27.06.2023

Peinemann acquires Doornbos access fleet

Dutch rental company Peinemann has finally confirmed the long-rumoured acquisition of the aerial work platform division of Doornbos Equipment. The move includes the Doornbos fleet of approximately 800 aerial work platforms, taking the Peinemann platform fleet from around 1,000 units to 1,800 machines.

The overall Peinemann rental fleet now numbers almost 6,000 machines, including forklifts, mobile cranes, warehouse equipment, tow tractors, reach stackers and terminal tractors as well as aerial lifts. Both companies are based in the east side of Rotterdam - Doornbos on the north bank of the Rhine and Peiemann on the South side - barely a 15 minute drive between them. The move follows the recent joint venture agreement with Eurosupply to distribute LGMG aerial lifts.

Doornbos dates back to 1938 when John Doornbos set up as a fruit and vegetable trader in Rotterdam. In 1945 his sons Bob and Frank joined the business and began trading in used equipment, most of it American army surplus. In 1980 the sons split the business with Dennis Doornbos taking the crane rental business adding aerial work platforms and telehandlers in 1990. In 2000 he added high pressure jetting equipment for ship cleaning, along with vacuum equipment.
Dennis sadly died in 2015 with Denise, Frank and Stuart Doornbos managing the business since taking over in 2014.

The Peinemann family initially owned a cigar shop, but in 1954, the family began renting forklifts out to warehouses in the rapidly growing port, often providing operators with them, given the novelty of such equipment. In 1975, the second generation took over, in the form of brothers Jaap and Peter Peinemann, and in the following years expanded the business into an international operation with seven locations in the Netherlands and specialist operations around the world.

Denise Doornbos said: "We knew from the start that Peinemann was the right partner for us. Our relationship goes back many years, and we are confident that our people will be a good fit within Peinemann's culture."

Peinemann’s joint chief executives Sam Peinemann and Ad Kornet added: "Through this strategic acquisition, Doornbos customers can use a wider range of machines and benefit from Peinemann's unique one stop shop character."

Vertikal Comment

When Denise Doornbos says the culture is a good fit for the Doornbos staff with the Peinemann culture she is not wrong, words such as this are often spouted at the conclusion of an acquisition, but it is usually just words, to ease the sellers conscience. In this case both companies have traditioinally been quite similar in terms of history, product range and family management style, with consistently high standards and quality, although that might have changed a little in recent years.

We do not know the terms of the deal, but it is a transaction that should work well for the companies involved, how well it goes down with customers - whose choice is reduced by this - is another thing.