Rental Rumbles – March 2008

From left: Ian Adlington, operations manager; Steve James, national sales manager; and Ed Zynomirski, president, ECHO Power Equipment Canada; Grey Heyer, director of distribution and rental sales; and Jim Markey, regional sales manager, Schiller Pfeiffer.

Sales growth recognized
ECHO Power Equipment Canada was honoured with the ‘Schiller Pfeiffer Distributor of the Year’ award. The award was presented for significant increase in Little Wonder, Mantis and Classen sales growth over the previous year.

“ECHO Power Equipment Canada not only exceeded sales expectations with Little Wonder, Mantis and Classen in 2007, but has proven with its strong dedicated employees, flawless operations, dedication to customer service and desire to grow in the future that it clearly deserves the Schiller Pfeiffer Distributor of the Year award,” says Greg Heyer, director of distribution and rental sales for Schiller Pfeiffer.

Company president, Ed Zynomirski received the award on behalf of ECHO Power Equipment Canada. “I’m pleased to receive this award on behalf of the team at ECHO Power Equipment Canada. It’s a honour to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that everyone has made to increase the market share of Little Wonder, Mantis and Classen products.”

ARA kudos for two Canucks
Barry Ghiglione, from Handyman Rental Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was one of the rental professionals recognized by the American Rental Association (ARA) for volunteer service to the association and the industry during The Rental Show, February 11 to 14, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ghiglione	O'Sullivan

Ghiglione received the Meritorious Service Award, which honours an ARA member who has made a significant contribution and demonstrated leadership pivotal to the success of a project or program. He worked diligently to provide rental insurance as a member benefit for the Canadian Rental Association (CRA). As ARA’s Region 10 director representing Canada from 2003 to 2006, Ghiglione studied the insurance benefit ARA provides for qualified members through ARA Insurance Services and ARA Insurance Limited, then worked with CRA, ARA and ARA Insurance Services to establish a similar program for CRA members. Today, member participation in this insurance program continues to grow and is a principle member benefit for those joining CRA.

In addition, the ARA recognized individuals from each of its 10 regions during the Regional Lunches on February 11 at The Rental Show. Penny O’Sullivan from ABCO Equipment and Supplies in Weston, Ontario, was recognized for Region 10 Canada.

Williams

Appointment
The Canadian Rental Association (CRA) has appointed Jay Williams from Location Deux Montagne in St. Eustache, Quebec, as the CRA vice-president for 2008/09.

Appointment intensifies focus on rental industry
3M Canada Company has appointed Eastcan Marketing as a business development partner for eastern Canada, Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes and Newfoundland. The appointment is an important step in 3M Canada’s strategy to intensify its focus on the Canadian rental industry and industrial construction supply. As a manufacturers’ representative and sales agent, Eastcan Marketing has served the needs of the rental industry for more than 25 years.

“3M manufactures and sells tapes, abrasives, adhesive, fire-stopping and safety products that are well suited to the rental segment’s needs,” says Steve Gillis, the business development
manager for 3M Canada’s construction markets. “Our relationship with Eastcan will allow rental industry customers in the region direct access to all 3M products and services and make it easier for them to buy our full offering.”

3M is a US$23 billion diversified technology company with leading positions in industrial, consumer and office, health care, safety, electronics, telecommunications and other markets. The company has operations in more than 60 countries and serves customers in nearly 200 countries. Established in 1951 as one of the first international subsidiaries, 3M Canada employs more than 1900 people across Canada.

Global acquisition
As part of the global acquisition of Dynapac, Atlas Copco Canada assumed the assets of Dynapac Canada on January 1, 2008. Dynapac Canada will now operate as: Dynapac Canada, a division of Atlas Copco Canada.

The company’s phone and fax numbers will remain unchanged. Dynapac Canada, a division of Atlas Copco Canada is now located at 4170 Sladeview Crescent, Unit 3, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 0A1.

C&N Rentals sells for $2.0 million
WesternOne Equity Income Fund has purchased the business and assets of C&N Motors, operating as C&N Rentals, for $2.0 million with an additional provision of up to $0.3 million based on future earnings of C&N. C&N is an equipment rental, sales and service business located on Vancouver Island and a leading player in the Comox/Courtenay area.

“This acquisition allows us to further consolidate the equipment rentals market on Vancouver Island, in conjunction with our acquisition of Old Country Rentals in June 2007,” says Darren Latoski, CEO of WesternOne Equity. “The extended geographical reach provides us with a strong business platform to grow our business in a market where we see continued strength in the equipment rental and sales sectors.”

Specializing in refurbishment
Genie Industries has acquired the assets of Phoenix Equipment Company, which specializes in the refurbishment of aerial work platform equipment. This acquisition is key to Genie’s strategy of continuing growth and delivering value-added services for customers.

“As the market has grown, so has the need for refurbishment. With this acquisition, Genie will now have a dedicated facility to refurbish and re-manufacture products to customer specifications,” says Tim Ford, president of Terex Aerial Work Platforms, which includes Genie Industries.

Todd Cressman, (left) product manager for Home Hardware Stores Limited, gives CRA members a tour of the company’s main distribution centre in St. Jacobs, Ontario.

Setting the pace
Congress 2008, Canada’s foremost attraction for the horticultural lawn and garden trades, set the pace for the upcoming season with more than 750 exhibitors and eight acres of exhibits being displayed at the show in Toronto, Ontario, in January. Congress is one of the top 50 fastest growing shows and is rated in the top five horticultural shows in North America.

The show hosted 12,781 green trade professionals while attendees were given the opportunity to interact with the industry’s latest technologies and newest products, ranging from nursery stock and outdoor power equipment to garden tools, from greenhouse supplies to irrigation products and other landscaping accessories and services.

The concurrent Congress Conference, the premier educational event in Canada for the horticultural lawn and garden trade, offered more than 35 hours of in-depth seminars with strong business and design/landscaping themes. The trade show and conference is produced by Landscape Ontario.

1.5 million square feet
The Canadian Rental Association (CRA) in Ontario held its monthly meeting and ‘rental tour’ in January at Home Hardware Stores’ distribution centre in St. Jacobs, Ontario. The meeting attracted a record number of 60 registrants making this the most attended meeting to-date. The attraction was the host of the meeting as Home Hardware Stores gave CRA members an extensive tour of its 1.5 million square foot warehouse that took one hour just to walk through.

Home Hardware Stores is Canada’s largest independent hardware, lumber and building materials, and furniture retailer with more than 1000 stores across Canada, including 62 rental locations, with 22 located in Ontario. Founded in 1964, Home Hardware Stores operates under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners. The company’s St. Jacobs distribution centre ships an average of 18,000 orders or two million pounds of product per day.

An ‘A’ quality tent wash
Happenings Party Rentals in Collingwood, Ontario, has purchased a Teeco 1800 tent washing machine that can wash 1800 square feet of tent fabric in one load. Mike Carleton from Happenings Party Rentals says the company intends to launder its own equipment as well as offer a tent fabric laundering service to other rental stores.

“Depending on how dirty the fabric is the wash cycle can be a long as 60 minutes and we can do one or two rinses depending on the fabric’s condition,” he says, adding the machine turns very slowly and is geared toward the tent rental industry. “Usually you would wash older equipment or equipment that has just been taken down and is very dirty. We will not wash all of our inventory this much even though there is a temptation to. Our focus is to establish relationships with others in the tent rental industry and wash their equipment in the off-season. We want to provide a quality wash at a reasonable price.”

Carleton says the machine definitely gets tents clean, but he cautions rental operators about over-washing because it is hard on the material. “Once per season is enough,” he says. “This will revive your inventory if it is getting tired. Submerging the fabric in soap and water combined with the rinse cycles will turn a B quality fabric back to an A quality product.” The machine uses approximately 450 gallons (1705 litres) of water for a complete cycle of one wash and two rinses. -end-

Please send rental industry news to: Canadian Rental Service, 145 Thames Road West, Exeter, Ontario N0M 1S3. Email: cskalkos@annexweb.com