Winners of the European Rental Awards announced in Dublin
04 June 2025
Michel Petitjean (left), secretary general of the ERA, was presented with the lifetime achievement award by ERA president-elect, Stéphane Henon. (photo: IRN)
Alayan, EuroTecno, and Trime were among the winners of the 2025 European Rental Awards in Dublin - taking home the large rental company, small rental company and rental product of the year accolades, respectively - while the lifetime achievement award was presented to Michel Petitjean, secretary general of the European Rental Association (ERA).
The award for Petitjean recognised his long career in rental and his crucial role with the ERA since its creation in 2006. He retires from the organisation at the end of June.
Bodel Blom, managing director of Byggutrustning Lulea AB of Sweden, won the Person of the Year award for her role in elevating the role of small and medium-sized businessesin Sweden.
GAM, for its ‘Reviver’ machinery remanufacturing plant, and Loxam, for its work to minimise carbon emissions from its work on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, were joint winners of the ERA Sustainability Committee Award: best sustainability initiative by a rental company.
The Best Safety Initiative by a Rental Company went to Sunbelt Rentals UK, for multiple initiatives, including a safety week, ISO certifications, expanded training programmes and significantly reduced incident reporting rates.
The new award for best Rental Technology of the Year went to Trackunit for its IrisX data platform.
The full list of winners, plus the shortlisted companies, is as follows:
Large Rental Company of the Year (revenues more than €15 million)
WINNER: Alayan (formerly TESYA) (Italy/Spain/Portugal)
The judges said: “2024 was a remarkable year for Alayan – merging rental businesses under a single banner, incorporating several new acquisitions, entering a new country, and opening 14 new branches.”
Shortlisted
KDM Hire (UK)
Sunbelt Rentals UK
Small Rental Company of the Year (revenues less than €15 million)
Winners of the 2025 European Rental Awards together at the ceremony in Dublin. (Photo: IRN)
WINNER: EuroTecno (Italy)
The judges said; “2024 was a great year for EuroTecno, with financial growth and success, investment in its staff, and innovative projects with local schools and colleges.”
Shortlisted
Highsparks (UK)
PSM Plant (UK)
Rental Product of the Year
WINNER: Trime – MGTP 24000/30 THS generator
The judges said: “Energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions were a feature of all of the shortlisted products, but Trime’s genset stood out as a product designed for the rental market.”
Shortlisted
Atlas Copco – ZBC1000-1200 energy storage
HG – E1000 HT site dumper
Niftylift – HR22SE telescopic boom
Rental Technology of the Year
WINNER: Trackunit - IrisX data platform
The judges said: “Trackunit has been a pioneer and innovator in rental technology. Its IrisX platform is helping rental businesses accelerate their digital transformation.”
Shortlisted
Calculus
Lifetime Achievement Award
WINNER: Michel Petitjean, secretary general of the European Rental Association
ERA/IRN Rental Person of the Year
WINNER: Bodel Blom, managing director of Byggutrustning Lulea AB of Sweden.
Best Safety Initiative by a Rental Company
WINNER: Sunbelt Rentals UK
The judges said: “Sunbelt’s health and safety initiatives were wide ranging but, more important, they were having a measurable, positive impact on incidents at work.”
Shortlisted
GSV
ERA Technical Committee Award – best initiative to minimise the total cost of ownership
WINNER: Kaeser
The ERA Technical Committee said: “We congratulate Kaeser for achieving what it set out to do – to make it easier and less costly to maintain its portable compressors.”
Shortlisted
Xtellio
Atlas Copco
ERA Sustainability Committee Award – Best emission reduction case study involving rental products
WINNERS: GAM and Loxam
The ERA’s Sustainability Committee said: “The entries for this award were all impressive, especially so in the case of the three shortlisted companies. Ultimately, we wanted to highlight Loxam and GAM for their quite different sustainability projects.”
Shortlisted
Kiloutou
The judges for the awards were:
- Stéphane Hénon, President, ERA and Managing Director, Loxam
- Jon Overman, CEO, HSS Hire Shops
- Murray Pollok, Managing Editor, IRN
- Monika Rubensson, CEO, Rentalföretagen (Swedish rental association)
- Frank Seidler, Managing director, HKL
- Non-voting chair: Michel Petitjean, Secretary General, European Rental Awards
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