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ERA Convention 2025: Navigating Transitions in Rental

Name: ERA Convention 2025: Navigating Transitions in Rental
Start: 2025-06-04T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-06-05T23:59:59+00:00

4 June - 5 June

The European Rental Association (ERA) successfully hosted its annual convention in Dublin on 4–5 ‎June 2025, under the theme “Navigating Transitions in Rental”. The two-day event gathered over 350 ‎rental professionals, manufacturers, policymakers and thought leaders from across Europe and ‎beyond. The 2025 edition focused on how the rental industry is responding to some of the most ‎pressing transitions of our time — including the energy transition, digitalisation and AI, and the ‎drive toward sustainability.‎

ERA President Stéphane Henon opened the convention by highlighting the industry’s unique position, while Eamon McCafferty, founder of CCI ‎‎(Construction Contractors Ireland), welcomed participants to Dublin.‎

Highlights from the programme included a presentation of ERA’s flagship project on energy transition ‎by Matt Ross (Sunbelt Rentals) and Arthur Angelier (EY), followed by a panel discussion on TCO ‎challenges with experts from CPA, LGMG, Ritchie Bros, Volvo CE, and Zeppelin Rental. The “From ‎Digitalisation to AI” session featured insights from Ilias Iakovidis (European Commission), Alexander ‎Schuessler (SmartEquip), Marine Cabrol (KPMG), and Joel Särkkä (Renta), as well as business cases ‎from Loxam, Ardent Hire, Sunbelt and Renta. Antoine Onillon (KPMG) provided an exclusive market ‎outlook for rental in 2025/26. Three workshops covered technical innovation, ‎sustainability, and future trends. The convention closed with a keynote by Jamie Anderson, ‎who inspired attendees with a powerful message on “Leading in a Complex World”.‎

The convention also hosted the ERA General Assembly, where members participated in key decisions ‎for the future of the association. During the Convention, ERA officially announced a leadership ‎transition, with long-serving Secretary General Michel Petitjean set to step down at the end of June ‎‎2025 after 19 years of service. Carole Bachmann, who has been part of ERA since 2013, was ‎introduced as his successor and the new Secretary General.‎

European Rental Awards 2025 ‎

The European Rental Awards 2025 took place as part of the annual ERA Convention, celebrating ‎outstanding achievements across the equipment rental industry in Europe. ERA extends its congratulations to all shortlisted ‎companies and sincere thanks to all applicants. The event was made possible thanks to the generous ‎support of our sponsors: Gold sponsors Case Construction and Perkins, and Silver sponsors Haulotte, ‎Trackunit, and Volvo Construction Equipment.‎

The awards ceremony was judged by a distinguished panel including:‎
‎• Stéphane Hénon (ERA President and Managing Director, Loxam)‎
‎• Jon Overman (CEO, HSS Hire)‎
‎• Murray Pollok (Managing Editor, International Rental News)‎
‎• Monika Rubensson (CEO, Rentalföretagen)‎
‎• Frank Seidler (Managing Director, HKL)‎
‎• Michel Petitjean (non-voting Chair of Judges and ERA Secretary General)‎

Nine categories were presented throughout the evening:‎

ERA Technical Committee Award – Best initiative to minimise Total Cost of Ownership:‎
Kaeser, for reduced maintenance times on Mobilair compressors.‎

ERA Sustainability Committee Award – Best sustainability initiative by a rental company:‎
GAM (Spain) and Loxam (France), joint winners.‎

Rental Product of the Year:‎
Trime UK, for the MGTP 24000/30 THS low-emission generator.‎

Rental Technology Product of the Year:‎
Trackunit (Denmark), for the IrisX operating data platform.‎

Best Safety Initiative by a Rental Company:‎
Sunbelt Rentals UK, for its multi-faceted safety strategy.‎

Small/Medium Sized Rental Company of the Year:‎
EuroTecno (Italy).‎

Large Rental Company of the Year:‎
Alayan, operating across Italy, Spain, and Portugal.‎

ERA/IRN Rental Person of the Year:‎
Bodel Blom, Managing Director, Byggutrustning Luleå AB (Sweden).‎

Lifetime Achievement Award:‎
Michel Petitjean, in recognition of his outstanding service and leadership as ERA Secretary General.‎

The European Rental Association thanks all sponsors, judges, participants, and industry stakeholders ‎for making the 2025 Awards a memorable celebration of excellence and commitment in the rental ‎industry.‎ As the ‎industry continues to evolve, the ERA Convention remains the leading platform for knowledge ‎exchange, collaboration and shaping the future of equipment rental in Europe.