Santa Ana-based Sukut Equipment, a new division of California’s Sukut Construction, formed in June 2008, is offering nationwide leasing of more than 250 pieces of fully California Air Resources Board-compliant equipment. With 120 Caterpillar 651 and 657 scrapers, 33 dozers and rigid frame 60- and 100-ton rock trucks, Sukut says it has one of the greenest large earthmoving fleets in California.
“When we saw the new emissions regulations coming we made a strategic decision in 2000 to never rebuild another diesel engine again,” says Michael Bobeczko, Sukut’s director of marketing. “When an engine gets to the 5,000- to 10,000-hour rebuild time, we now replace it with the latest clean air engine available.”
Bobeczko says high production contractors, like those working 24 hours a day in a Nevada gold mine, are renting Sukut’s equipment with the new engines because the machines are more efficient and reliable.
More than 175 engines have been replaced to date, at an average cost of $75,000 per engine. Sukut says its green fleet reduces pollution by 75 percent, eliminating 20 million pounds of particulate matter and 200 million pounds of NOx per year compared to older engines.
The company says its voluntary California ARB compliance, initiated well before the earliest 2010 deadline for diesel fleets of 5,000 or more horsepower, benefits its rental customers two ways. The new low-hour Tier 3 engines in the Sukut rental fleet provide greater reliability and ensure a rental customer is in full compliance with California ARB’s emissions reductions regulations.
Sukut’s rental equipment is also available with GPS systems that reduce the contractor’s grading costs with increased accuracy.
Rental Briefs
Rental economy
Wayne Walley, editor of American Rental Association’s Rental Management magazine, says the recent government financial rescue package may have a favorable impact on construction equipment on both sides of the rental counter. “We haven’t seen the impact of the package yet but in downturns the rental option becomes more appealing for contractors who need equipment for jobs but don’t have access to credit necessary to purchase a machine. The rescue package should also help small business ARA members by loosening up credit,” Walley says. Walley notes there is some pressure on rental rates, but increases depend on regional conditions.
Case Construction Equipment’s acquisition of select assets of Western Power & Equipment of Vancouver, Washington, is complete. Western Power & Equipment’s Case dealers are now manufacturer-owned Case Power and Equipment locations. The eight Case Power and Equipment locations in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington will rent, sell and service Case construction and industrial equipment. The company is adding a full range of construction equipment to its rental fleet and is introducing the “Power Plus” program in which a Case employee will inspect a customer’s new machine seven times within the first year of service. Case Power’s new Web site, www.CasePower.com, lists the products, services and hours of operation of each branch.
United Rentals announced it has acquired Portland U-Rent-It, with two locations in Corpus Christi, Texas. U-Rent-It’s rapid growth and sales of approximately $11 million in the past year reflect increasing demand from energy related customers in the Gulf region.
