Rental Summit explores power transition tipping point

Total cost of ownership and the shift from traditional internal combustion power to battery operation was the focus at the recent Rental Summit in Frankfurt, organised and sponsored by Briggs & Stratton and its brand Vanguard.

The Summit, attended by rental companies, OEMs, rental associations and technology providers, explored how rental businesses can make sound investment decisions looking at an asset’s full working life.

John Smeets, director of fleet uptime compliance & excellence at Boels Rental, one of the speakers at the Summit, stressed the importance of understanding both lifetime and rentable-hour costs, and the need to use data to determine when electric or combustion-powered equipment is the right fit.

Delegates at the Briggs & Stratton Rental Summit. (Image: Briggs & Stratton)

“It’s all about lowering the lifetime and rentable hour costs, selecting the right application or technology for the right job,” said Smeets.

“With increasing diesel and fuel prices, there is a tipping point. We need to work closely with OEMs to understand where that point sits, using the right data to explain to customers when it makes sense to shift from combustion to electric.”

Representing UK-based Hire Association Europe (HAE), commercial director Neil Bravery highlighted the pressure on rental companies to balance rapid change with profitability: “The industry is changing very fast. Standardisation of equipment, sustainability and net zero are all coming together, and that is making it harder for hire companies to make a good, decent profit.

“We need to look at the quality of the machinery first, because that is what will win in the long run when it comes to total cost of ownership.”

Modular design benefit

One of the OEM participants, Frederic Lietaer, CEO of Eliet – which makes groundcare equipment popular with rental buyers - said modular equipment design can give rental businesses greater flexibility to try and compare power options, while managing the higher upfront cost of battery-powered machinery.

John Smeets of Boels Rental speaking at the Summit. (Image: Briggs & Stratton)

“Battery machines are very expensive, which can deter rental companies because of the high upfront investment,” said Leiter, “That is why we have a modular design concept: the same machine can be equipped with either a combustion engine or an electric motor.

“Running both within their fleet means rental companies can compare performance, see how they benchmark against each other and learn from it.”

The key issue for David Frank, SVP & president of electrification at Briggs & Stratton, was for rental companies to look beyond short-term decisions based on upfront purchase price and select the power solution that fits the application.

“The right power solution depends on the application, but reliability, training, parts availability and long-term support determine whether that investment continues to deliver value,” said Frank.

“By bringing rental companies, OEMs, technology specialists and industry bodies together, the Rental Summit helps turn those priorities into practical solutions that improve uptime, strengthen profitability and make the transition to lower-emission equipment commercially viable.”

Bomag and NTC equipment at the Summit. (Image: Briggs & Stratton)

Creating value in supply chain

For Sjoerd van de Velde, managing director EMEA of Briggs & Stratton, the big question is how to create value for the rental company, manufacturer and the end user; “The Rental Summit brings those voices together, alongside associations, suppliers and technology partners, so they can understand each other’s challenges, form new partnerships, and develop solutions that work across the whole value chain.

“When rental companies have reliable and productive assets, manufacturers have a clearer understanding of what the market needs, and end users have equipment they can depend on. That is the value of working together.”

A Gölz floor saw powered by Vanguard battery packs at the Rental Summit. (Image: Briggs & Stratton)

It was collaboration between different players in the market that was emphasised by Carole Bachmann, secretary general of the European Rental Association (ERA); “It’s very important that the whole value chain works together…No organisation or company can face the challenges alone, which is why it is important that each of us plays our part.”

In addition to the guest speakers, the Summit was also an opportunity for manufacturers to display equipment powered by Vanguard battery packs. OEMs present included Bomag, Eliot, Atmos, NTC, Gölz and Ammann.