Volvo Rents, Shippensburg, Pa., has expanded its operations into Iowa with the acquisition of Aerial Platform Experts, a single-location construction equipment rental company located in Davenport.
The move comes as U.S. builders continue to increase their spending on construction projects for a second consecutive month. According to the latest data released by the Commerce Department, construction spending rose 0.3 percent in April, matching a March gain, thanks in part to a pickup in home construction and commercial projects.
It also comes on the heels of a new study by the Associated General Contractors of America that lists Iowa No. 4 in percentage growth of construction jobs for the 12 months ending in February.
“While the industry is still struggling in too many states to declare that construction is in full recovery, builders have grown more confident since last fall, in part because more people are expressing interest in buying a home,” said Mike Crouch, vice president of business development for Volvo Rents, noting that builder optimism rose to the highest level in five years. “The acquisition of Aerial Platform Experts is a strategic move that will launch our footprint in Iowa and puts us in a favorable position to meet what will undoubtedly translate into a growing demand for construction equipment rental.”
“Iowa’s construction industry is no doubt showing improvement, but a full recovery will take time,” said Andy Fliege, who co-founded Aerial Platform Experts in 2005. “You don’t go from having a heart attack to running a marathon overnight. The problem is on its way to being resolved and we look forward to being a big part of that resolution.”
Fliege will remain active with the operations of the store as manager. All 14 of Aerial’s employees will remain employed by Volvo Rents.
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