IRN’s top 5 stories of 2025 (so far)...

“Stay alive until 2025,” was the motto adopted by much of the construction industry in 2024 signifying a desire to make it through the difficult conditions of a slowing global economy, rising interest rates, rampant inflation and an uncertain political outlook.

Since then of course, firms that had been hoping to “thrive in 2025,” have faced strengthening headwinds in the shape of concerns about increased geopolitical tensions, US tariffs and a gloomier economic outlook than originally expected. 

As today marks the halfway point in 2025, Rental Briefing had a look back at our five top stories of the year so far to see what trends are emerging. 

5. China’s Horizon makes move into Malaysia, 9 May

Horizon Construction Development has a MEWP fleet of more than 160,000 units in China.

The fast-growing Chinese construction equipment market continues to fascinate International Rental News readers this year amid a well-publicised construction slowdown in the country and an intensifying trade war between China and the United States.

News in May that China’s largest rental company, Horizon Construction Development was to acquire an 80% share of Malaysian rental firm Tong Heng was the fifth most read story on the IRN website so far in 2025. The remaining shares will be held by former majority owner Chan Heng Choy.

4. Why United Rentals is making its Bauma debut, 3 January

This year’s Bauma exhibition in Munich was a huge draw for IRN readers with hundreds of manufacturers exhibiting thousands of new products to an in-person audience of 600,000 visitors while information from the show reached many times that number. News that United Rentals, a household name in the US had decided to make its Bauma debut in 2025 was the fourth most read story of the year so far.

3. Wacker Neuson on tariffs and pricing, 7 April

Alexander Greschner, chief sales officer (CSO), Wacker Neuson.

US President Donald Trump’s decision to enact a series of steep protective tariffs affecting nearly all goods imported into the United States, some of which have been put into operation, continued to draw readers in the first half of 2025. International Rental News‘ interview with Alexander Greschner, chief sales officer (CSO) of Wacker Neuson on the first day of Bauma alone garnered more than 15,000 page views.

And, this story looks set to dominate the headlines. Although two days later, on 9 April, Donald Trump announced a 90 day pause on “reciprocal” tariffs imposed by the US on all countries except China, that pause is due to end on 9 July.

2. Lawsuit alleges pricing cartel in US rental market, 4 April

News that a lawsuit had been filed against five of the biggest US equipment rental companies and Rouse Services accusing them of conspiring to increase rental prices was the second most read so far this year. The lawsuit, filed on 1 April in a Chicago Federal court by Illinois roofing contractor AXG Roofing Llc, names United Rentals, Herc Rentals, Sunstate Equipment, Sunbelt Rentals and H&E Equipment, along with Rouse Services and its owner RB Global (Ritchie Bros). It claims the rental companies used Rouse’s rental metrics service to collude in fixing prices and limit the supply of rental equipment, in violation of antitrust laws.

1. United Rentals to acquire H&E in $4.8 billion deal, 14 January

January’s announcement by United Rentals that it had entered into an agreement to acquire H&E Equipment Services, one of its major competitors, in a deal worth $4.8 billion, was IRN’s top story of the first half of the year and, together with the shock news that Herc had outbid United a month later, accounts for more than 10,000 story views.