Herc Rentals
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHerc Rentals is a North American equipment-rental company serving construction, industrial, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and entertainment customers.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Herc Rentals is a large equipment-rental business operating primarily in the United States and Canada. Its rental portfolio spans construction machinery, aerial work platforms, earthmoving equipment, material-handling equipment, industrial tools, power-generation systems, pumps, climate-control equipment, commercial vehicles, and other specialty assets. The company also sells used rental equipment and provides related support services. Its customers include contractors, manufacturers, energy companies, civil-infrastructure operators, agricultural businesses, event producers, and other organizations that need temporary access to equipment without purchasing and maintaining an entire fleet. The business began in 1965 as a subsidiary of The Hertz Corporation under the name Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, commonly abbreviated as HERC. It developed as a separate equipment-rental operation within the broader Hertz group and became one of the largest businesses of its type in North America. By the 1990s, it was described as the second-largest equipment-rental company in the market. Ford Motor Company considered acquiring the operation in 2002 but did not proceed. HERC moved its headquarters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, to Estero, Florida, in 2013. During the years before separation from Hertz, the equipment-rental operation became an increasingly important contributor to the parent company. Hertz announced plans in 2014 to separate the division into an independently traded company. The transaction was intended in part to raise capital for Hertz and reduce its debt. On July 1, 2016, the separation was completed, and the independent company adopted the name Herc Rentals, derived from its former HERC identity. It trades through Herc Holdings Inc. under the symbol HRI on the New York Stock Exchange. Lawrence Silber became the business's leader in 2015 and guided the company through the spin-off. As chief executive and president after the separation, he oversaw a broad repositioning of the business. The company changed its executive structure, expanded its branch network, increased its sales force, and broadened its product mix beyond traditional construction equipment. Newer categories included power tools, generators, climate-control equipment, commercial vehicles, and other specialized rental assets. This diversification helped the company pursue customers in industrial, energy, infrastructure, and entertainment markets in addition to construction. Herc Rentals has also used fleet investment and acquisitions as central growth tools. Between 2016 and 2020, it invested substantially in expanding its rental fleet, followed by further large fleet expenditures in 2021 and 2023. The company has completed more than 50 acquisitions in the years following its separation from Hertz, including transactions involving CBS Rentals, All-Star Rents, Dwight Crane, Reliable Equipment, All Reach, and Champion Rentals. Its largest reported transaction was the 2025 acquisition of H&E Equipment Services for approximately $5.3 billion. That deal added 165 branch locations, increased the scale of the combined platform by more than 30 percent, and strengthened the company's specialty-rental presence in major metropolitan markets. Herc Rentals' current model combines a broad physical branch network, fleet ownership, equipment logistics, specialty-rental expertise, used-equipment sales, and industry-specific service capabilities. Its competitive position is based on the breadth and availability of its fleet, geographic coverage, ability to support complex projects, and capacity to serve both large national accounts and local contractors. Aaron Birnbaum was appointed president effective January 1, 2026, while Lawrence Silber continued as chief executive officer. The company remains one of the world's major equipment-rental businesses.
History
Herc Rentals originated in 1965 as Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, or HERC, a subsidiary of The Hertz Corporation. The operation was established to rent construction and related equipment to businesses that needed temporary capacity rather than permanent ownership. Over time, it became a significant equipment-rental business serving contractors and industrial customers across North America. By 1994, HERC was described as the second-largest equipment-rental company. Its development attracted strategic interest, including consideration of an acquisition by Ford Motor Company in 2002, although Ford ultimately did not buy the business. In 2013, the division moved its headquarters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, to Estero, Florida. Before the separation from Hertz, the equipment-rental operation generated more than $1.5 billion in revenue in 2013 and approximately $1.7 billion in 2015, according to the cited historical account. Hertz Global announced in 2014 that it intended to spin off HERC as a separate publicly traded company. The transaction was designed to provide Hertz with approximately $2 billion and help reduce its debt. Lawrence Silber assumed leadership of the business in 2015 and directed the transition. On July 1, 2016, the separation became effective, creating an independent company that used the Herc Rentals name and traded through Herc Holdings Inc. on the New York Stock Exchange under HRI. After the spin-off, Silber pursued organizational and commercial changes. Herc Rentals recruited a new executive team, opened additional branches, expanded its sales force, and diversified its catalog. In addition to heavy construction equipment, the company developed or expanded rental categories such as power tools, generators, temporary power, climate-control systems, commercial vehicles, and specialized equipment. These changes were intended to reduce dependence on a narrow construction-equipment mix and increase participation in industrial, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and entertainment work. Fleet investment became a major component of the post-spin-off strategy. The company invested about $1.8 billion in its rental fleet from 2016 through 2020. It continued investing in subsequent years, including reported fleet spending of $525 million to $575 million in 2021 and more than $1 billion in 2023. The historical account also reports strong earnings and revenue growth in 2021, 2022, and 2023, although those figures should be read in their original annual-report context. Acquisitions have been another important growth mechanism. Herc Rentals completed more than 50 acquisitions in the years after becoming independent. Earlier purchases included CBS Rentals, All-Star Rents, Dwight Crane, Reliable Equipment, All Reach, and Champion Rentals. In 2025, the company completed its largest reported transaction by acquiring H&E Equipment Services for approximately $5.3 billion. The combination added 165 branch locations, expanded the overall platform by more than 30 percent, and increased the company's presence in specialty rentals and major metropolitan areas. Herc Rentals now operates in the United States and Canada as a major equipment-rental provider. Its business includes rental fleet management, equipment delivery and support, specialty services, and used-equipment sales. Effective January 1, 2026, Aaron Birnbaum became president, with Lawrence Silber remaining chief executive officer. The company's continuing strategy combines organic branch and fleet expansion with acquisitions and a broad multi-industry customer base.
- 2026
New president takes office
[1]Aaron Birnbaum becomes president effective January 1, 2026, while Lawrence Silber remains CEO.
- 2025
H&E Equipment Services acquisition
[1]Herc Rentals completes its largest reported acquisition, adding 165 branches and expanding its specialty-rental platform.
- 2016
Herc Rentals becomes independent
[1]The spin-off is completed on July 1, creating the independently traded Herc Rentals business under Herc Holdings Inc.
- 2014
Hertz announces the planned spin-off
[1]Hertz Global announces plans to separate HERC into an independently traded company.
- 2013
Headquarters move to Florida
[1]The company relocates its headquarters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, to Estero, Florida.
- 2002
Ford considers an acquisition
[1]Ford Motor Company evaluates acquiring HERC but ultimately does not proceed.
- 1994
HERC is described as the second-largest equipment-rental company
[1]The company reaches a leading position in the equipment-rental market.
- 1965
Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation is founded
[1]The equipment-rental operation begins as a subsidiary of The Hertz Corporation under the name Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, commonly known as HERC.
Products and positioning
A full-service equipment-rental platform for construction, industrial, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and entertainment customers, emphasizing fleet breadth, branch coverage, specialty capabilities, and access to equipment without direct ownership.
Heavy equipment rental · 1965
Construction and earthmoving equipment
The core rental portfolio includes heavy equipment used for construction, civil infrastructure, site preparation, and related work. These assets support customers that need temporary machinery capacity for projects without purchasing, storing, and maintaining a permanent fleet.
Access and lifting equipment
Aerial and material-handling equipment
Herc Rentals provides equipment used to lift people, materials, and loads at construction sites, industrial facilities, infrastructure projects, and events. The category forms an important part of the company's general and specialty rental offering.
Temporary power and environmental systems
Power and climate-control equipment
The company rents generators, power-distribution equipment, climate-control systems, and associated assets. These offerings support temporary power, heating, cooling, ventilation, and environmental requirements across construction, industrial, energy, and event applications.
Industrial and specialty rental
Industrial tools and specialty equipment
Industrial tools and specialty equipment broaden the business beyond conventional construction machinery. They allow Herc Rentals to serve manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, entertainment, and other customers with project-specific equipment requirements.
Equipment resale
Used equipment sales
In addition to renting equipment, Herc Rentals sells used assets from its rental fleet. Resale provides a channel for fleet rotation and gives customers an opportunity to purchase previously deployed equipment.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquire H&E Equipment ServicesM&ABackground
Herc Rentals pursued consolidation in the equipment-rental industry and identified H&E Equipment Services as a major opportunity to increase scale and specialty-rental coverage.
Action taken
The company acquired H&E Equipment Services in a transaction reported at approximately $5.3 billion.
Aftermath
The acquisition added 165 branches, increased the combined platform's scale by more than 30 percent, and expanded specialty-rental coverage in major metropolitan markets.
Acquisition value. $5.3 billion (2025 transaction)
2016
Diversify the rental portfolioStrategyBackground
After the spin-off, management sought to broaden the company's customer base and reduce reliance on traditional heavy construction rentals.
Action taken
Herc Rentals expanded into power tools, climate control, generators, commercial vehicles, and other specialty equipment while also increasing its branch network and sales force.
Aftermath
The company developed a broader multi-industry platform serving construction, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and entertainment customers.
2014
Separate the equipment-rental business from HertzStrategyBackground
Hertz Global planned to separate HERC so the equipment-rental operation could operate as an independent public company and the parent could raise capital to reduce debt.
Action taken
Hertz announced the spin-off, which was completed on July 1, 2016, under the Herc Rentals name and Herc Holdings structure.
Aftermath
The business became independently traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HRI and pursued its own fleet, branch, sales, diversification, and acquisition strategy.
Recent events
Reported
Herc Rentals acquires Reliable Equipment assets[2]
Herc Rentals acquired substantially all the assets of Reliable Equipment, an equipment rental business with branch operations in Dover and Londonderry, New Hampshire.
Reported
Herc Rentals agrees to acquire Rapid Equipment[3]
Herc Rentals announced that it entered a purchase agreement to acquire Toronto-based Rapid Equipment Rental Limited.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Herc Holdings acquires Champion Rentals assets[4]
Herc Holdings acquired the assets of Houston-based Champion Rentals, adding its locations to Herc Rentals' Houston-area presence.
Reported
Herc Rentals announces Aaron Birnbaum as incoming COO[5]
Herc Rentals announced that Aaron Birnbaum would become chief operating officer from the beginning of 2020, replacing J Bruce Dressel when Dressel steps down at year-end.
Sources5 sources
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