Korea Rental Corp plans Shanghai access business

Fast growing Korea Rental Corp (KRC) aims to establish an aerial platform rental company in Shanghai, China next year.

The Seoul-based company, which started in 1989 renting IT equipment and test and measurement devices before adding aerial platform rentals in 2003, established a test equipment rental business in Shanghai earlier this year and hopes to expand into aerials next year.

Geun-youn Yi, assistant manager of KRC's strategy unit, told IRN that the company wanted to replicate its Korean business model in China "as soon as possible", with the aim of adding aerial platforms to the Shanghai fleet sometime during 2012.

He said the measurement equipment division was doing well so far in Shanghai; "The next step will be powered access."

KRC is one of Korea's largest aerial platform rental companies with a fleet of around 2000 units. This year it has acquired around 700 new machines and sold 400 old units.

Mr Yi said KRC planned to double its Korean fleet within four years, and will look at adding telehandlers and cranes to its product range, as well as other products.

The company is using Genie, JLG, Aichi and Skyjack as its main access suppliers, but is also considering Chinese manufacturers, several of which it visited during the BICES show in Beijing in October.