Editorial: February 2013

Canadian Rental Service is doing what it can to drive the cycle of renewal in this industry.

I’m writing this on Dec. 19, so if you are reading this it means the world did not end on Dec. 21, as some predicted based on the ancient Mayan calendar that shows its Great Cycle ending on that date. Actually, interpretations of what the end of a Great Cycle meant to the Mayans differ. Some think it presaged the end of the universe. Others have suggested it predicted a grand rebirth and renewal of everything – a new beginning. Still others think they only had so much rock and had to stop carving somewhere. You can judge how confident I am that the end-of-the-worlders are wrong by the mere fact that I am going ahead and writing this now. I have never been one to go in for unnecessary work. Just ask my wife.

So, we are hoping for renewal and bright beginnings this New Year’s, as we are most New Year’s. In that spirit, I’d like to tell you about something new Canadian Rental Service  will be doing in 2013.

If any industry is to renew and revitalize itself over time, it must engage young people and support them in their careers. For many traditional sectors involved in construction and trades, this is an ever-increasing challenge. Skilled tradespeople in most fields look around the break room, the Local hall or the association meeting and see a lot of grey hair. They know their sons and daughters are not interested in following in their footsteps and they wonder where people will find the skilled help they need in the decades to come.

The challenge facing the rental industry is less severe because getting started in it does not require years of training and apprenticeship (unless you are a mechanic). However, I still see a lot of grey hair at trade shows and association events. To its credit, the industry has recognized the danger of letting the younger generation slip away and has responded with such initiatives as the Dorothy Wellnitz scholarships, leadership conferences and overseas exchanges.  The result has been more and better participation by younger rental operators in industry groups and events and, I hope, better retention of the next generation in shops across the country.

Canadian Rental Service hopes to boost this trend. Starting now, I am collecting submissions for a special feature called Top 10 Under 40. This article will feature 10 of the rental industry’s most dynamic people who are 40 years old or younger in 2013. I’ll be looking for individuals who have shown drive, innovation and commitment to their businesses. They need not be store owners or even managers, but they do have to work full time in one or more of the rental fields. I’ll be selecting the Top 10 and featuring mini-profiles of each in our September issue. To recommend someone, drop me an e-mail at pflannery@annexweb.com saying why you think that person is one of Canada’s top 10 rental people under 40. 

Next issue: March is our annual focus on events and party rentals, so don’t miss our roundup of great new products in that field. The party rolls on with our profile of Location Gervais, one of Montreal’s oldest and most successful event rental houses. Also, video screen powerhouse NEC gives you the lowdown on how to choose the right video wall technology for your business.