14.03.2004

Volvo Rents opens first Spanish location

Volvo Construction Equipment Rents has recently opened its first Volvo CE Rents operation in Madrid, Spain; as with most of its other locations the new operation is a Volvo franchise. The new franchisee is Volrental SA, also located in Madrid.

Volrental SA is owned by Volmaquinaria de Construccion SA, the Volvo Construction Equipment dealer for Spain, and will be managed by Domingo Barbaro. The Madrid location is the first of 18 that the company plan to open across the country over the next three years.

Volvo CE Rents began its franchise equipment rental program in 2001 and today has three rental centres open on the Iberian peninsula (2 in Portugal and 1 in Spain) Other European franchises are located in Ireland and Italy. The company has been able to move far more quickly in North America where 40 locations are now up and running, with more in the discussion stage.

The Volvo franchise programme is extremely developed, with custom software and systems, a strong branch identity, a central purchasing programme with key suppliers and an in-house finance package. The plan is to eventually build a full network of locations all over Europe. Although markets such as the UK and France, where Volvo currently do well selling to the rental sector are not likely to see Volvo Rent centres in the near future.