Merlo America has added Piranha Rentals to its U.S. dealer network, expanding access to Merlo telehandlers, attachments, parts and service support across South Louisiana.
Headquartered in Houma, Piranha Rentals also operates facilities serving Venice, Fourchon and Plaquemine. Founded in 2008, the family-owned rental company supports offshore oil and gas, petrochemical, construction, pipeline, homebuilding and industrial markets.
As an authorized dealer, Piranha Rentals will offer sales, rentals, parts and service support for Merlo equipment across its Louisiana locations. The company’s network includes facilities near key industrial areas, including Fourchon, which serves offshore energy operations, and Plaquemine, located near petrochemical and plant construction activity.
Piranha Rentals CEO Jimmy Lirette said the company’s approach is shaped by the demands of industries where equipment uptime is critical.
“Our mission has always been to power the oilfield with dependable equipment and no-excuse service,” says Lirette. “When equipment is down, customers need support immediately. That’s why our committed team is available 24/7, with the people and capability in place to respond.”
According to the company, Piranha Rentals first added Merlo telehandlers to its fleet as customer demand increased for lifting and material handling equipment. The company currently operates 36 Merlo telehandlers across oilfield, construction, industrial and pipeline applications.
The dealership said customers are using the machines with attachments such as winches and grapple buckets for a range of applications, while smaller models are being used in construction and homebuilding environments where compact equipment and transportability are priorities.
“Every machine has to earn our customers’ trust before it leaves the yard,” adds Lirette. “It needs to be clean, tested and ready to work, because that is the standard our customers expect from us. Merlo supports that same standard, giving us a premium product line we can stand behind with confidence.”
Lirette also said customers are increasingly using telehandlers beyond traditional lifting applications.
“Customers are realizing these machines can do far more than traditional telehandler work,” says Lirette. “With the right attachments, a Merlo telehandler becomes a multi-purpose platform that can help them take on more work with one unit, instead of bringing in additional equipment for every task.”
For Merlo America, the appointment expands dealer coverage in a region where equipment reliability and service access are key considerations.
“Piranha Rentals brings exactly the kind of market knowledge and service commitment we look for in a dealer partner,” says Cole Renken, general manager at Merlo America. “Their team understands the realities of working in South Louisiana, where uptime, safety and responsive support are essential. With deep customer relationships and a strong presence across key industrial markets, they are well positioned to help Merlo customers get more from every machine.”
The partnership also expands Piranha Rentals’ offerings beyond equipment rental to include sales, parts and service support for Merlo products.
“Merlo America has made it easy for us to take that next step,” says Lirette. “Their team has gone above and beyond with training, product knowledge and practical support, helping us build the dealership the right way.”
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
