Telehandlers remain a hot rental item. Despite a slowing of demand for these machines at the beginning of this year due to the vagaries of the replacement cycle, they continue to be a versatile tool on the job site from start to finish. Manufacturers continue to introduce new models to create a full line of options for equipment users, which is a testament to their belief in the utility of these machines. Scissor lifts are also very popular right now. They’re a lower-cost product, so if capex is limited, you can still get a lot of bang for your buck with scissors.

Compact crawlers are another product with potential for growth in rental. Available with tracked or wheeled chassis and capable of 360-degree rotation, compact crawlers offer stability on a wide variety of terrains and gradients from 25 to 45 percent. These machines also feature low ground bearing pressures that help protect the environments in which they work, and they’rare extremely narrow to fit in a variety of tight spaces.

With construction heating up, rental companies are seeing greater demand for everything from earthmovers, generators and pumps to telehandlers, scissor lifts and booms. As always, rental companies are looking for productivity, reliability and versatility from their equipment so they can achieve the lowest cost of ownership: Machines that can be used for several applications, which can use more than one power source, that are easy to transport and simple for the operator to use will always be popular in rental fleets.