ERA Convention tackles sustainability in rental

The two-day event will see a packed programme explore the theme of ‘The Future of Rental.’ Photos: Maurice Vinken (www.kleurstof.eu), courtesy of ERA

Scheduled for May 15 and 16 in Lisbon, Portugal, the 2024 European Rental Association (ERA) Convention will unite industry leaders from Europe’s rental sector to explore a diverse range of topics.

This year’s event will feature a comprehensive program delving into the theme of ‘The Future of Rental,’ emphasising decarbonisation and the equipment rental industry’s role in the energy transition.

Stéphane Hénon, ERA president, said, “The 2024 ERA Convention is not just an event; it is a unique opportunity for industry leaders to come together and shape the future of equipment rental.

“It’s where innovation meets collaboration, and where ideas are put into action, pushing our industry forward towards a more sustainable future.”

Convention programme

This year features a three-part plenary session, which once again takes place alongside several workshops. Topics on day one include decarbonisation and carbon calculation in European rental companies, assessment of current practices & scopes mapping and business cases on scopes 1, 2 and 3 by three rental companies.

A panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges for rental companies and their customers will also be held.

Part two, which kicks off on the afternoon of the first day, will explore comparisons of the energy transition in the construction equipment industry with the car industry.

The Convention will end on day one with a panel aiming to answer the question, how can rental companies and OEMs accelerate the energy transition?

Carrying over to the morning of day two, a plenary session will see Martin Seban, KPMG, provide an updated forecast for the rental and construction industries for 2024 and 2025, as the focus switches to market trends.

Additionally, four workshops will run on the final day:

• Workshop Promotion: Working in rental for a sustainable future
• Workshop Technical: Energy transition in rental
• Workshop Sustainability: How to best promote and use the carbon reporting guidance?
• Workshop Future Group: Impact of AI on the equipment rental industry

The plenary sessions and workshops will include participation from the following speakers:

• Pranav Jaswani, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx
• Klävs Otisons, Committee Chairman, ERA
• Martin Seban, Director, KPMG
• Pierre-Yves Rallet and Jose Blanco, Committee Chairmen, ERA
• Douglas McLuckie, Committee Chairman, ERA
• Calum Chace, Guest Speaker

Guest speaker Callum Chace, an expert on AI, will end the Convention with a discussion on his vision of the future of AI and its impact on business strategy and technology.

Guest speaker Callum Chace

ERA said his “expertise in AI promises to inspire, educate, and empower the participants, who can expect an engaging presentation.”

Registration for the Convention can be found here.

ERA Convention programme 

Wednesday 15 May

08.00 – 12.30: Registration

12.30 – 13.30: Lunch

• Opening of the Convention (Stéphane Hénon, President, ERA

• Welcome to Lisbon, (Maria Luís Gameiro)

14.00 – 15.30: Plenary session – part one – Decarbonisation – Room Chiado

Decarbonisation and carbon calculation in the European rental companies – Gabrielle Rocca, KPMG

• Assessment of current practices & scopes mapping
• Business cases on scopes 1 and 2 - Olivier Colleau, Kiloutou

• Scope 3, Douglas McLuckie, Ashtead Group Plc

Panel on Decarbonisation – Opportunities and challenges for the rental companies and their customers

• Thomas Astrup, Boels Group
• Samuel Augsburger, Loxam Group
• Salvatore Campo Hernandez, Acciona

Moderator: Maarten Bouwhuis

15.30 – 16.30: Coffee break and networking

16.30 – 18.00: Plenary session – part two – Energy transition – Room Chiado

• Comparison of the Energy Transition in the construction equipment industry with the car industry, Pranav Jaswani, IDTechEx
• ERA Technical Committee project on Energy Transition project, Klävs Otisons
• Panel on energy transition

18.00 – 18.30: ERA General Assembly - Room Lapa

19.00 – 20.30: European Rental Awards cocktail

20.30 – 23.00: European Rental Awards dinner

Moderator: Maarten Bouwhuis

Thursday 16 May

9.00 – 9.30: Plenary session – part three – Market trends – Room Chiado

• Update Rental Forecast and Construction 2024-25, Martin Seban, KPMG

9.30 – 10.00: Coffee

10.00 – 11.45: Workshops

Workshop Promotion and national associations - Working in rental for a sustainable future

• Committees Report, Pierre-Yves Rallet and Jose Blanco, Committee Chairmen

• Restitution of the European Rental Week (ERW) 2023 and action plan for the ERW 2024

• Presentation

• Debate with questions in relation to ‘The Future of Rental Solutions’

  Moderator: Pierre-Yves Rallet and Jose Blanco, Committee Chairmen

Workshop technical – Energy transition in rental

• Technical Committee Report, Klāvs Otisons, Committee Chairman
• Presentation
• Debate with questions in relation to ‘The Future of Rental Solutions’

Moderator: Klāvs Otisons

Workshop sustainability - How to best promote and use the carbon reporting guidance?

• Sustainability Committee Report, Douglas McLuckie, Committee Chairman
• Presentation – ERA Carbon reporting guidance project
• Debate with questions in relation to ‘The Future of Rental Solutions’

Moderator: Douglas McLuckie, Committee Chairman

Workshop future group – Impact of AI on the equipment rental industry

• Future Group Report
• Presentation – AI and Asset Management
• Debate with questions in relation to ‘The Future of Rental Solutions’

11.45 – 12.45: Convention concludes

• Artificial intelligence, the Good Future! – Guest speaker Calum Chace
• Closing of the Convention, Stéphane Hénon, President, ERA

12.45 – 14.00: Networking lunch

European Rental Awards

The European Rental Awards, which is jointly organised by the ERA and International Rental News, will take place after the European Rental Association Convention on May 15. 

European Rental Awards judges

The judging panel for the 2024 European Rental Awards.

• Nina Aasland, CEO, Naboen
• Stéphane Hénon, President, ERA & Managing Director, Loxam
• Hervé Rebollo, Director General, DLR
• Murray Pollok, Managing Editor, International Rental News
• José Cuadrado, Managing Director, Yanmar Compact Equipment - Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
• Non-voting chair: Michel Petitjean, Secretary General, European Rental Association

Award categories and shortlists

Large Rental Company of the Year (revenues more than €15 million) 

• Ardent Hire (UK)
• GAM Alquiler (Spain)
• Kiloutou (France)
• Machrent (Portugal)

Small- and Mid-sized Rental Company of the Year

• Alquisagar (Spain)
• Blackwood Plant Hire (UK)
• Dromad (Republic of Ireland)
• Velafl (Iceland)

Rental Product of the Year

• Ecosun Innovations – Frame-Watt solar system
• EODev – GEH2 hydrogen genset
• Komatsu – PC33E-6 mini excavator
• Niftylift – HeightRider 15 Hydrogen-Electric (HR15 H2E)
• Trime – Solar Hybrid power generators
• Wacker Neuson – APU3050e reversible vibratory plate

ERA Sustainability Committee Award: Best emission reduction case study involving rental products (Judged by the Sustainability Committee)

• Boels Rental
• Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland
• Zeppelin Rental

ERA Technical Committee Award: Compliance with ERA guidance (Judged by the Technical Committee)

• JCB           
• Manitou           
• Volvo CE

The winners of the Rental Person of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced at the awards dinner. All companies shortlisted are eligible for two free tickets.