Putting a Spotlight on the Equipment Rental Market

The heavy vehicle equipment rental market remains more important than ever to the construction industry.  Rentals of Off-the-Road (OTR) workhorse machinery like bulldozers, telehandlers, excavators, and other similar essential pieces of machinery are truly the backbone of the development space.  They play a direct role in the effective management of transportation logistics and costs on the construction jobsite, and today’s rental marketplace is looking positive going into 2023.

As with any major market sector, the OTR equipment rental space is continuing to evolve and will likely be shaped by several key factors moving forward.

For one, heavy vehicle and equipment rentals are a necessary part of construction site project management.  The role of OTR equipment in ensuring a successful residential or commercial build is significant.  This machinery is pivotal to onsite operations—moving earth, transporting needed lumber and supplies, demolishing and excavating, and serving as a general lynchpin of strong productivity out in the field.

Second, renting OTR vehicles remains an attractive option for construction project managers (as noted in Construction and Demolition Recycling).  As the supply chain woes of the past year continue to impact product availability and pricing, budget conscious operators can find solace in the rental market.  They’re not required to commit to a large upfront financial outlay with the outright purchase of equipment and can instead choose a shorter-term equipment contract.  Renting is also more suitable for customized job use and specific project applications.  Additionally, with raw material supplies still tight and in demand, the wait times for brand new vehicles and machinery can be prohibitive for many operators, while equipment rentals offer a more timely option.

Third, as cited in Construct Connect, new advances and technology in the equipment rental space (for example, digital ordering, more e-vehicle and hybrid choices, autonomous loading and unloading, and remote off-site maintenance and monitoring) continue to play a pivotal role in the way the rental market is continuing to advance and remain competitive within the vehicle management arena.

As the construction space shines a bright light on the benefits of heavy OTR equipment rentals this year and next, it also looks to other compatible solutions in the transportation sector that will save operators time and defray expenditures.  One paramount factor in the efficiency of OTR vehicle operation involves the selection of reliable tire technology.

While vehicle operators have several tire choices at their avail—including solid apertures and pneumatic tires—only tires filled with polyurethane “foam fill” offer complete flat free protection.  Tires using tire fill technology are able to effectively operate over typical construction and job site work debris without incidents or punctures.  Hazards such as sharp nails, rocks, glass, rebar, and other refuse can easily flatten a pneumatic tire—creating worksite dangers, loss of productivity, and additional expense.  But tires using polyurethane fill such as TyrFil™ (the leading “foam fill” technology brand for the past five decades) are immune to on-the-job punctures and they help to keep OTR rental equipment operating at full capacity.

There are other ways that “foam filled” tire technology can also benefit rental equipment customers.

For example:

• Tire fill offers drivers a smoother, less jarring ride than vehicles outfitted with solid tires.  Solid aperture tires are bumpy and can produce sustained fatigue when drivers spend up to 8 hours or more behind the wheel.  A condition called Whole Body Vibration (or “WBV”) may result from the continued cross-axle, G-force impact caused from sustained, repetitive vibration in the driver’s seat.  This form of muscular/skeletal fatigue may be averted by choosing “foam filled” tires, making it an advantageous tire technology alternative for the rental marketplace.
• Additionally, vehicle operators who choose TyrFil™ flatproofing are offered a choice of tire durometer, which can be customized according to different tire uses and driving conditions.  Furthermore, since the cushioning ability of any tire lies in the durometer, or hardness, of the rubber compound and other components, tire fill can fight against the effects of G-force impact.  (A solid aperture tire with high durometer components is harder and absorbs less impact.  A tire with lower durometer components, such as polyurethane tire fill, is softer and absorbs more impact, eliminating the phenomenon known as Solid Shock.)
• By choosing TyrFil flatproofing technology, rental equipment customers can also help to lower carbon footprint emissions.  Polyurethane tire fill can be repurposed and retreaded for “second life” use, and they drastically lower the amount of tire carcasses going into our nation’s already overcluttered landfills.  Solid tire “piles” on the other hand take years to breakdown once discarded, frequently harbor insects that can spread vector borne disease, and are vulnerable to “tire fire” danger.

Any OTR vehicle operator whose livelihood depends on the financial advantages of the rental equipment market would be well served to also investigate the many benefits of TyrFil flatproofing. TyrFil tire technology is highly compatible for rental vehicle and machinery use and will save construction project managers time and money on the job, while also providing a sustainable option that is more ergonomically feasible.

For more information, please visit Carlisle TyrFil Flatproofing.