Equipro Service Centers, SmartEquip Form Alliance

RER Reports Feb. 7, 2005 - Equipro, an emerging new network of independently owned construction equipment service centers, has chosen SmartEquip’s e-FleetPro Service electronic parts and service support system for its Equipro service centers.

Equipro, based in Germantown, Wis., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wacker Corp., founded in March 2003. Equipro is an authorized service dealer for Wacker, Sullair, ICS, MK Diamond, and a number of pressure washer manufacturers. It is also an authorized service center for a number of engine manufacturers including Honda, Briggs & Stratton, Robin Subaru and Lombardini and provides support for other engine makers as well. It has branches in Phoenix; Rodeo, Calimesa and Gardena, Calif. (serving the Bay Area, Inland Empire and L.A. areas respectively); Atlanta, Mokena, Ill. (south Chicago); Boston; Elko, Minn. (Minneapolis); Indian Trail, N.C. (Charlotte); Houston and San Antonio.

Equipro plans for each service center to become an independently owned franchise operation. Currently only the Atlanta branch is using the Equipro name; the others are independent service dealers who will soon finish the franchise documentation process and then adopt the Equipro name.

Equipro president Peter Liesch told RER the company’s goal is to have a network of 150 service centers within five years. Each existing service dealer has a metro service specialist visiting prospective customers with a service truck to market the company’s services. Liesch said that to this point about 70 percent of the company’s business has come from end users, primarily contractors, while about 30 percent is coming from outsourcing from the rental channel. Equipro’s services are being utilized by United Rentals; Rental Service Corp.; and The Home Depot as well as smaller, independent rental centers. Liesch added that rental companies are often interested in Equipro’s services during peak periods when servicing needs go beyond their capacity, or when more advanced technical expertise is required.

Liesch said he expects Equipro to add two to four more major manufacturing partners to make the business model more viable.

“We don’t sell or rent equipment, we only provide repair service,” Liesch said. “Because of that, neither end users nor rental companies view us as competition. We see a strong growth in demand for independent service centers because there is a service gap in the marketplace.”

Liesch said Equipro is actively seeking potential franchisees and has received a number of applications.

For Equipro, SmartEquip was a natural fit. “Our Equipro service centers provide parts, service and warranty support on varied equipment from multiple equipment manufacturers, requiring standard processes and systems to ensure the highest possible service levels,” Liesch said. “SmartEquip provides the tools to consolidate product support information from all Equipro OEM partners, enabling a new level of excellence in service support for literally hundreds of different equipment models and configurations.”