This year’s Rental Show will be nothing if not ‘different.’ A different time of year and a different venue from recent years to start, but with different challenges than we’ve seen in a long time on top of it. Even with public health worries and supply chain concerns, the current labor shortage may shape this show more than anything else.
Some rental business operators may decide to steer away from more labor-intensive types of equipment in favor of portions of their businesses that may take less valuable time. Some buyers will be on the hunt for technology that might also assist with the challenges brought on by the labor shortage.
I feel it’s a great year to look for efficiencies, improvements, and training with a consultant both to make the most of your employees’ time and to help keep valuable personnel from jumping ship.
In addition to labor, as they walk the exhibit floor, wise buyers will have the trillion-plus dollars being spent on government infrastructure initiatives firmly in mind. There are so many unanswered questions! Here are just a few: How quickly will the funds be spent on infrastructure? How backlogged are the shipping ports, and how will that affect equipment and parts availability? How will the supply of new rental equipment be drained by a possible deluge of purchasing?
For all that’s different, the show will still be a great opportunity to connect with others in the industry and catch up with old friends. There are very few who haven’t been impacted in the last year and a half, and I expect that there will be quite a few stories to tell.
A much larger than usual worry this year will be those supply chain challenges. Since shipping times will continue to be much longer than normal (for some products, at least through February 2022) many rental business owners, operators, and key managers will be forecasting their equipment needs further in advance.
Also, of course, top of mind for many will be the risk of COVID-19 and its variants. Some registered attendees for upcoming in-person shows are taking a wait-and-see approach in deciding whether they will attend because of the risks. Some who are planning on attending have told me that they are more likely to be in the exhibit halls than in seminar rooms.
Personally, I am fully vaccinated and feel very comfortable being there. So, I will be manning my booth at the ARA Rental Show in October as I have for decades as an exhibitor. And I am really looking forward to being there again this year! As usual, I plan to reconnect with my many friends in the rental business as well as meet new rental business owners and operators. Yes, it is a time for reminiscing as well as a time for making plans for the future.
It's in this area where I expect to see a lot of familiarities. For all that’s different, the show will still be a great opportunity to connect with others in the industry and catch up with old friends. There are very few who haven’t been impacted in the last year and a half, and I expect that there will be quite a few stories to tell.
Of course, there are aspects of the upcoming Rental Show that may be beyond the control of the show planners. However, the general expectation is that the show team, the convention center staff, and all who share the responsibility for the security of this convention (and all of the other ones that will be held in Las Vegas) will make sure that we are safe.
So again, I predict that the worsening labor shortage will be top of mind when rental business operators are considering purchasing on the exhibit floor as well as an important thread in the conversations off the floor as well. But everyone in this industry has faced adversity before and almost invariably have found ways to successfully deal with their sizeable challenges.
In so many ways, these are unprecedented times. But just as certainly, rental business folks want to (and need to) hang out with their colleagues. Plus, they have an intense desire to see what’s new on the exhibit floor as well as to work with the exhibitors. So, in conclusion, I predict that the upcoming ARA Rental Show will be very successful indeed.
