Rental firms in danger

Pierrick Lourdain, group sales manager of the Haulotte Group, has predicted bankruptcies among several European rental companies in the coming months.

Speaking at IPAF's first Europlatform conference, he said this could force manufacturers to become more directly involved in rental in order to protect their investments.

Kevin Appleton, chief executive of Lavendon Group, the world's largest access-only rental company, told delegates there are no shortcuts to creating value in the access rental industry. He said companies growing too quickly with high investments may struggle to maintain debt repayments when market conditions worsen and an operating model based on extending equipment lifetime beyond five or six years is more likely to build value.

Making its debut outside the 105m- tall conference hotel was the world's largest truck mount, Wumag's 103m working height TA 1003.