All Star Equipment Rentals in Naples has been serving the southwest Florida market for more than 16 years. The company is growing right along with an economy that traditionally thrives on “snowbirds” and vacationers. “We had a good year last year and expect to have another one this year,” said company President Kevin Duffy. “We’re targeting a 4- to 5-percent increase over 2018. It could be more, but one of our biggest challenges will be to resist the urge to buy even more equipment.
“We’re looking ahead at the 2020 election and history tells us there’s usually a slowdown prior to an election. This administration’s tax cuts have helped generate sales and the election results will likely determine if they stay in place. If not, we may have a slowdown and that’s one reason why we’re being a little more cautious this year.”
While his company is tempering the urge to grow, it is taking advantage of the current marketplace, selling and renting to a large contractor market constructing single and multi-family homes, new schools, and new retail establishments all the result of population growth. “Our niche is renting to professionals in need of masonry and compaction tools, generators/welders, air-hammers, aerial lifts, and dirt-moving equipment.” His store, which employs 11 people, also offers a full-line Husqvarna and Wacker Neuson equipment.
As Duffy suggested, there’s potential for more growth than his company has budgeted this year. A typical November/December slowdown in sales didn’t happen. In fact, December rental sales were ahead of last year’s and January is looking good, as well. Still, memories of 2008 are hard to ignore. “We saw the last recession coming in ’06 and took steps to reduce our debt and inventory, he added. “Ultimately, our sales dropped off by 65 percent back then.” He doesn’t anticipate a repeat of that scenario, but, in his words, “it doesn’t hurt to be more cautious.”
