Metrac has created a new division to handle rental business.

While the company has rented machines for years — predominantly on a rent-to-own basis — it’s now targeting the short-term customers with Metrac Rents.

“It has always been there, but was never really pursued in any fashion,” said Rental Manager Jim Trowbridge.

The new division is officially based in the company’s branches in Atlanta, Adairsville and Braselton. However, rentals are available in Columbus, Macon and Augusta, Trowbridge said.

The purpose of the new division is twofold. First, it enables Metrac to expose its customers to a wider range of machines from its manufacturers. Trowbridge said that, in the past, a customer might purchase a bulldozer from Metrac, but then go to a competitor to rent a backhoe for a specific project. Metrac Rents now enables them to stay in-house.

Secondly, he said customers are now able to try out equipment from its other lines without having to make a purchase.

The rental fleet has approximately 80 pieces of earthmoving equipment.

Trowbridge said economic conditions have contractors who need a specific piece of equipment for a certain job looking to rent while, in the past, they might have purchased the machine.

He said the advantage of renting from Metrac comes from the service end. Since its technicians are certified on John Deere machines, “we’ve got the means to keep them rolling.”

The rental fleet is equipped with JD Link, a GPS-based system that continually runs diagnostics on the machines and will send error reports to the Metrac technicians. When an error code arises, the techs can determine if the problem can be resolved with a job site visit or if it needs to come into the shop. Trowbridge said the system can save on downtime and drive time.

Trowbridge touts Metrac’s advantages over the large rental houses. “At least you’re getting a family-owned business,” he said. “That does mean something to some customers.”

Metrac sells and rents equipment from John Deere, Hitachi, Atlas Copco and Dynapac. CEG Staff

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