20 rer / may / 2008 - Rental Equipment Register

1ooCompany Name (Last year’s rank) 2007 Rental 2007 Total Total Editorial CommentsHeadquarters Volume in Volume in NumberTop Officer Millions Millions of OutletsWebsite18192O2122232425AMQUIP CRANE CORP. (20) $155.0 $155.0 11Bensalem, Pa.Frank Bardonarowww.amquip.comRING POWER (15) $154.0* n/a 14Jacksonville, Fla.Randy Ringhaverwww.ringpower.comBRIGGS EQUIPMENT (19) $132.9 $500.0* 41DallasDavid Brattonwww.briggsequipment.comPON NORTH AMERICA (-) $114.7 $445.2 29Waco, TexasDon Moeswww.eqdepot.comHOLT CAT (23) $104.0 $1 billion + 17San AntonioPeter Holtwww.holtcat.comBATTLEFIELD EQUIPMENT RENTALS (22) $96.8 $170.0* 34Stoney Creek, OntarioRandy Cassonwww.battlefieldequipment.caEMPIRE MACHINERY (24) $71.0* n/a 14Mesa, Ariz.Jeffrey Whitemanwww.empirecat.comWAGNER RENTS (25) $70.1* n/a 18DenverBruce Wagnerwww.wagnerequipment.comAcquisition of Bard Capital in June should continue to providefinancial resources. Since acquiring the Shaughnessy of NESin March ’07, has deployed more than 50 cranes throughoutNew England, with unprecedented growth in Boston andRhode Island markets. Has nearly 100 specially trainedservice technicians and field service trucks, and a $20-millionparts inventory. Has in-house tower crane engineering team,and strong shop and fabrication capability. Has cranes workingin about 35 states. Rental volume up 15 percent.Currently faced with a double curse — being heavily weightedin the earthmoving market, with its primary market areabeing Florida, one of the epicenters of the housing slump.Reduced fleet by 25 percent, mostly by selling to Caterpillardealers. Seeing erosion of rental rates in trading area.Doesn’t see signs of a positive turnaround before 2009.Dropped a bit from 2006 because of housing marketissues in Florida, Carolinas and Georgia, leading to reductionin construction rental. With nearly $30 million inlong-term rental in Mexico, Briggs has become a leadingplayer there. In addition to CEO Bratton, top executivesinclude Mike Winemiller, president of Briggs EquipmentInc., and John Van Ruitenbeek, chief operating officerfor Briggs Construction Equipment.Previously listed as Equipment Depot (No. 39 last year),Pon, headquartered in the Netherlands has grown its U.S.empire with five companies, all strong in rental, specializing inmaterial-handling equipment. Along with Texas-based EquipmentDepot (12 branches), Pon includes Equipment Depotin Illinois; Portman Equipment in Ohio, Kentucky and WestVirginia; Forklifts Inc. in eastern Pennsylvania, southern NewJersey and Delaware; and Levee Lift in Indiana and Kentucky.Been a strong year for Equipment Depot, with a lot of work incommercial, highway and industrial markets.Increased fleet size in response to strong rental market,and improved management of assets and people. Expectsstrong year for rental in ’08 with a slower salesenvironment. Company plans to open new rental operationsin several existing machine stores. Covers most ofTexas except far western part of the massive state. Had a21-percent rental volume jump in 2007.Another increase for major Canadian Caterpillar rentalcompany, a strong player in Ontario market. Battlefieldacquired Sunrise Equipment early in 2007, contributingto its overall revenue. Experienced same-store growth ona companywide basis. Starting 2008 with a solid firstquarter with record equipment backlogs.Not the best of times in Arizona earthmoving market, butEmpire is diversified enough with aerial and other types ofallied equipment. Now in its third generation of ownershipby the Whiteman family, which started the Caterpillar dealershipin 1950. Territory includes southeastern Californiaand parts of northern Mexico as well as Arizona.Colorado and New Mexico Caterpillar dealer has a lotof oil and gas work and pretty solid commercial activityin region, helping the company to continue to growsteadily, although slower than previous years. Expects toopen a couple more Cat Rental Store branches in ’08.*Denotes RER estimate based on regional economic conditions, industry sources and interviews by members of the RER staff. Other revenue figures are based on actual reported revenue for North American operations as of April 25,2008. Location data are as of April 25, 2008, to the best of the knowledge of the RER staff. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and thoroughness, omissions sometimes occur. All figures are in U.S. dollars. In the case ofsome Canadian companies that reported figures in Canadian dollars, the figure listed is based on the average conversion rate for the year 2007 according to the Bank of Canada.28 rer / may / 2008