United Rentals acquires Australia’s Alfasi Hire

The world’s largest rental company United Rentals has acquired Australia-based Alfasi Hire as it broadens its reach outside its primary market of North America.

Based in Melbourne, Alfasi specializes in access equipment hire, having sold its crane division last month to manufacturing services company Crossmuller.

Alfasi Group was established 40 years ago to service the general construction industry. Then in 2004 Alfasi Hire became a standalone operation, which now has a fleet of more than 2,500 access and material handling units across five locations, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Mackay, along with a location in Gap Ridge, Western Australia.

United Rentals is continuing its global expansion.

United Rentals has been gradually growing its presence globally and this year exhibited at Bauma in Munich for the first time.

Seven years ago it first entered Europe with the purchase of BakerCorp International Holdings, and in 2024 year it acquired Netherlands-based equipment rental business EQIN.

It also operates 30 branches across France, Germany, Benelux and the UK. Earlier this year the company made its new depot in Bathgate, Scotland, operational.

Now the company is growing its footprint in Australia with the investment in Alfasi Hire, which is set to build on its more than 700 staff and 60 branches across Australia and New Zealand.

In a letter to its customers Alfasi Hire’s Managing Director Elad Zohar said that Alfasi Equipment Hire had become part United Rentals from 4 December.

“United Rentals Australia Pty Ltd will continue to trade with you under the name Alfasi Equipment Hire, as well as under the name United Rentals Australia Pty Ltd. However, how the Alfasi Equipment Hire team works with you to deliver services and solutions will not change. In addition, the team you work with today will also continue to be your partner.”

In the letter Zohar added, “Additionally, Alfasi Equipment Hire will now be part of United Rentals Australia, giving you a much larger choice of solutions from our extensive portfolio of products and services supported by our local teams.”