Many access rental companies would choose to live in a perfect world, where they off er customers high-spec machines, easily available in a nearby location, with no delivery charges and high-speed service provision. Unfortunately, for most people, the perfect world is a dream rather than a reality.

Hoogwerkt, however, based in the Netherlands, believes it has hit on the perfect combination and has the means to do it. Its unique rental model combines the advantages of major generalists and their vast network of locations with the expertise of a small specialist operation. These are early days for the Netherlandsbased company, which launched in February last year, but its pair of co-owners Arnold Grootveld and Jan Vriesinga are confi dent that customers will roll in now that word is getting around about their venture.

Innovative financing

Before Hoogwerkt, Grootveld and Vriesinga already owned a relatively young boat rental company HappyWhale, which benefits from Grootveld’s longstanding experience in equipment rental leaderhsip roles and Vriesinga’s equally distinguished career in capital goods and investment structures. The pair decided to copy the fi nancing model of the boat venture in a new start up, this time
a MEWP rental enterprise, specifi cally focused on Lithium-powered machines that refl ects the sustainable vision of both companies.
Both Hoogwerkt and HappyWhale are fi nanced through another company, also jointly-owned Grootveld and Vriesinga, created to attract private investors who wish to help fi nance sustainable companies. Hoogwerkt has a third fi nancial pillar; an equipment leasing agreement with a bank that the previously-mentioned fi nancial backing allowed them to set up.