Volvo Rents expands to Canada

In 2011, Volvo Rents acquired more than 50 companies in the United States. Recently, however, the brand announced its first acquisition north of the border with the recent signing of the Centreline Group of Rental Companies, a six-location construction equipment rental company found throughout Ontario, Canada. This new acquisition lifts Volvo Rents’ North American location total to more than 90 stores.

The new Volvo Rents locations are located in Windsor, Leamington, Chatham, London, Dumfries and Hamilton and are the first for the company in the province of Ontario.

“As the recession abates, the construction equipment rental industry is projected to be one of the fastest growing industries in North America, as more people are choosing to rent rather than commit to capital expenditures,” Mike Crouch, vice president of business development for Volvo Rents, said in a written statement from the company. “Our strong brand recognition, coupled with the growing demand for equipment rental, allows us to look to the future with great enthusiasm.”

In addition to Volvo Rents’ expanding line of Volvo compact equipment – such as backhoe and skid steer loaders, compact wheel loaders, compact excavators and compaction equipment – the rental center carries a comprehensive line of essential equipment and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets. The focus is on daily, weekly and monthly rentals.
“Currently, the U.S. is undergoing an unprecedented shift from buying equipment to renting,” said Mike Crouch, Vice President of Business Development for Volvo Rents, noting that construction equipment rental revenue grows an average of seven percent annually. “This puts us in a very favorable position as we continue to expand our footprint in various markets across the country.”

Previous owners Louis and Al Bertoia will take on new roles within the Ontario Volvo Rents locations.  Louis will serve as the Ontario Operations Manager while Al will become fleet manager for the division.

“The Centreline Group has been very successful in the equipment rental industry throughout the Southern Ontario market. Our success has been driven by understanding and executing our company values, and by understanding our customers’ requirements and exceeding their expectations through a high level of service,” said Louis Bertoia in a press release. “We are a family run business that works well as a team. I believe that joining the Volvo team is the best decision for the future growth of Centreline and offers great opportunities for our team members. Volvo shares our values, goals and visions and has responsive decision making. Volvo was the right decision for us. We are excited to grow with Volvo and execute our growth plans throughout Ontario.”