Online heavy equipment marketplace Dozr announced it has begun operating in Florida, providing construction and agricultural equipment owners in the area a platform to rent their idle machinery.
Dozr was founded by Canadian contractor Kevin Forestell, who owned a commercial landscaping company. Forestell said he hated watching his equipment sit idle between jobs and knew other contractors were in the same situation. With Dozr, equipment owners matches people in need of machinery with equipment, with insurance coverage built into the platform.
“With so much economic growth, construction and agriculture happening in Florida, there is a big demand for equipment,” Forestell said. “Dozr is here to help connect people with extra equipment with people who need it so that projects can stay on track and owners can earn revenue from their equipment.”
Dozr staff said the platform creates revenue for equipment owners, and that rates on the contractor-to-contractor platform tend to be about 40 percent less than retail rental rates and, Dozr said, variety is greater. There is no charge to join the network.
Dozr launched in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in 2015 and is expanding operations in the United States following a CD $2.5 million equity financing from FairVentures Inc., the innovation initiative of Fairfax Financial Holdings. Dozr moved into the New Jersey market in December and is now operating in Florida, focusing on Miami, Tampa and Orlando.
Dozr added that Florida contracts will be able to find good deals on construction equipment from Canada and northern states where work is relatively minimal until spring.
