CRA eJournal

The California Young Rental Professionals (CYRP) launched the CRA’s first mentorship program! Eddie Wilson, Katie Marrs and Amanda Sojka hosted the Mentor/Mentee Match Up on June 1st via zoom. Through a series of breakout rooms, Mentors and Mentees had the opportunity to meet, ask questions, and network. The match up was a great success and each Mentor was paired with a Mentee. We are continuously looking for motivated members (rental and associate) who want to get involved. Even with the first phase of the program already underway, there's opportunity for both mentors and mentees to be introduced into the program. Please contact one of the CYRP staff at (Californiayrp@gmail.com) to see how you can get involved. There will be more exciting events to come for the Mentor/Mentee program.

CRA members, their employees and their college-age children are all eligible to apply for an RSIF Scholarship. Perhaps you are considering continuing your education or would like to attend a trade or certificate program that will enhance your job skills. One of the missions of RSIF is to promote education in the rental industry, and that applies to adult students of all ages and at many levels. Complete the application and return it to CRA by June 30.

 

Peer Executive Groups (PEG) has named the winners of its 2023 Top Gun Awards. The Top Gun Award recognizes rental store operators who receive the PEG Pinnacle Award for Financial Excellence. The awards are given to the top 20% of rental stores based on financials submitted by rental operators and verified by Peer Executive Groups. This is the fifth year that PEG has named companies for this prestigious award.
    “We apply owner compensation, expense, and rent tests to verify EBITDA and check financial reports and tax returns where appropriate. While our network shows EBITDA performance closer to 28%, our Top Gun members average north of 40%,” stated President, Dan Crowley.

In August 2022, Salvador Soto, owner, LAX Equipment, Inglewood, Calif., became a victim of theft by fraud. His initial tracking helped Inglewood Police not only discover a warehouse loaded with $10 million in heavy equipment but also aided in the return of $3 million worth of that equipment to its rightful owners. It all began the way many rental transactions have at LAX Equipment. A customer went online to fill out a LAX Equipment rental form for which the customer supplied copies of a driver’s license and a credit card. The request was for two forklifts. While there were phone conversations, there was no in-person interaction with this new customer. The credit card cleared with no problem, so the forklifts were delivered to a lot — the designated drop-off location. Four or five days later, Soto received a back charge from the credit card company and learned that the customer had used a fake ID and a stolen credit card. The customer didn't answer calls and the equipment was not at the lot.

24/7 Events announced today the promotion of Joelyn Caprine to General Manager at their North Los Angeles operation. Caprine previously held the titles of Director of Sales, and Director of Operations within the company and is a notable name offering more than 10 years in the hospitality and event industry. Caprine holds certification as an Event Rental Professional (ARA), and is a current SIG board member for the American Rental Association. 

    Caprine will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations while managing a team of 40 employees. A special focus will be placed on curating strategic partnerships and furthering the company’s mission of offering clients premium quality event rentals, excellent service and cutting-edge event solutions.

    “Joelyn has done an outstanding job leading our teams both through the challenges of the pandemic and as the event industry has transitioned back to more conventional operations. As 24/7 Events continues to expand both in company size and new-to-market products, we are grateful to have Joelyn as part of the executive team leading our organization,” said Rob Cruikshank, Owner of 24/7 Events.

HR Ledger, Inc., a payroll, HR, cash flow, and compliance outsourcing company, recently reported on the case for a four-day workweek. It’s no surprise that many employees would prefer to work fewer hours per week. Rather than compressing the standard 40-hour workweek into four equal segments, the latest argument for a four-day workweek suggests reducing total hours to 28 over four days, allowing for a much-needed three-day weekend. The quid pro quo for the time reduction is a commitment to maintain 100% productivity. One proposed method for preserving output levels is to interweave or layer short bursts of work with intervals of leisure to reinvigorate employees. The pause that refreshes could be time spent on personal pursuits such as hobbies, exercise or just doing personal chores.

According to the NCCI’s 2021 report, mental health claims have been increasing in the US. In 2019, mental health claims accounted for 5.3% of all workers’ compensation claims. This is up from 4.8% in 2018 and 4.6% in 2017. Stressors in the workplace can have a profound impact on mental and physical health. The Deloitte Mental Health 2022 Report revealed that more than 80% of respondents experienced at least one adverse mental health symptom. While these figures are alarming, employers have been stepping up to provide employees with mental health support. Seven in 10 workers believe their employer is more concerned about employee mental health now than in the past, according to the results of APA’s 2022 Work and Well-being Survey. However, research also reveals that 55% of US employees haven’t taken advantage of available mental health resources. To bridge this gap, employers should create a culture that promotes help-seeking behavior where employees are encouraged to seek help for any issues they may be experiencing.

The board of directors of the Far West Equipment Dealers Association (FWEDA) recently ratified a membership vote to merge with Associated Equipment Distributors (AED). The merger is expected to be a seamless transition for FWEDA and is scheduled to be finalized by the end of August. FWEDA represents dealers in six Western states and Hawaii. AED is made up of construction, agriculture, mining, forestry, power generation and municipal equipment dealers. The merger confirms AED’s continued commitment to grow its representation of agricultural equipment distributors, currently representing 22% of its membership. “We are pleased with the outcome of the vote and look forward to the future with AED,” FWEDA Chairman Russ Ball said.

 

CRA's 2024 Rental Rally Tradeshow will again be held at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Show dates are January 14-17, 2024. Thank you to those exhibitors that have already signed up!

 

 

Bidadoo provides professional remarketing for used construction equipment, rental and municipal fleets. Bidadoo is the largest and most trusted online auction company on the world's largest auction marketplace, eBay. They buy and sell used construction equipment, rental and municipal fleets, trucks, and other capital assets through their online model with efficiency and transparency as their mission. Together, Bidadoo's professional remarketing services and eBay's 135 million active buyers provide sellers with customized solutions and access to a global audience. 

The Leader in producing construction and road sweepers. Founded in 1963 in Dodge City, Kansas, Broce Manufacturing Co. Inc. was established in 1961 and began producing and selling Broce Brooms as a commercial product. Since that time, it has become the largest and most accomplished manufacturer of the self-propelled sweeper in the world.

Graco, founded by the Gray brothers Russell and Leil over 90 years ago, has grown on a strong foundation of values that continue to define and guide it. Today, Graco strives to be the industry’s highest-quality manufacturer of fluid handling products cutting across several markets. In addition to quality, their focus on innovation results in products that lead with advanced features, pioneering design and high performance, all backed by a promise of exceptional customer service.

Custom Truck Body & Trailer Manufacturer. For over 75 years, Ledwell has continued the legacy of excellence started by Lloy and Buddy Ledwell, with an expansion of services and an eye for quality and dedicated customer service. Ledwell offers custom manufactured truck bodies, trailers, and parts and service. Ledwell’s mission is to manufacture top-quality equipment that is efficient, reliable and customized exactly to the customer’s needs.

Material Lift, Duct Jack, Duct Lift, Beam Hoist, Beam Lift, Material Handling. LiftSmart is a privately held company that manufactures several material lift product lines that are distributed throughout the world. Their team consists of lift industry veterans who focus on providing outstanding products and customer service for the construction, industrial, and rental equipment markets.

Business Consultants and Peer Groups. Peer Executive Groups is the number one influencer in a business owner’s life. This is due to the network’s vast resources and the 10-12 peers in the meeting, twice annually, that act as a default board of advisors. Suffice to say, the vast network has encountered almost every challenge a business owner can face and has become the “first call” whenever an owner/operator has a strategic or operational issue.

Pressure Washers, Generators, Accessories. FNA Group, headquartered in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, is one of the most vertically integrated manufacturers of pressure washers and other power equipment. Available products include brand names such as Simpson®, Delco®, POWERWASHER®, AAA Pumps®, as well as private label products for some of the largest power equipment marketers in the world. They manufacture electric and gas pressure washers, cold water and hot water pressure washers, pressure washer pumps, high pressure thermoplastic hoses, accessories and the replacement parts that preserve your unit.

Manufacturer Rep. Wirant Sales, originally owned by Roger and Bill Wirant, is now owned by Steve Soares and Chuck Skladanek. With a work force of five territory salesmen and a collective work experience of over 120 years, Wirant Sales is always growing and learning new equipment market trends, staying on top of the newest equipment technologies, and representing top-tier manufactures that provide customers with the best ROI. Success starts with reliable representation, both to the manufacture and to the rental store/equipment dealer. Wirant strives to provide the best support of all products they represent, both before and after the sale of a piece of equipment.