As the equipment rental industry prepares to gather in New Orleans for the first time in a decade for The Rental Show 2012, scheduled for Feb. 5-8 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, there is positive momentum building for the future.

The equipment rental industry is coming off a year of improved performance in 2011, with overall rental revenue increases outpacing the general economy as well as the various segments and industries equipment rental serves.

Anecdotal evidence and statements by manufacturers show that rental penetration is growing as more customers turn to rental as a cost-efficient alternative to get the job done.

This all adds up to growing excitement for the 56th edition of The Rental Show, the American Rental Association’s (ARA) annual convention and trade show.

“The buzz that started growing in Las Vegas has kept going,” says Allison Box, ARA’s senior administrative director for association services. “Exhibitors are expecting a good show and marketing to get people to New Orleans. The comments from rental store attendees who have registered are upbeat. It’s encouraging that the buzz has continued all the way through.”

The focus for The Rental Show 2012 is on “new.” In addition to new and innovative products available during the trade show, there are new and expanded educational opportunities in New Orleans, including 30 scheduled educational seminars, the most ever.

“There are more learning opportunities than we’ve ever had,” Box says. “Steve Abercrombie is back for financial management education. We are doing sessions on social media and the web that people want to learn about. The Rental Town Halls are always popular and there is a session with Dan Kaplan, who is well known for his industry insight.”

There are new events, such as the Crescent City Carnival, an evening which will give attendees a unique behind-the-scenes look at Mardi Gras World, and new inspiration from keynote speaker Aron Ralston, the subject of the Academy Award®-nominated film, “127 Hours.”

“The association’s goal with the upcoming show is to provide an engaging celebration of the rental industry as we move into the pivotal year of 2012,” says Christine Wehrman, ARA’s executive vice president and CEO. “Show attendees will be able to see, learn from and take advantage of everything the industry offers. Most of all, attendees and exhibitors alike can share in a vision for the renewed spirit of rental as we continue to define and build market opportunities much like the spirit attendees will find in New Orleans. It’s definitely a can’t-miss event for all within the industry.”

Here are highlights of what to expect at The Rental Show 2012.

• More educational opportunities, with 30 total seminars on Feb. 5, 7 and 8. New indoor/outdoor half-day product demonstration sessions are included, plus a half-day financial seminar with Steve Abercrombie, the session “Up Close and Personal With Dan Kaplan,” a new town hall session on family business issues and round-table discussions.
• The keynote session with Aron Ralston, who will share the account of his remarkable will to survive that was the basis for the movie “127 Hours.” Ralston’s story made headlines worldwide in 2003 when he was pinned by a half-ton boulder for nearly a week while hiking in Utah. He narrowly escaped death by severing his right forearm with a dull pocketknife. After applying a tourniquet, he hiked and rappelled for five hours before searchers in a helicopter miraculously rescued him. Ralston’s personal uplifting story of motivation, inspiration and loving relationships with family and friends to survive and thrive beyond this challenge will captivate you.
• New events include Crescent City Carnival on Feb. 7 at Mardi Gras World. A producer of floats, sculptures and props, Mardi Gras World creates most of the parades held for Mardi Gras in New Orleans from concept through completion. ARA’s Crescent City Carnival will feature a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the floats and how they’re created, with live entertainment, networking, food and beverages. Also new for 2012 is An Evening for ARAPAC, an event for ARA’s political action committee on Feb. 6 at the National World War II Museum where invited guests will be able to tour the displays and exhibits.
• Returning events include Lunch With ARA, Next Generation Reception and a revamped The Rental Show Golf Tournament on Feb. 5; Regional Receptions on Feb. 6; International Reception and the Reception With a Purpose featuring the ARA Foundation charity auction on Feb. 7.
• Three days of trade show, Feb. 6-8.
• Events & Tents on Feb. 4-5, continuing its Saturday/Sunday schedule from 2011 with an industry tour, networking reception, breakfast speaker and focused education including an indoor/outdoor demonstration seminar.

More details on The Rental Show schedule are available on its website, TheRentalShow.com.

The Hot List Gallery debuts at the show

Those attending The Rental Show 2012 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans will find something new in the lobby of the Construction/Industrial exhibit hall, which is in Building I: The Hot List Gallery, which will include photo displays of 36 selected products featured in The Hot List, Rental Management's new product supplement.

The displays will include a product photo as well as company name, product information and booth number, and will be available for attendees to peruse before and after exhibit hours since it is in the lobby. The new products featured will be a cross section from all three areas of the trade show floor. Copies of The Hot List, which includes more than 90 products and services new to The Rental Show exhibit floor, also will be available in the The Hot List Gallery area.

“We wanted to do something different to showcase new products in a high-traffic area,” says Allison Box, ARA’s senior administrative director for association services. “Last year, we found that people liked looking at the large photos on display for the Events & Tents Inspiration Gallery. We took that idea and we are using it for The Hot List Gallery.”

What to do to attend The Rental Show

With The Rental Show less than a month away — Feb. 5-8 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans — here are the three things you need to do right now if you haven’t done so already.

• Register. Pre-registration is available until Jan. 27. Full registration for American Rental Association (ARA) members is $200 and $300 for prospective members. On-site registration begins after Jan. 27 and is $225 for ARA members and $325 for prospective members. To register online, visit TheRentalShow.com and click on the “Registration” tab.
• Book your hotel. Due to demand, five additional New Orleans hotels were added for The Rental Show, but even those hotels are filling fast. To book a hotel, visit TheRentalShow.com and click on the “Hotels and Travel” tab. If you have questions on any of the properties or prefer to book by phone, call Travel Planners at 800-221-3531 or 212-532-1660 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
• Book your flight. The frequency of flights into New Orleans can be limited, depending upon the airline and your city of departure. The following airlines travel to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport: Air Canada, AirTran, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, United and US Airways.

For assistance in booking your flight to The Rental Show, contact The Travel Business, ARA’s official travel agency. Call 800-747-0070 (U.S. and Canada) or
309-762-9625 weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central Time.

You also can book online at resx.com. Enter company ID TTB-3355 and
member ID TheRentalShow to get started. No password is needed the first
time you log in. Once you do, the system will prompt you to create your own member ID and password.

Impacting your insurance

If you’re thinking about moving into a new line of equipment to meet customer demand, there’s more to it than just buying stuff at The Rental Show.

Even if you do the proper research to find the best equipment, determine rental rates, figure out maintenance needs and the labor involved, there is one other factor that many rental store owners might overlook — the cost of risk.

“If you’re going into different lines of equipment like high-reach, large tents or forklifts, insurance rates can be significantly more,” says Phil Kelling, president and CEO, ARA Insurance, Kansas City, Mo.

“The cost of risk might change the equation from a profitable move to unprofitable, especially if you’re moving into something totally different from what you normally rent. You need to do your homework, be aware of this and build it into the equation,” Kelling says.

“It’s as easy as calling your insurance agent and explaining what you plan to do because some insurance policies can have provisions that require you to inform them if the characteristics of risk change significantly,” he says.

Kelling also suggests that equipment buyers be aware of the practices of some insurance companies when it comes to inventory. While ARA Insurance has blanket coverage and makes an adjustment once a year based on overall inventory value, some insurance companies schedule each item and if it is not on the list, it is not covered.

Another question, he says, is transit. “If you buy equipment at the show, you need to know if you have the proper transit coverage to get it home. ARA Insurance provides for that, but some companies may have limitations. That means you might only be covered for $10,000 in transit coverage when it’s a $25,000 piece of equipment,” Kelling says.

The Rental Show returns to Las Vegas in 2013

The Rental Show will return to Las Vegas in 2013, sooner than usual in order to not be in Las Vegas at the same time as ConExpo-Con/Agg, which is held there once every three years.

“Our exhibitors asked us to do this and in order to do it, we had to return to Las Vegas in two years and then go to another city in 2014, which is when the next ConExpo is scheduled,” says Allison Box, senior administrative director for association services at the American Rental Association (ARA), organizers of The Rental Show.

The Rental Show 2014, scheduled for Feb. 9-12, will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

When The Rental Show returns to Las Vegas in 2013, however, it will be to a new venue: the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The Venetian and The Palazzo will be the headquarters hotels and are both all-suite hotel properties.

The Rental Show 2013 will be Feb. 10-13, keeping with the current Sunday through Wednesday schedule.

Box says the move further north on Las Vegas Boulevard should be a good one for attendees and exhibitors alike.

“The Sands gives us a unique opportunity to be in the center of the Las Vegas Strip and will offer more dining and entertainment options, both in the headquarters hotels and in the immediate vicinity,” Box says.

The Venetian and The Palazzo have restaurants featuring such acclaimed chefs as Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Trotter and Mario Batali, plus a wide variety of casual dining options.

The last three times The Rental Show has been in Las Vegas — 2005, 2008 and 2011 — it’s been held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. However, future dates in the timeframe needed for The Rental Show were not available at Mandalay Bay going forward.

“We have specific criteria for selecting convention dates,” Box says. “The Rental Show is held in February because attendees and exhibitors have indicated this time works better for them, so those are the dates we need. We also want to stay in a warmer climate. Las Vegas is a very popular convention city, especially in the winter months, which can make getting specific dates a challenge. This relocation change to the Sands Expo offers new opportunities and benefits for attendees to add to the enjoyment of The Rental Show.”