ARA Show

Do you expect to rent equipment this year? Among professional construction contractors who rented equipment in 2019, a majority expect to increase reliance on rental in 2020, according to a comprehensive survey of contractors released by the American Rental Association (ARA). The “Rental Customer Needs Study,” conducted by RSG, an independent research firm for ARA, found that 93% of professional contractors surveyed rented equipment in the last year. Of those who rented, 92% planned to rent as least as much as last year, while 52% expected to increase renting over the next year. (Data for the study came from surveys of various types of contractors including: residential building, specialty, non-residential and commercial building, landscape, utility, road and highway construction, site development/earthmoving, and more.) Portable toilets, lifts and scaffolding, backhoes, dump trucks and mini excavators are the most popular rental items among contractors, the study found. Reasons contractors rented included: 45% said it made more financial sense than buying equipment; 43% said they needed equipment for immediate use and did not want to purchase; and 43% said they needed to use the equipment infrequently or only for a short time period. Contractors who expect to rent more next year will do so because they plan to use what they currently rent more frequently, or they plan to take on more quick-turnaround projects, the study concluded. Additionally, more than 90% of survey participants said rental locations are doing an excellent job of providing their customers with satisfying rental experiences. David Garton of ...