Alta Equipment Expands With Acquisition of Evans Equipment Co.

Alta Equipment Co., an 18-location rental company based in Wixom, Mich., has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Evans Equipment Co., a contractor rental and supply business in Burton, Mich. Alta said it will retain Evans’ employees and David Glass, former co-owner of Evans, will remain as branch manager of the Burton store.

Alta is one of the largest industrial and heavy equipment dealers in the Midwest, employing more than 500 people. According to Crain’s Detroit Business, Alta is on track for more than $200 million in revenue in 2013, up from $152 million in 2012.

“Evans Equipment has been a solid player in the rental business for over 32 years,” said Steven Greenawalt, founder and CEO of Alta. “In that time, they established a very loyal customer base, particularly in construction tool, aerial lift, and power equipment rental segments. Their focus and expertise in compact equipment rental, as well as construction tools such as compressors, mobile power and contractor supplies will greatly complement our heavy equipment product lines and continue to expand our rental capabilities.”

Alta has an extensive inventory including Yale and Hyster lift trucks, Manitou and Combilift forklifts, Volvo construction equipment, Link-Belt cranes, Sennebogen material handlers, Genesis shears and Gomaco concrete paving products.

Evans customers will now have access to Alta’s rental fleet of more than 5,000 pieces of equipment.

“In the construction industry, access to rental tools and inventory are essential to serving the needs of the contractor community," said Rob Chiles, president of Alta’s construction equipment division. “With the addition of thousands of power tools, attachments, generators, scaffoldings and other mobile equipment from Evans’ rental fleet, Alta will now be in a better position to provide our customers with a complete solution.”

“I am very excited about this opportunity to increase the scope and footprint of our rental business with Alta Equipment Company,” said Glass.

Most of Alta’s locations are in Michigan with one store in Indiana and three in Illinois, according to the company’s website.