Friday quiz: Access equipment fatalities | Manitou’s new battery joint venture | Who is new Nixon Hire CEO?
1) By what percentage did fatal and major incidents involving powered access equipment decrease in 2024, according to IPAF’s Global Safety Report? 15% 26% 12% 2) Where will Manitou and Hangcha’s new lithium-ion battery joint venture be established? Metz, in northeastern France Le Mans, in Sarthe, France Toulouse, in southern France 3) What is the […]
New CEO for Opifex-Synergy in US
Opifex-Synergy, the major US rental business in the Southern states of the US, has appointed Joseph ‘Jay’ Vaughn III as its CEO. Vaughn was the CEO and co-founder of Texas-based Opifex. His appointment follows the merger last year of Opifex and Florida-based Synergy Equipment. He succeeds Synergy founder J C Mas, who will become chairman […]
Herc issues first results since H&E acquisition
Herc Rentals has reported its first quarterly results since finalising the acquisition of H&E Equipment at the start of June, with revenues for the three months to 30 June up 18.2% to US$1 billion and EBITDA profits up 12.8% to $406 million. These figures include one month of contributions from H&E, but pro forma revenues […]
Sun, sea and specialist rental: How Spanish plant hire firm Manain is navigating a buoyant market
“We are not a normal rental company,” says Albert Borràs, founder of Catalonia-based construction equipment rental firm Manain. It’s a statement borne out by the figures: half of Manain’s revenues now stem from equipment sales—particularly of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)—alongside its core rental business. The firm’s fleet includes 1,400 aerial platforms out of 2,000 […]
Point of Rental integrates auction platform
Rental software company Point of Rental has signed a partnership with online auctioneer Bidadoo that will allow Point of Rental customers to sell used equipment “seamlessly” through Bidadoo’s auction platform. The auction company said the deal represented a “transformative leap in equipment remarketing”, giving regional rental fleets instant access to a global audience of online […]
Sun, sea and specialist rental: How Spanish plant hire firm Manain is navigating a buoyant market
“We are not a normal rental company,” says Albert Borràs, founder of Catalonia-based construction equipment rental firm Manain. It’s a statement borne out by the figures: half of Manain’s revenues now stem from equipment sales—particularly of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)—alongside its core rental business. The firm’s fleet includes 1,400 aerial platforms out of 2,000 […]
United Rentals raises full-year guidance
United Rentals has raised its full-year guidance for 2025, following what it described as solid second-quarter results. The company cited continued growth across both its general rentals and specialty businesses as key drivers of performance. For the three months to June 30, total revenue rose to $3.943 billion, including $3.415 billion in rental revenue which […]
ERA/IRN RentalTracker: Pressure in the present, future rebound?
The latest ERA/IRN RentalTracker suggests that business sentiment across Europe’s rental industry has taken a step back from the modest positivity at the end of last year. While not a collapse by any means, signs of strain are emerging. The Q2 2025 survey, conducted during June and early July, attracted responses from more than 110 […]
Kiloutou strengthens with acquisitions in Denmark and Italy
Kiloutou Group has announced the acquisition of two rental companies in Denmark and Italy as part of its ongoing international expansion strategy. No financial details of the acquisitions have been disclosed. The deals, both subject to regulatory approval, will see the group expand its footprint in western Denmark and the Piedmont region of northern Italy. […]
Q&A with new secretary general of the European Rental Association
IRN: First of all, congratulations on your appointment. How does it feel to be in that position after many years working as manager of ERA?Carole Bachman: Thank you, Murray! I’m truly honoured to step into the role of Secretary General of ERA. After many years as ERA’s manager, this new position represents both an exciting […]