Proximity, planning, performance: Three Ps that spell success in the rental market

Modular spreader beams are an essential piece of lifting gear on many sites

With timelines tightening, labor shortages deepening, and regulatory demands rising, contractors and project managers are forced to rethink how they approach every aspect of the build—including the increasingly critical lifting component.

To top it off, a less obvious, but equally disruptive shortage is occurring upstream—within engineering departments, drafting teams, and lift-planning resources. For many contractors bidding complex crane or rigging jobs, internal bandwidth simply doesn’t exist to support the increasingly technical demands of modern lift execution.

That’s where partnerships with specialized providers can begin to shift the equation. Equipment rental providers have quietly stepped into a more consultative role—partnering with trusted third-party firms to produce lift plan drawings and CAD-based rigging arrangements that help clients bridge a gap in planning and execution.

The result is a support system that removes friction from the planning phase—particularly for clients who don’t have the in-house knowledge to confidently spec rigging solutions on their own.

Finding skilled staff to undertake today’s technical and complex lifts is a growing challenge for contractors

“It’s not about replacing a customer’s engineers,” says Ryan Group, VP of sales & marketing with lifting equipment hire firm LGH. “But when they don’t have the time or bandwidth to produce a drawing for rigging equipment, a trusted resource that can take care of that allows them to show up more prepared.”

Although LGH does not provide engineering services, they have partnered with several engineering firms throughout the U.S. that can draft their specific equipment into CAD for customers.

“Contractors are being asked to do more with fewer resources,” says Group. “That’s where there are opportunities for rental businesses to step in and assist—so long as they have a nationwide inventory of specialist lifting equipment. And ultimately, it isn’t about solving every challenge a contractor faces—but taking one more thing off their plate.”

Positioned to respond

On the equipment side, a consultative approach like this should start the moment a quote is requested.

“Customers might come to a rental company with a list of what they think they need,” says Group, “but through conversation, better solutions emerge—sometimes lighter, more cost-effective, or simply better suited to the lift.

“Reps shouldn’t be there just to take orders,” he adds. “They are trained to ask, ‘What are you really trying to accomplish?’ From there, you can often propose an arrangement that’s safer, more efficient, or just a better fit for the job.”

Group believes location plays a central role in the formula for mutual success. Each rental center should support nearby project sites with everything from rigging prep and inspections to delivery and final documentation.

Ryan Group, VP of sales & marketing at LGH

“It’s not just about moving gear,” he says. “It’s about helping crews hit critical timelines. When you’re close to the work, you’re just better positioned to respond.”

Reaching alignment

Generally, rental companies in the lifting sector have had to become more agile. Paper-based processes—once common in logistics-heavy environments—have been replaced by integrated digital tools. Reps and shop teams now manage inspections, checklists, quotes, and deliveries through tablet-based systems, with contracts signed electronically on-site.

Group believes LGH’s footprint is relatively lean from a sustainability perspective.

“Most of our equipment is mechanical,” he notes. “There’s no diesel being burned, no engines running.”

Still, the company has made a concerted effort to shrink its operational impact, converting its Chicago headquarters to solar power and digitizing its paperwork-heavy workflows.

In alignment with that effort, Group describes a new internal tool in development that will allow sales reps to quickly generate rigging configurations for modular beam setups.

By entering basic lift specs—capacity, span, application—the system will suggest an appropriate configuration and the matching bill of materials.

Multi-lug lifting beams aid with the hoisting of longitudinal loads

“Mod beams are a go-to solution, but building the right configuration can be complex,” he admits. “This tool gives reps a faster way to serve the customer—especially when time is tight.”

The overall approach blends logistics, planning, and proximity into a single value proposition: reducing the mental load for contractors already juggling deadlines, safety requirements, and labor constraints.

One less worry

Group explains that LGH’s rental centers are staffed to meet regional demand and equipped to handle a wide variety of lifting gear. It’s also mandated that every hoist is chained to order and tested before it goes out, which is time-consuming and adds to the cost, but helps ensure durability and reliability for customers.

Each location also maintains its own test stands, delivery trucks, and fulfillment systems. While third-party freight handles the larger, long-haul jobs, many deliveries can be made directly from an LGH Rental Center.

The company’s expansion strategy is driven by real-time indicators of market demand. Sales reps are often deployed to new territories before any permanent infrastructure is built, giving a read on construction activity and customer appetite.

The approach is data-driven as well. Construction forecasts, infrastructure spending trends, and regional investment patterns all inform the next move—particularly in high-growth sectors like data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy.

“We’re seeing a lot of reshoring and reinvestment in U.S. manufacturing,” Group adds. “That tells us where to go next.”

A gantry can be the right rigging solution when headroom is limited or no convenient lifting points are available

A prime example of the model in action is a 2024 project in Alaska—where LGH has no official presence. A mine operator facing a fast-closing seasonal window needed 60 hydraulic cylinders and multiple synchronous lifting systems—all delivered, coordinated, and supported in an extremely remote location.

“We had to move everything through Southern California, and the customer sent a boat to pick it up,” Group recalls. “We even partnered with one of our manufacturers to send a technician to stay on-site for a month.”

Customized service being what it is, the key for rental businesses in the lifting sector, says Group, is rooted in controlled scale and customer alignment. “Which means refining fleets, filling capacity gaps, and investing in tools that make planning and quoting faster. It also means being where the customers are—and if possible, getting there before they even ask.”

Ultimately, a company’s continued relevance in a fast-changing industry comes down to trust and standards.

Group assures, “Customers need to know the equipment will perform. That people will deliver and will get it right the first time. If you can create one less worry on a complicated job—that’s a win. That’s where you add real value.”

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This article was produced by KHL’s Content Studio, in collaboration with experts from LGH

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All images courtesy of LGH

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