One of the Russian contractors relaxes after trying out a trowel for the first time. Photo by Michael Roth, RER

A group of about 30 Russian contractors and distributors visited the headquarters of Multiquip Inc. in Carson, Calif., earlier this month. The group visited Multiquip after attending the World of Concrete in Las Vegas. They attended a day of classroom instruction learning about equipment and spent a day pouring concrete and trying out trowels and other Multiquip and Whiteman concrete-related equipment.

Dmitry Pzdneev, of Materials & Equipment LLC, Multiquip’s Moscow-based distributor, told RER that although Russia’s economy is currently in a severe downturn with many projects shut down, his company hopes to begin rental services in the very near future.