Rermag 2944 Gene Torrence Crop Web 1

Aerial Access Equipment Acquires Cooks Coastal Rental

Sept. 26, 2012
Aerial Access Equipment opened its fifth rental center in Spanish Fort, Ala., a suburb of Mobile, purchasing the assets of the former Cooks Coastal Rental.

Aerial Access Equipment opened its fifth rental center in Spanish Fort, Ala., a suburb of Mobile, purchasing the assets of the former Cooks Coastal Rental. Aerial Access will remain in the 9,000-square-foot facility that housed Cooks Coastal.

“We intend to use the space for renting and repairing our own fleet as well as customers’ equipment that have maintenance or breakdown issues,” Aerial Access founder, president and CEO Gene Torrence told RER. “This facility will also be used as a training facility for mechanics, operators and trainers for aerial and forklift users. We are proud to enter the Mobile market on a full-time basis.”

Aerial Access Equipment along with its partner, Atlanta-based Source Capital, is believed to be the largest independent aerial rental specialist in the Gulf Coast Area with more than 1,750 units in inventory.

“With this acquisition we cover the entire Gulf Coast Region from Houston, Texas, to Pensacola/Fort Walton Beach, Florida,” Torrence added. “With stores in Nederland, Texas, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Gulfport, Miss., and now Mobile, Ala., as well as a repair facility, we can handle any customer requirements for rental and repair.”

“This could not have happened at a better time for us as Airbus just announced the building of an Airbus Facility in Mobile,” added Scotty Gaudet, vice president of sales and marketing for Aerial Access. “This job will be a game changer for the Mobile area.”

Aerial Access was founded in 1998 by Torrence and his wife Brenda on the principle of doing business the old-fashioned way, Torrence said, as customers wanted personal relationships where customer and the rental company are partners in business.

Based in Baton Rouge, La., Aerial Access Equipment is No. 74 on the RER 100. The company was featured in an RER cover story in February 2011. To read more about Aerial Access Equipment, click on: http://rermag.com/trends_analysis/interviews/aeria-access-equipment-20110201/