Chicago-based NES Rentals, one of the nation’s largest full-service equipment rental companies, last week announced it has invested more than $150 million in new rental equipment during the past 18 months.
Rental fleet purchases for NES Rentals have been consistently climbing over the past couple of years with major investments in all core rental products, including booms, scissor lifts, rough terrain forklifts, earthmoving equipment, cranes, mobile liquid/solid storage containers, material handling equipment, compressors, generators, traffic safety equipment, and specialty construction and industrial materials.
“We continue to see steady recovery in our industry as the construction and industrial sectors improve,” said NES Rentals president and CEO Andrew Studdert. “Even as the economy continues to progress, companies have discovered that they can operate more cost effectively with less investment in capital equipment that isn’t utilized a high percentage of the time. As companies determine their capital spending strategy, many are finding that renting equipment saves capital that can be used to build their core business. The equipment we’ve added will allow NES Rentals to continue to service our customers’ increasingly diverse and growing needs.”
In other company news, NES Rentals announced that Kathleen Buck Holst, vice president of the NES Traffic Safety Division, was presented with the American Traffic Safety Services Association Pioneer Achievement Award during the association’s 35th Annual Convention and Traffic Expo held on February 27th in Phoenix.
The prestigious award is presented every year to the ATSSA member who has made a significant contribution to the association and the traffic control industry. According to the award citation, as the 2004 recipient, “Holst exhibited professional integrity, dedication, involvement, and the pioneer spirit in a manner in which has resulted in the improvement of the industry as a whole.”
Holst served as president of the ATSSA from 2002 to 2004, and during that time she led the association’s members as they advanced roadway safety issues with elected officials on Capitol Hill. She was also the national spokeswoman for the association, and was frequently featured on local and national newscasts and in industry publications.
“Since joining NES in 1999, Kathi’s commitment to the industry and her passion for her career have become very apparent,” said NES Rentals president and CEO Andrew Studdert. “Throughout the past 20 years she has truly made a difference in our industry on every level — we are honored to have her on our team.”
Holst is also active in the construction industry, locally and nationally.
ATSSA’s 1,800 members manufacture and install roadway safety devices — such as signs, stripes, guardrails, crash cushions and lighting. ATSSA members also have heavy emphasis on temporary traffic control and roadway work zone safety.
NES Rentals is No. 5 on the new RER 100.