Canadian rental group Cooper Equipment Rentals has acquired Rent All Centre/Skyhigh Platforms in Ontario and Big Stick Rentals in Alberta, as part of its strategy to become the clear market leader throughout Canada.
Rent All Centre and its sister company Skyhigh Platforms were founded in 1973 and now operate from locations across Cobourg and Port Hope - on the shores of Lake Ontario - plus Belleville, and Trenton, and two depots in Peterborough, together with Skyhigh's dedicated aerial lift location in Whitby. All will now operate under the Cooper brand.
Rent All owner Brian Wheatley said: "It is with great pride that we have now joined another Canadian owned company, to continue the path we've been walking. The Cooper family will continually improve on our already excellent service and reputation.”
Cooper’s chief operating officer Brian Spilak added: “This acquisition enhances Cooper's service footprint in Peterborough and the 401 corridor, complementing our existing network in Toronto, Oshawa, Kingston, and Ottawa. The integration of RAC and Skyhigh will create seamless equipment sharing and expanded resources, increasing efficiency and availability for customers.”
Big Stick Rentals was established in 2013 and is based in Grande Prairie, Alberta – north west of Edmonton. The business is managed by Kevin Bjornson and runs a fleet of booms and scissor lifts, from a central location.
Bjornson said: "I never expected to find a large partner who shared the same core values and culture as our little company. As I learned more about Cooper, it became evident that the small family who made large contributions to Big Stick Rentals' success would be well taken care of in the Cooper family."
Cooper’s chief executive Doug Dougherty added: "At Cooper, we don't just grow for the sake of growth - we expand with purpose. Bringing these respected businesses into the Cooper family means we're strengthening our service, growing our footprint, and staying true to what matters most: delivering the best rental experience in the industry."
Cooper Equipment Rentals was established in 1972 by Darryl Cooper and Doug Dougherty and now operates from 76 locations in six provinces, supplying tools, aerial lifts, telehandlers earthmoving, compaction equipment, pumps and power units. It has been majority owned by Halifax based private equity firm SeaFort Capital since 2013. Since then, it has made more than a dozen acquisitions and continued its organic growth.
Today it operates from more than 80 branches across six provinces, and specialises in the rental of telehandlers, compact equipment and aerial work platforms, along with pumps, power, and trench safety equipment.
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