Herc sells its film and TV rentals business

The Cinelease headquarters. (Photo: Cinelease)

Herc Rentals has sold its lighting and grip rentals business, Cinelease, to private investment platform Zello. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1977, Cinelease specialises in lighting and grip rentals, studio facility management, and expendables for film, television, and commercial productions across the US and Canada.

Zello described the acquisition as “a defining move in its strategy to support the infrastructure behind content creation — and power the future of global film and television production.”

Cinelease will continue to operate as a standalone, privately held company under the leadership of industry veterans Mark Lamberton, Chris Rogers, and Gannon Murphy.

Louis Dargenzio, CEO of Zello, said, “Cinelease is built on trust—and a team that studios, crews, and producers have relied on for decades. This acquisition is about honoring that legacy while leaning into the future.

“We believe in this team, we believe in this brand, and we believe in the entertainment industry. We’re excited to drive innovation and growth for our studio and production partners.”

“This marks an exciting new chapter for Cinelease,” added Mark Lamberton, president of Cinelease. “We’re a company built on service, relationships, and delivering when it counts—led by people with a deep understanding of what it takes to make it happen.

“Zello brings deep respect for our foundation and the operational scale to help us go even further for the entertainment community. Together, we’ll keep raising the bar for production support across North America.”

Herc acquired Cinelease in 2016, later integrating it into its entertainment division, Herc Entertainment Services.

In the years following the acquisition, Cinelease and Herc Entertainment Services expanded their footprint by offering purpose-built studio spaces across the United States.