Rental News Highlights

UK-based GenQuip and Belgium’s Europower have both launched ranges of bunded diesel fuel storage tanks. GenQuip’s GenTank range will initially comprise two sizes, the 1180 litre GenTank 950 and the 2500 litre GenTank 2000. Europower’s Transtore range, meanwhile, comes in sizes from 225 litres up to 3000 litres, and includes two large capacity versions designed specifically for fuelling generators. Both companies offer stand-alone and trailer mounted tanks.

Genie Industries is the latest equipment manufacturer to sign up to the SmartEquip network. The SmartEquip system creates seamless links between equipment owners and manufacturers for aftermarket services. Genie has also announced the launch of a new online parts website “that gives customers the parts listings they need, without having to download and navigate through cumbersome .pdf files.” See www.genieindustries.com/manuals.asp

Leading surveying instrument manufacturers Topcon Corp and Sokkia Co merged on 5 February after the Japanese Fair Trade Commission approved the transaction. Mr Ewout Korpershoek, director of sales and marketing for Topcon Europe Positioning BV, said; “For both companies, it will be ‘business as usual’, with no change in brand or distribution network.”

Boom Logistics' chief executive officer Mark Lawrence resigned on 1 February, the same day that trading of the company's shares was halted ahead of the company’s half-year results announcement on 5 February. Boom is one of Australia's biggest crane and access rental companies. The results included a 22% fall in pre-tax profits, A$2.9 million accounting charge relating to the 2005 acquisition of Sherrin Hire, and news that severe flooding in the Queensland Bowen Basin would impact on the company’s second half performance.

The UK’s Lavendon Group is rebranding its European access rental businesses, eliminating the Zooom name and focusing on the Nationwide, Lavendon, Panther and Gardemann brands. Its German business switched entirely to Gardemann at the start of this year, and the Zooom and DK Rental brands will be phased out in Belgium, France and Spain over the next 18 months, to be replaced by Lavendon. In the UK, the main access business remains as Nationwide, but the smaller regional businesses – Panther, AMP, Kestrel and Higher Platforms – will be collected under the single Panther name.

Ammann-Yanmar said it had invested €20 million over the past three years in its mini- and compact-excavator facility in Saint-Dizier, France, in order to increase production. The company said it currently had a 10.5% share of the European mini and compact market and hoped to increase that to 15% by 2012, increasing output to 40 machines a day within three years.

Janneniska, the Finnish truck mounted platform renter, has acquired the Swedish rental company Nofa Maskinuthyrning AB for an undisclosed price. Nofa is based in Stockholm and has a fleet of 100 aerial platforms, including scissor lifts, self-propelled booms and small, self-drive truck mounts as well as trucks up to a 52 m Bronto model.

UK power and lighting rental company Power⁴ has investing a further £1 million in its fleet, taking its recent investment on new equipment to over £1.5 million. In December, Power⁴ took delivery of 32 SDMO and MacGen generators, ranging from 33kVA to 500kVA, and 12 bulk fuel tanks from Western. The extra £1 million will be spent on further generators and lighting towers.