Friday Roundup: Elections and EU sustainability | BigRentz facilities management | Generac expands BESS

Can it be July already? Indeed, summer marches on and with it, the beginning of July saw a wide range of happenings in the equipment rental industry.

To start with, we take deep dive into how recent European elections might affect EU sustainability policies.

People line up to vote in the first round of the early French parliamentary elections at a polling station in Paris, France, on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Abdul Saboor via Reuters Connect)

In early June contests, far-right parties made significant gains. According to an Associated Press report, that and other dynamics could have an impact on sustainability policies across the European Union (EU), and the parliament will likely find decision-making more challenging.

“You could say, on the one hand, there’s not a dramatic change compared to the last five years,” said Georgetown University Professor R. Daniel Kelemen, McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy, noting that European center right, center left and liberal parties will likely remain a ruling majority. “However, the fact that the far right gained has kind of changed the mood in the parliament.”

Meanwhile, US-based BigRentz announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with facilities management association ConnexFM that will see its online equipment marketplace added to the association’s ProPerks Program.

ProPerks, a savings program offered exclusively to more than 3,000 members of ConnexFM, provides discounts and benefits through various rental partners, including Home Depot, HDSupply and Lowe’s.

According to BigRentz, the integration means ConnexFM members will benefit from “VIP access to diverse equipment inventory” across its equipment inventory.

Takeuchi has expanded its hydraulic product line by introducing the new TB370W, which is the manufacturer’s second wheeled model available globally, alongside the TB395W.

“The TB370W has all the benefits of a wheeled excavator – mobility, speed, versatility, maneuverability and minimal ground impact,” said Clay Eubanks, director of global sales for Takeuchi.

Takeuchi has expanded its hydraulic product line by introducing the new TB370W. (Photo: Takeuchi)

“It combines powerful excavating performance with on-road capabilities, all in a more compact size, making it an ideal machine for shorter-term, faster-paced projects.”

Back over in Europe, Time Manufacturing Company announced it is restructuring its Versalift brand in Europe.

Effective from July 3, the three European divisions of Versalift United Kingdom, Versalift Ireland and Versalift Denmark will merge to form a single entity - Versalift Europe.

The merger is designed to unify operations, streamline processes, and strengthen Versalift’s position as a leading provider of vehicle mounted access platforms in the European market, said the company.

Generac Power Systems has acquired PowerPlay Battery Energy Storage Systems, a division of SunGrid Solutions Inc., an engineering, procurement and construction company for energy storage. 

PowerPlay specializes in providing turnkey lithium-ion battery-based battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions tailored for commercial and industrial (C&I) projects up to 7 MWh, the announcement said.

Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Generac, said the acquisition will support Generac’s commitment to offer “a more complete ecosystem of products and solutions to domestic commercial & industrial customers” that empower them to reach their energy objectives “with a strong emphasis on resilience, efficiency and sustainability.”