Friday quiz: Ashtead profits dip | Renta Group’s big purchase | Rental firms criticise UK Spending Review

1) Ashtead Group, the owner of Sunbelt Rentals, reported a dip in profits for its 2024-5 financial year and a slowdown in revenue growth across the board. Nonetheless, which segment of the business did Ashtead say was performing strongest?

• North American general tool hire
• Group equipment sales
• Specialty rentals

2) This week Avesco Rent’s new CEO, Cornelia Kuratli, gave an exclusive interview to IRN. What was her previous role?

• Head of fleet management for Avesco Rent in Switzerland
• Director of store operations in Switzerland for German discount supermarket Aldi
• Account manager at financial services group Swiss Life

3) Nordic-based rental company Renta Group this week acquired the tunnelling infrastructure assets from W. Giertsen Services and AGTunnel. Why did Renta Group say it wanted to make these acquisitions?

• It was part of the company’s planned expansion into Eastern Europe
• It was part of a plan to grow the firm’s specialised infrastructure machinery rental business
• It is part of a plan to capitalise on a growing trend to develop underground saunas currently sweeping Scandinavian countries

4) The UK’s Construction Plant-hire Association has welcomed elements of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ latest Spending Review. However, what major criticism did it have?

• The government has failed to reverse harmful tax policies such as National Insurance hikes
• There has been a reduction in transport infrastructure spending in regions outside London
• The government’s £14.2 billion (€16.8 billion) funding for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant could have been better spent on offshore wind projects

5) Access, Lift & Handlers magazine this week published its annual T30 report analysing the size of telehandler rental fleets in North America. What was its main conclusion?

• The size of telehandler rental fleets in North America fell for the first time since the pandemic
• Telehandler rental fleets are growing at the slowest rate since the pandemic
• Rental firms in North America have been postponing telehandler purchases in 2025 as they wait to see how the impact of the introduction of AI technology will affect machine configurations in future

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