While the $1.05 billion acquisition of NationsRent by Sunbelt Rentals was large, it was not the largest transaction in the history of the North American rental industry.

That honor would go to Atlas Copco's July 1999 acquisition of Rental Service Corp. for $1.63 billion in cash and assumed debt, a record that is likely to be shattered when Atlas Copco sells RSC — which includes the former Prime Equipment — later this year. Atlas Copco outbid United Rentals, which also attempted to acquire RSC that year.

Other large acquisitions in North America's rental industry include:

• In June of 1998, United Rentals became the rental industry's undisputed largest company with its acquisition of U.S. Rentals, then the industry's second largest company behind Hertz Equipment Rental Corp., for about $1.24 billion in stock.

• In June of 1997, Atlas Copco acquired Prime Equipment for about $1.16 billion in cash and assumed debt. Eventually Prime would merge with RSC.

• Affiliates of Diamond Castle Holdings, a private equity firm, acquired Chicago-based NES Rentals for about $850 million, a deal that was finalized last month (see next article).

• In June of 2003, private investment firm Odyssey Partners acquired control of Neff Rentals for about $550 million.

• In April of 2000, Ashtead plc acquired the U.S. branches of Initial Plant Services, formerly known as BET, for $506 million. At the time Sunbelt was No. 10 on the RER 100 and Initial was No. 6. The acquisition made Sunbelt No. 4.

• On the last day of 2001, NES acquired Brambles Plant Services for about $94 million in cash and $28 million in assumed debt. NES was No. 6 on the RER 100, Brambles was No. 9. The acquisition made NES No. 4.

• Ford Motor Co. sold the Hertz Corp., including Hertz Equipment Rental Corp., Park Ridge, N.J., for about $5.6 billion to investment group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, in the fall of 2005.