental Co., opening its first office in February....
Australian Hire Company Coates Considers Options
Australia’s largest rental company Coates Hire last week said it plans to undertake a strategic review of its business after receiving several preliminary takeover approaches. Coates has appointed Macquarie Bank to lead the review and plans to appoint a consulting firm to advise it, but said business will continue as normal while the process is under way....
Australia’s Boom Logistics to Acquire Moorland Hire
Australian crane-rental company Boom Logistics has agreed to acquire Moorland Hire for about AU $30.5 million (about U.S. $25 million). Moorland is a 25-year-old business specializing in access rentals. The company has at least 500 access machines, according to Australian press accounts....
New Zealand’s Hirepool Acquires Two Companies
New Zealand’s largest rental company Hirepool Ltd. continues its acquisition efforts with the purchase of two companies — Gisborne Hire and Barricading Solutions Ltd....
Lavendon Acquires Rise Hire
Lavendon Group, a high-reach equipment rental specialist based in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, England, last week announced it bought Cambridgeshire-based Rise Hire for £1.1m cash (about U.S. $2.2 million). The acquisition will enter Lavendon into the van-mounted powered access market. ...
Wacker Plans Springtime IPO in Germany
Wacker Construction Equipment AG is planning an initial public offering of its stock on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange this spring. Wacker said the IPO proceeds will be channeled predominantly into expanding its rental business in Central Europe and increasing production capacity in the compact equipment sector....
London Calling: A-Plant Prepares for ’12 Olympics
British rental company A-Plant has restructured its branch network in and around London in preparation for construction work on 2012 Olympics venues....
Vp’s Hire Station Acquires Cool Customers
United Kingdom rental company Vp PLC said its tool and safety equipment rental business Hire Station has acquired Cool Customers Ltd and its holding company for about 1 million pounds (about U.S. $2 million). ...
New Zealand’s Hirepool Adds Senior Managers
Hirepool Ltd., New Zealand’s largest rental company, recently named John Gibson and Eli McCowatt business relationship managers. Gibson is a 26-year veteran of the hire equipment industry, having worked with McEwen’s Hire, Hirequip and Projex....
U.K. Building Supplier Travis Perkins Adds Compact Excavators to Rental Fleet
Travis Perkins, a leading supplier to the United Kingdom building and construction industry with a growing rental program, last week signed a 5 million pound (about U.S. $10 million) contract with JCB to add 500 compact and micro excavators to its rental fleet....
Australian Kennards Hire Establishes Events Division
Kennards Hire, one of Australia’s largest equipment rental companies, has formed Kennards Events, targeting the entertainment needs of the corporate sector and large sporting and social organizations....
Harsco Division to Handle Formwork in Polish Arena
Worldwide industrial services company Harsco Corp. last week said its Huennebeck Group division has been awarded new rental formwork orders valued at up to $4.6 million to support the construction of a new sports and entertainment arena in Poland, as Harsco’s Access Services business group continues to increase its presence in key growth sectors of the Eastern Europe construction and infrastructure market. ...
Speedy Hire’s Equipment Division Up 58%
British rental chain Speedy Hire said last week that revenues rose 34 percent in the first 11 months of its fiscal year. Its equipment division, boosted by acquisitions, has jumped revenue 58 percent....
Hewden Employs Mobile Phone Security Token
Hewden, the United Kingdom’s largest rental company, last week announced it will use a mobile phone security token system to protect its corporate systems when data is accessed remotely....
A-Plant Donates Equipment to Aid Rwanda Orphans
Leading British rental company A-Plant has joined forces with WH Malcolm Construction Services, a major U.K. contractor, and several of A-Plant’s suppliers, to help hundreds of orphans in Rwanda who are looking to develop skills to support their families....
Quipo Raises $34.5 Million in Private Equity
Quipo Infrastructure Equipment Limited, or Quipo, India’s largest rental company, last week said it raised U.S. $34.5 million in equity from IDFC Private Equity Fund. HSBC Securities Group and Capital Markets (India) Private Investments assisted the transaction. ...
