Listen Now

Andrew Botterill is an oil and gas industry analyst with Deloitte and he joins CounterTalks from Calgary to talk about Deloitte’s latest whitepaper forecasting gas prices in 2023. We take a look at the present state of the market and what might lie ahead this year. We also get into the factors affecting prices and creating volatility; the geopolitical effects of oil supply; and the policies and events that rental store owners should hope for if we are to see prices stay low but continue to drive energy sector investment.

When supply chains and inflation make it harder to afford new equipment, the used market becomes more important to us all. And in the rental business, we always want to keep a sharp eye on used machinery values as they impact the value of our fleets and, ultimately, our businesses. Kieran Holm is a former executive at Ritchie Brothers auctioneers and now global vice-president for used equipment at Finning, so there probably is not anyone who knows more about used equipment valuations and price factors than him. Holm joined Counter Talks to give his evaluation of where the market is for most common rental construction equipment and where it might go in 2023. We also discussed the global supply situation and what he’s seeing from his perch overlooking one of the largest used equipment dealerships in North America. Holm also provides some tips on getting the best deals on used machinery…without spilling the trade secrets that got him where he is!

JustBins president and Canadian Rental Service columnist, Adam Snook, joins CounterTalks for a look back at 2022 and the top news stories in our rental world. The big got bigger with another wave of acquisitions and mergers – we talk about how independent rental stores can survive. Governments are providing naloxone kits to businesses – we talk about whether employers want to be responsible for giving their staff medicine. Electrification of fleets is sweeping the industry – we talk about whether these products will work in -37-degree weather. Rental stores are offering more and more online sales and service options – we discuss where these approaches work and where they don’t. Happy New Year!

Our emergence from COVID is official – the ARA Show is returning as a live event to Orlando this February. With registration opening up, Christine Hammes joins the podcast to give us the advance preview of the world’s largest trade event for the rental industry. We take a look at the great events and education on offer; talk a bit about the venue and location; and go higher level for some discussion of shows generally and why they are so important.

There are more government rebate programs out there than you can shake a stick at. Luckily, Bonny Koabel of AKR Consulting has a whole basket of sticks and spends most of her time shaking them at the various government agencies so you don’t have to. Bonny joins Counter Talks to discuss the $547.5 million of funding that the Government of Canada has recently announced that offers everyone from provinces to small businesses incentives for the purchase or lease of eligible vehicles.

With auto companies promising to eliminate internal combustion engine vehicles and cities banning fuel-burning equipment on jobsites, the end of gas and diesel engines powering the equipment we rent may be in sight in our lifetimes. Rob Messina, vice-president of product development for JLG, joins Counter Talks to bring us up to speed on the state of technology in electrified aerial equipment as he’s seeing it while making and marketing these products around the world. Messina talks about why battery-powered equipment is getting more popular; where it works best and where it doesn’t; how engineers are making storage better; why charge times aren’t as short as we might like; what rental companies need to know when they go electric; and why we better not fire our engine mechanics just yet.

Insuring rental operations for fleet loss and liability has always been a special challenge and now the American Rental Association has stepped up with a members-only product for its Canadian members. The ARA has partnered with insurance providers to make insurance available to its U.S. members for many years, but now it is working with Westland, a B.C.-based insurance broker, to make a rental-focused product available to Canadians, too. Brock Pennel of Westland and Josh Nickell of the ARA join CounterTalks to discuss the special challenges of insurance in equipment and event rentals, the product Westland will be offering, ways for rental stores to mitigate risk, how insurance works and much more.

Smart contractors are always looking for ways to reduce or prevent injuries on their jobsites. The effort pencils out pretty easily: balance the cost of putting some procedures in place and renting ergonomic equipment versus the cost of lower productivity, lost labour time and potential compensation claims. Rental stores can help by asking the right questions about how equipment will be used and recommending options that reduce fatigue, strain and exposure to vibration. Lin Yu from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Issac Rudik, Canadian safety manager for HERC Rentals and Peter Maginnis, president of Makinex, joined Counter Talks to educate about common construction injuries, how the latest technology can help and what rental stores should think about when providing equipment to customers and their back shops.

Robert Elias has brought a wealth of experience in marketing and publishing in the construction industry to his new role at Canadian Rental Service. In this episode, he an host Patrick Flannery indulge in some inside-baseball talk about his experiences in the trade press, how things are changing in the world of corporate communications, what an effective marketing campaign looks like and the importance of old-school media like print magazines and trade shows.

Last year in Ontario, 30 percent of all the working people who died from opioid overdose worked in the construction industry. It’s clearly time for we who employ tradespeople to pay some extra attention to this issue and be prepared to help those in our companies who struggle with substance use and misuse. To help, Jan Chappel, a senior occupational health and safety specialist with CCOHS, joined Counter Talks to give us some advice on what to look for in employee behaviour that might indicate a problem; how to address the issue; and where to find the resources both you and your employee might need.

It’s only taken 28 years but Jim Clipperton is realizing his dream of being able to provide the Nor-Val Rentals standard of service from one end of B.C.’s Okanagan Valley to the other. With his latest acquisition, Nor-Val is up to six locations serving mostly construction and homeowner needs, as well as two Bobcat dealerships. Clipperton joined CounterTalks to talk about how he’s done it, what he’s learned and to reflect on where the rental industry is and where it’s going. In the end, it’s all about the people and the people who like them.

Kevin Forestell is CEO and founder of Dozr, a successful online rental service that could be described as the Expedia of rentals, matching contractors to the rental equipment they are looking for through a network of participating rental stores. Kevin explains what Dozr is and how online rentals and e-commerce works to improve the lives of customers and store owners alike. But he fields some tough questions, too: how can online rentals emulate the service and interaction you get at a store? And will they drive rates down?

Angie Venekamp, the American Rental Association director for Canada, and James Auerbach, vice-president of the event sector, join Counter Talks to update us on the association’s activities and focus as we start 2022. The ARA has big initiatives in the works including some Canadian-specific online webinars, a new certified training program for equipment rental operator, elevated lift training and more. Plus we talk about plans for the return of the ARA show in 2023. And, this just in, Canadians can now pay their ARA dues in Canadian dollars!    

And now for something a little different. Annex’s group publisher for the Light Construction Group, Danielle Labrie, joins Pat Flannery to talk about the last year in the rental industry and what they’ve been hearing and seeing in our industry. We take a look behind the curtain at our magazines, podcasts and social media channels and all the changes and developments that happened in 2021 and are coming up for 2022. It’s the start of a new year, so here’s to a great 2022!

Nick Holsinger is the Canadian account manager for EquipmentWatch, a construction data group. EquipmentWatch does a particularly good job of compiling information on the rental industry, so Nick joined the podcast to share their insights into how Canadian rental rates have moved during the pandemic and what that might tell us about the overall impact of COVID on the industry. The talk went farther afield that that, though – Nick also gets into used equipment prices, inflation, supply chain impacts and much more.

Keeping an eye (and ear) on your critical materials, equipment and personnel is more important than ever. Luckily, technology in site security systems is advancing quickly. Gavin Daly of Axis Communications joins Counter Talks to talk about the principles of security systems: what are the objectives? What is possible and not possible? What threats and opportunities should you consider? He touches on the other uses of site surveillance, too, including controlling access, identifying safety risks and improving operations. With possibilities for audio pickup, networked speakers, low-light and high resolution cameras, facial recognition and remote monitoring, it's not about getting a grainy black-and-white video picture any more.

Jim Boddez knows western Canadian rentals. He’s been working in the industry since the late ‘80s, including 16 years with Finning where he was involved with the acquisition of several rental stores. Since 2016, he and his brother, Bob, and business partner, Craig Barnstable, have been building Five Bo into a major rental equipment supply house in the prairies and B.C. Now, with the acquisition of Hy-Cor, they are turning their eyes to Ontario. Boddez joined Counter Talks to talk about mergers and acquisitions in the rental industry; the western Canadian rental market; the rapid growth of Five Bo and much more.

Governments across Canada have started mandating proof-of-vaccination for customers attending non-essential public spaces. They aren’t affecting us yet, but could down the road depending on the pandemic numbers and how governments decide to return us to normal. Ryan Mallough, Ontario director of provincial affairs for CFIB joins the podcast to give us the full FYI on vaccine passports and outline some of the benefits and concerns he sees for small businesses across the country. He’s also got some recommendations for businesses wondering what to do about vaccine-hesitant employees, and doesn’t mince words when it comes to anti-vax protestors showing up at stores and restaurants.

Derek Betcher, sales support manager for John Deere, joins Counter Talks to give us the manufacturer’s-eye-view of the Canadian construction equipment market:what’s hot, what’s not, what’s hard to get and what’s coming. Our conversation touches on the automation and tracking trends, the changes Deere is seeing in demand across the country, the effects of the pandemic on sales and supply and much more. Deere’s businesses a bellweather for all our businesses, so Betcher’s insights give us the lay of the land when looking at our fleet needs for the next rental seasons.

Adam Snook, serial rental industry entrepreneur and owner of JustBins in Regina, joins Counter Talks to talk about his regular column in Canadian Rental Service magazine, “Hope is Not a Plan,” and just about every other rental issue under the sun. Adam has some strong ideas about how to compete, how to reach new customers, how to position your company and how we should feel about surviving the last two years.