The CRA board and staff would like to wish members and friends a wonderful holiday season and a bright, prosperous New Year! The association looks forward to another year of providing services that contribute to your success in the rental industry.

The show floor for CRA's Rental Rally Tradeshow, on Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2017, is nearly sold out, with more than 325 booths sold. It is expected that booths will be entirely sold out by show time. What does this mean for you? There will be a wide range of vendors with their newest equipment, party items, and services. You can get new ideas for updating your inventory, compare pricing and advantages of competing providers, talk person-to-person with representatives, and compare notes with other attendees.

In addition viewing the show floor, there are opportunities for education in the rental industry-based seminars and at the equipment and party tours. The opening cocktail party and annual dinner always provide fun and opportunities to socialize with friends in the industry.

Don't miss the show—register now for CRA's Rental Rally Tradeshow, Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2017, at the South Point Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada! See CRA's website for more information and a registration form.

Holiday parties were held in five territories. Two of the parties were in Northern California, one in Palo Alto, and one in Petaluma. The other holiday parties were in the southern California areas of Ventura, LaMirada, and Rancho Cucamonga. Festivities included gift exchanges, big raffles, a Toys for Tots drive, and lots of fun and laughs. Thank you to all our vendors and rental centers who attended and participated. Announcements were short, but included the excitement of an almost sold-out show floor for the upcoming 2017 Rental Rally at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and the news of two new CRA money-saving programs, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Ready to Rent tags from RTRnation.com. The CRA board and staff wish all members a joyous holiday with family and a prosperous New Year. See the photos!

We have a new entrepreneur among us: Addison Buck. In her desire to take horseback riding lessons, she set out to bake dozens of cookies to sell. This was promoted by her parents Facebook account; the wonders of the Internet! With help from her parents, Allen and Christina Buck, they delivered cookies to those who purchased them at the Ventura Territory Holiday Party. Go Addison! See the photos!

In November, California joined several other states in legalizing recreational use of marijuana by adults. Proposition 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 years old and over. The provisions related to the legalization of marijuana and workplace protections took effect today, November 9—the day after the election. CalChamber reports on continuing to enforce drug-free workplace policies in spite of the passage of Prop. 64.

The Member Benefits Commitee (formerly WRS) recently approved another beneficial members-only program for CRA. Ready to Rent tags are now available at discounted prices from RTRnation.com. Click on "Learn More" to see how this service can benefit you!

Remember to get your RSIF applications for the upcoming spring term in by December 31. CRA members, their employees, and their college-aged children are all eligible. Full or part-time students in trade schools, community colleges, or universities can apply. Applicants must be CRA members, their employees, or their college-aged children. Awarded scholarships are paid upon successful completion of the term with at least a C average, and if a full-time student, at least 12 units must be completed.

In mid-November, OSHA published its final rule on slips, trips, and falls. The rule becomes effective Jan. 17, 2017, and will affect approximately 112 million workers at seven million worksites. The final rule updates OSHA’s general industry Walking Working Surfaces standards for slip, trip, and fall hazards. As much as possible, OSHA aligned fall protection requirements for general industry with those for construction, easing compliance for employers who perform both activities. General industry employers will have greater flexibility in choosing fall protection systems. The rule eliminates the existing mandate to use guardrails as a primary fall protection method and allows employers to choose the accepted system they believe will work best in the situation. Employers can also use non-conventional fall protection in certain situations, such as designated areas on low-slope roofs.

ASV LLC, an industry-leading manufacturer of high-performance compact track loaders and skidsteers, introduces the Posi-Track RT-120 Forestry, the largest and most powerful compact track loader in the industry. The large-frame RT-120 Forestry features more power and productivity with less ground disturbance than any other machine in its class.

Cary Evert, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hilti North America, has chosen to retire March 31, 2017. Over his nearly four-decade career, Cary has held nine different roles, including three international assignments, after first starting with the company in 1980 in New York, New York. Cary has served as President and CEO of Hilti North America since 2005.

Bryan Bernardino, new manager of Scott Equipment in Southern California, announced the opening of a new location in Santa Fe Springs, scheduled for January 2017. Scott Equipment's primary focus is the New Holland tractor line. Scott Equipment traces its beginnings to 1972 when Richard Scott Sr. opened his first heavy equipment dealership in Southern California. In 1991, the company began carrying the New Holland Construction equipment line, Kobelco Excavators in 2002, and Doosan Heavy Equipment in 2012. Today, Scott Equipment is family owned and operated led by Richard Sr.’s sons Richard Scott Jr. and Gregg Scott, and is the only New Holland, Kobelco, and Doosan dealer serving Southern California.

CRA's 2017 Rental Rally Trade Show is scheduled for Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, 2017, at the South Point Casino Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas. See the following articles about the latest exhibitors who have signed up for the show and the products they offer. Click on "Learn More" for more information about the show.

Whatever your challenge, Aggreko delivers the reliable temporary power solution that keeps your world moving. Ranging in size from 500 kW to 2 MW, Aggreko’s Container rental generators feature unique synchronizing and load-sharing capabilities. Ranging from 30 kW to 500 kW, reduced-emission GreenPower® generators feature a SaveAll base that nearly eliminates engine fluid spillage. For fully redundant backup power, Aggreko’s TwinPack units combine and synchronize two generators to provide uninterruptable electricity at all times. Where noise reduction is vital, Aggreko HushPower generators are ideal—even for extreme quiet settings like special events. Aggreko also offers a range of low-emission natural gas generator rental options, which have shown to offer 40-45 percent savings compared to diesel units.

Anchor Industries provides party, wedding, and event tents and frame and fabric products. Their frame and fabric products improve the quality of life for end-users in commercial, residential, and government markets who live, work, and play outdoors by delivering an experience that is more comfortable, more enjoyable, more pleasant, and more productive. Imitated, but never duplicated, Anchor products are engineered and manufactured by expert craftsmen who collaborate with our exceptional sales and service professionals to deliver value in the industries we serve.

In 1961, we sold our first BlueBird power rake to a small landscaping company. It was with that sale that BlueBird began providing commercial, rental, and residential users with some of the most reliable turf care power equipment in the industry. Pairing our long product history with our passion for quality, the new team at BlueBird has a renewed commitment to continuous product improvement and development.

Choice Party Linens, Inc. provides linen rental, chair covers, and accessories. The company was founded in 1991 by Norm Longman and Ken Kelk to provide the Greater Philadelphia hospitality industry with a wide variety of quality party linens at reasonable prices. Now celebrating their 25th year, Choice has become the preeminent party linen rental company in the Greater Philadelphia area. Our current delivery area includes eastern PA, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. In addition, we will ship linens via UPS and throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

Curry Supply is a leading manufacturer and dealer of service trucks to the equipment rental industry including water trucks, dump trucks, crash attenuator trucks, mechanics trucks, flatbed trucks, fuel/lube trucks, and lube skids. Curry Supply Company is a third-generation family owned business that began in 1932. Over the past 80 years it has grown to be one of the largest and most respected manufacturers and dealers of commercial service vehicles in the country. Serving the construction, rental, mining, oil & gas, and waste industries, Curry Supply manufactures and sells the service vehicles that keep those industries moving.

Granite Industries Inc., suppliers of staging, scaffolding, and carts, was founded in 1997 by Steven J. Wyse. Steven brings to Granite Industries 43 years of scaffold manufacturing experience. Today, Granite is one of the largest U.S. scaffold manufacturers. They have warehouses around the country and currently have 150,000 square feet of manufacturing and storage on 10 acres of land in the village of Archbold, Ohio. In addition to scaffold, Granite Industries is a leader in staging, seating, carts, and fencing products.

ICS® is a world leader in innovative diamond tools and equipment for the cutting, drilling, demolition, and finishing of hard materials for over 20 years. Their patented diamond chain solutions have revolutionized concrete and pipe cutting in construction and infrastructure applications. We offer a full line of chain saw, diamond tool, and accessory solutions, enabling users to achieve the highest level of service quality and productivity. In the Americas region, ICS is also the exclusive provider of market-leading Pentruder wall saw, wire saw, and core drill systems and accessories.

Iron Planet offers auction services and online auctions. Buy and sell used heavy equipment, trucks, government surplus, and more. Bid online, onsite, buy now, or make an offer.

Founded in 2005 as an e-commerce retailer with a modest inventory of tablecloths and chair covers, LinenTablecloth has expanded over the past several years to include every imaginable style of event decor, table linens, chair covers, overlays, and accessories for weddings and events. In 2015, LinenTablecloth launched its sister company, Harbormill.com, to provide goods for the home, specializing in dining and kitchen linens but also including cookware, dishes, rain boots, exercise equipment, toys, bathroom linens, rugs, and much more. In 2016, LinenTablecloth expanded its online store to include linen rentals nationwide, giving every consumer the choice of renting or purchasing table linens and accessories for events.

Losberger offers quality, clear span structures. Over 800 employees at many locations worldwide guarantee, together with partner companies, competent advice, reliable, flexible service, and delivery just-in-time. Structures range from the simple party tent, temporary tent ensembles for large events through temporary space solutions for civil and military applications, to halls and tents for storage, sales, and production. For safety, all their products are produced to the strictest international standards and permanently checked.

MK Diamond Products Inc., an American, family owned company since 1868, offers construction power tools and concrete saws and is a recognized world leader in the manufacturing of equipment for cutting, coring, and polishing all types of masonry, concrete, tile, and stone products.

NACH is a professional representative agency for manufacturers in the construction, rental, industrial, HVAC, welding, and safety markets. They pride ourselves in representing the most innovative products in the industry. With over 28 years of experience in the trades of construction, they will continue to provide your company with the best knowledge, service, and support.

AC Business Media is a business-to-business media company with a portfolio of renowned brands in heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, paving, rental, sustainability, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain markets. The owners, Anil Narang and Carl Wistreich, acquired the brands from Cygnus Business Media and plan to invest and grow the company. AC Business Media retained the Cygnus team members who supported the brands and will maintain headquarters in Fort Atkinson, Wis. The company vision is to continue providing industry-leading content to our audiences through our cutting-edge digital properties and print publications and to provide our advertisers the analytics and ability to reach the audience they want through our brands.

Rovitracker, Inc. provides remote monitoring and management solution for your equipment. Companies who own heavy equipment lost $2.8B in 2015 due to unskilled technicians. The NICB reports "83 percent of heavy equipment owners suffer from the $1B annual problem of theft where only 23 percent were recovered. Rovitracker understands these problems and gives you real time access to your equipment. On average, their clients decrease their operational expenditures by 28 percent.

In the mid 60s, Joe Sumner was the worldwide general foreman for the Sam P. Wallace Co, a large U.S. mechanical contractor. He realized that there was a great need for good welding tools and lifting equipment to make the job of installing pipe easier and safer. Because little available on the market, Joe designed and fabricated his own equipment and started Sumner Manufacturing by building products for the mechanical contractor based on his first hand knowledge of what was required in the field. Today Sumner tools are used daily in over 50 countries. While Sumner is recognized as the leader in pipe handling equipment, their product range includes equipment for a wide variety of contractors. All Sumner products are built with the concept of providing safe, common sense tools, which are priced right.

For 50 years, Ted Johnson Propane has been recognized as a distinguished leader in the propane industry. In representation of the American dream, Ted founded the company in the garage of his San Gabriel home in 1965. To differentiate himself from his competitors, he committed to making customer service a priority for everyone in the company, from the executive officers to the delivery representatives, while at the same time adhering to the highest standards of safety in the industry. Through the years, Ted’s work ethic and philosophy proved to be successful as the company flourished through the region and began to build a respectable reputation in the propane industry.The company is now the leading propane retailer in Southern California.

TVH Parts Co. provides replacement parts and accessories for industrial equipment.

Wacker Neuson produces compact and light equipment. They offer products and services that surpass their high standards and fulfill their diverse requirements, while enhancing their capabilities. The trust that their customers place in them is their motivation to deliver the best with a passion for true innovation and the highest quality.

Thank you to Wacker Neuson and American Pneumatic Tools, signing on as Bronze Level Sponsors for the 2017 Rental Rally Tradeshow. Thank you also to all our other Rental Rally sponsors! A complete sponsor list is available on the CRA website.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $10 billion water bill that includes $558 million for drought stricken California. Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader, United States Congress, and Senator Dianne Feinstein teamed up on the bi-partisan measure. Senator Barbara Boxer opposes the measure, which now heads to the Senate. The vote was 360-61, with 222 Republicans and 138 Democrats backing the bill.

In the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) December Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), both the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude oil 2017 price forecasts increased by about one dollar per barrel (b) from the November STEO, with prices expected to average $51/b and $52/b, respectively. The WTI price is forecast to average $49/b in the first half of 2017 and end the year at $54/b, while the Brent price is forecast to average $50/b in the first-half of 2017 and end the year at $55/b (Figure 1). To see the full report, click on "Learn More."

• December 31, 2016 – RSIF Scholarship Applications are due... More info...
• January 29, 2017 – CRA Board & Committee Meetings – Las Vegas, NV
• January 30-February 1, 2017 – CRA's 2017 Rental Rally Trade Show – Las Vegas, NV

CRA recently surveyed members about their propane use, suppliers, and interest in a CRA Service Value Provider program for propane. Here are the results of the survey.

Johnny Lizarraga from Aceco Equipment Co. in Lompoc, Calif., is the winner of the December Survey Raffle. Congratulations, Johnny!