Friday Roundup: Texas branches | Australian expansion | Forces in France

The week that was Sept. 12-18, 2024 was characterized by branch openings in Texas, US and in Australia, while a major aerial OEM struggles against tariffs and France reckons with the effects of the Paris Olympic Games. Let’s take a look.

US-based rental company SitePro Rentals, a subsidiary of Sammons Industrial, has opened a new branch in Sherman, Texas.

This is the 19th rental branch it has opened since being founded in 2021 and 13th location in the state of Texas.

The company said that the Sherman location will service equipment rental customers in fast-growing Texas towns in the region.

US-based H&E Rentals (H&E) has announced the opening of its 32nd branch in the state of Texas.

Also in Texas, US-based H&E Rentals (H&E) has announced the opening of its 32nd branch in the state of Texas.

The new location will carry a variety of construction and general industrial equipment, including aerial lifts, earthmoving equipment, forklifts, telehandlers, compaction equipment and generators.

“The addition of a new branch in Victoria gives H&E total coverage of the Texas coast, and especially the growing market of Port Lavaca,” said Branch Manager Brad Nicks, 

On the other side of the globe, in a different city called Victoria, Australia-based rental company Kennards Hire has continued its growth with the acquisition of Melton U Hire. 

The purchase brings the Kennards Hire network in the state to 41 branches, which it said reinforces its “commitment to serving the hire needs of communities across Victoria.”

In OEM news, Haulotte has reported a slowdown in its main markets for the first half of the 2024

Australia-based rental company Kennards Hire has continued its growth with the acquisition of Melton U Hire. 

financial year, partly caused, it said, by the influx of equipment from China ahead of provisional tariffs being introduced in the EU.

The France-based MEWP manufacturer posted a 10% decline in global sales to €363 million, compared to the same period in 2023, despite a good second quarter.

However, operating income rose sharply, resulting in an operating margin of 8.2% of sales, despite the decrease elsewhere in the business. The increase came from raising the cost of equipment and was boosted by a strong market in North America.

France also reported a survey by its rental association DLR revealing its members experienced a +5.4% increase in growth for the second quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2023.

It said that although the companies surveyed are mixed regarding the factors that influenced their activity this quarter, members responded positively to the impact of the Olympics, which were held in Paris this year.