Promoting rentals

Paul Everitt, right, from Rentquip Canada shows rental operators Art Bedford, Bob Eon and Mathew Eon from Metro Rent-All, one of the new products on display at the National Heavy Equipment Construction Show.

Dean Nasato, left, from Wacker Neuson greets Richard Hayhoe from Hayhoe Equipment and Supply.

Whether contractors were buying or kicking tires at the National Heavy Equipment Construction Show in March, many of them were hearing about renting.

Hall 2 was home again to the Rental Equipment Pavilion, a section of the show that has grown over the years to include rental product specialists in the light and heavy construction sectors that occupied more than 100 booths.

“It’s more of an awareness show to let contractors see the equipment rental companies can offer them,” explains Jim Freeman from Rentquip Canada, who was showing several new products.

“Several of the exhibitors in this section are not really selling as much as they are promoting rental companies,” says John Jiang, from CM Equip. “This is the time of year when contractors want to see what’s new in the market.”

With the show drawing approximately 10,000 visitors, several companies that are well known suppliers to the rental equipment industry saw the marketing value of displaying their products. Daniel Campo from Campo Equipment was among them. “I see a lot of contractors here as well as some of my rental company customers. I sell to the rental industry but I like to meet the contractors and show them the equipment and answer their questions. That really seems to help them and it keeps your brand name out there,” he says. “And when they show more interest I point them to the rental houses.”