SMS Rents to join G. Cooper Equipment Rentals

SMS Rents, a division of the Sumitomo Corporation Group, is a major Canadian construction equipment rental business with over 200 employees and 15 branches located across Ontario and Quebec. Cooper, backed by Canadian private investment firm SeaFort Capital of Halifax, NS, is the leading compact equipment rental company in the Greater Toronto Area, employing over 100 people in locations from Burlington to Scarborough.

Marcel Langlois, the President of SMS Rents, congratulated the leadership team at Cooper saying, “Cooper has a proven reputation in the industry for integrity and fresh thinking. The SMS Rents ‘Job Ready’ approach blends well with Cooper’s established culture. The Sumitomo Corporation Group had a good run as it built SMS Rents, and was fortunate to come together with a strong Canadian team at Cooper that recognizes the value of our enterprise. Now, with our combined resources, the Cooper/SMS Rents network is uniquely positioned to deliver smart equipment solutions to customers throughout Ontario and Quebec.”

Darryl Cooper, CEO of Cooper, concurred, “By combining SMS Rents and Cooper, we are creating a business with considerable scale,” he said. “Each of our 21 full service branches employs a highly skilled and knowledgeable team and offers a specialized fleet comprised of category leading brands.” Doug Dougherty, President of Cooper, added, “SMS Rents has an excellent reputation for customer service and support. SMS Rents’ employees share our passion for delivering the best possible equipment solutions for customers. I am confident that the combination of Cooper and SMS Rents will result in exciting new opportunities for employees and continued great service for customers, over a much broader network.”

Established in 2003, SMS Rents has built a loyal customer base across several industries, including building construction, infrastructure development, demolition, landscaping, industrial maintenance and mining.

The two branch networks will continue to operate under their current business names for the immediate future and through a transitional phase in the New Year. Dougherty notes that the service areas of the 21 locations have very little overlap and does not anticipate any store closures. “This is a positive move for both companies,” says Dougherty. “This agreement was a collaborative effort between companies that share common values and a common vision. Our people, facilities, and rental fleets are highly complementary. We expect the integration of our businesses to result in an excellent stable platform for future growth.”

For more information
www.smsrents.com
www.cooperequipment.ca