Global Rental Alliance welcomes Brazil

Feb. 17, 2012 – During their 10th annual meeting in New Orleans at The
Rental Show 2012, the Global Rental Alliance approved Alliance
membership of the Associação De Locadoras, the Brazilian Rental
Association based in São Paulo, Brazil. ALEC was represented at the
meeting by its president, Marco Aurélio da Cunha, managing director of
Sao Paulo Locadora de Máquinas e Equipamentos, a general equipment
rental company with operations in São Paulo, Curitiba and Praia Grande. 
Mr. Aurélio da Cunha has been active in the Brazilian rental industry
for 23 years and recently began his two-year tenure as president of the
20-year old association.

ARA Rental Market Metrics was presented at the meeting by John
McClelland, ARA vice-president, who addressed the opportunity for
worldwide adoption of the performance measures. These metrics are
consistent with the objectives of the Global Rental Alliance to provide
the opportunity for development of benchmark data among their member
rental companies. Member organizations present recognized that
implementation of ARA Rental Market Metrics by software providers is
essential to implementation of the initiative.

From right to left: Bruce Wallace, HIANZ representative, Ed Dwyer, CRA president, Graham Arundell, HAE managing director, Chris Wehrman, ARA CEO, Phil Newby, HRIA CEO, and Michel Petitjean, ERA secretary general

The equipment rental economic outlook, technological trends within the
industry, safety and regulatory matters, and the GRA International
Rental Business Leadership Program, administered by the ARA Foundation,
were among the key issues addressed at the meeting.  

The purpose of the Global Rental Alliance is to increase the profile of
equipment rental worldwide and to build global understanding of the
industry. It is a partnership of rental associations from around the
world that meet semi-annually and share information on program
initiatives throughout the year.  The unity of this group has brought
about an increased awareness of overall priorities internationally,
adding to the strategic outlook and resources of each association within
the Alliance.

All of the Global Rental Alliance members were represented at the meeting, as follows:

• European Rental Association represented by Michel Petitjean, secretary general
• Hire Association Europe, represented by Stephen Dorricott,
  chairman, Kevin McGuinness, president, Graham Arundell, managing
  director, and Terry Douris, past president
• Hire Association of New Zealand, represented by Bruce
  Wallace of GI Hire in Pakuranga, Auckland, NZ, on behalf of Phil Tindle, general manager
• Hire and Rental Industry Association Australia,
  represented by Peter Lancken, GRA representative, and Phil Newby, CEO
• Canadian Rental Association, represented by Ed Dwyer, president, and Jeff Campbell, senior vice-president
• American Rental Association, represented by Ted Cook,
  chairman, Chris Wehrman, CEO, and Kathy
  Nicoletto, Global Rental Alliance liaison and special assistant to the
  CEO

Representatives of the Alliance joined ARA in welcoming international
guests to the International Reception held in their honor at The Rental
Show. They were among attendees from over 40 countries throughout the
world who traveled to New Orleans to attend the Show. ARA thanks the
reception sponsors, Ditch Witch, Doosan Portable Power, EDCO, and Rental Management magazine, for their support.

Related links
Global Rental Alliance