Trime to be acquired by Platinum Equity

Italian lighting tower and genset manufacturer Trime is to be acquired by US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity. The terms of the deal have not been announced.

Trime’s founder Andrea Fontanella and its CEO Paolo Tacconi, and other members of its management, are investing alongside Platinum. The deal is expected to be completed in early 2027.

Platinum said the plan was to further internationalise the business, in particular in the US, where it aims to invest in production capacity, sales coverage, warehousing and spare-parts availability. It said acquisitions would also be part of the plan.

Trime’s X-Change lighting tower will enable operators to swap depleted batteries on site. (Image: Trime)

“We have been investing in equipment manufacturers and rental businesses for nearly two decades, and Trime is a company we’ve admired for a long time,” said Louis Samson, co-president of Platinum Equity.

“It’s a resilient, cash-generative business serving markets that are growing and benefiting from essential infrastructure spending.

“We also see additional potential upside from continued investment in data centres and power generation both in the United States and globally.”

‘Entrepreneurial culture’

Trime’s Andrea Fontanella said Platinum had followed Trime’s business for several years and have taken the time to understand the business; “We wanted a partner who would respect our entrepreneurial culture and help us take the next step internationally.

“Platinum combines that personal understanding with deep experience and relationships in the rental industry. For our team, that is a compelling combination.”

Platinum’s involvement in equipment rental goes back more than two decades. It sold BlueLine Rental to United Rentals for $2.1 billion and has held ownership stakes in Maxim Crane Works and NESCO. Current Platinum rental businesses are Custom Truck One Source and Electro Rent.

The transaction was led by Filippo Rossi, who heads Platinum’s Italian business.

Paul Hay (left), managing director of Trime Ltd, with Andrea Fontanella, founder and chairman of Trime srl, pictured at Bauma 2025. (Photo: IRN)

Trime CEO Paolo Tacconi said the company had worked hard to find a partner who could support its international growth, especially in the US; “We are confident that Platinum Equity is the right partner and will make a strong contribution to the execution of our strategy.”

Four plants in Italy

Headquartered in Cassinetta di Lugagnano, near Milan, Trime manufactures lighting towers and generators including conventional, hybrid, battery and solar-power.

It has four manufacturing plants in Italy and customers in more than 30 countries. It also has subsidiaries in the UK, the Netherlands, the US and Australia.

Platinum said Trime had established “particularly strong momentum in North America”, where sales are growing to equipment rental companies, contractors and infrastructure customers.

“Trime has established relationships in North America with several of the industry’s premier rental businesses”, said Platinum. “Platinum and the company’s management team see an opportunity to earn a greater share of these customers’ fleets, reach additional national and regional rental companies and expand Trime’s mobile-generator offering.”