Europe's rental market fell by 17.2% in 2009 says ERA

The European equipment rental market fell by 17.2% to €20.2 billion in 2009 and is expected to fall by between 0% and -5% in most countries this year, according to the latest rental market report published by the European Rental Association (ERA).

This year's survey, which has been carried out by consultant IHS Global Insight, focuses on non-operated rental and excludes equipment rented outr with operators. The report includes detaials of fleet values for the first time.

The European Equipment Rental Industry 2009 Report is the second report on the equipment rental industry at a European level. It contains a country-by-country analysis over 11 European countries, and includes market size information and key ratios including fleet size and investment as well as penetration rates. The report also contains forecasts for years 2010 and 2011 per country.

"Thanks to the combination of the study on 11 countries with an estimate on the remaining EU27 + EFTA countries, the European equipment rental industry without operators represents a total turnover of €20.2 billion in 2009", said Michel Petitjean, ERA's secretary general.

Some of the key findings include:

• In 2009, the total size of the European equipment rental market (without operators) was €20.2 billion. The 11 countries covered in the study represent €18.5 billion.

• The total turnover decreased 17.2% from 2008 to 2009 as an average in Europe and is expected to decrease between 0% and -5% from country to country in 2010 with the exception of Spain, where the fall is expected to be significantly higher.

• In 2011 turnover is expected to increase by between 0% and 10% from country to country.

• In 2009, fleet investment has been reduced drastically in some countries with up to 80% to 90% decrease from 2008 levels when, in other countries, capital expenditure was less affected with reductions of 20% to 25%.

• Fleet sizes have been evaluated for the first time in this 2009 report. They have been reduced from 14% to 17% in some countries while in other countries they remain virtually constant.

The 2009 Report contains over 60 pages of statistical information with expanded details per country. Each country contains four pages of detailed information in local currency in order to better measure the trends, independently from the variation of the currency exchange rate against the Euro.

The report is available to ERA members for €300 and to prospective and non-members for €900 (excluding VAT). To order the report, visit KHL Group's Information Store (www.khl.com/information-store).