SmartEquip Expands to Europe, Names Managing Director

April 25, 2005
Norwalk, Conn.-based SmartEquip last week launched its European operations and named Michel Petitjean as its managing director. SmartEquip Europe, headquartered in Paris, will support the European market for the company’s existing customer base, as well ...

Norwalk, Conn.-based SmartEquip last week launched its European operations and named Michel Petitjean as its managing director.

SmartEquip Europe, headquartered in Paris, will support the European market for the company’s existing customer base, as well as offer its core products — e-FleetPro, e-CommercePro, and e-DealerPro — to European construction equipment manufacturers, distributors, and rental companies. SmartEquip already has agreements in place with the U.S. operations of European companies like Wacker and Putzmeister, and serves U.S.-based companies with a strong European presence, like Volvo Rents, Multiquip and JLG. SmartEquip’s expanded corporate presence in Europe will enable the company to broaden its support of its global customers.

Petitjean joins SmartEquip with an extensive track record across the construction and equipment rental industries in Europe and North America. A native of France, he has served as chairman of Prime Equipment Company in Houston (then the No. 3 rental company in the U.S.), as chairman of Perco, a leading Canadian rental company based in Montreal, and as CEO and managing director of Laho Equipment, the second largest sales and rental company in France. He has also held management positions with Colas, a French international road construction company, including serving as president of its North American subsidiary. As an executive at Script International, he supported the establishment of CAT Rental stores in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.