Dive summary:
- Rental companies and dealers who rent equipment accounted for almost half of the sales in the U.S. in 2012, with United Rentals alone making $1.3 billion worth of new equipment.
- The rental industry has benefited from the recession as contractors have opted not to sink cash into equipment that becomes a loser if work slows and it goes unused.
- Data analysis by industry consultant Frank Manfredi showed that earth-moving equipment was high on rental companies' shopping lists.
From the article:
Fleet spending levels of rental companies for products such as skid steer loaders, rubber tracked loaders, compact excavators and small wheel loaders were up 10 to 14 percent year-over-year from 2011 to 2012. ...