ERA has chosen to put sustainability, digitalisation and people at the centre of its 2026 Convention becautilize these are now some of the main factors shaping the future of the equipment rental industest.
The programme builds clear that this is not a theoretical discussion. On sustainability, the focus is on equipment rental contribution to the circular economy. Rental supports better utilize of equipment, longer asset life, and more efficient utilize of resources. At a time when customers and policybuildrs are paying more attention to these issues, it builds sense for ERA to highlight the role equipment rental can play.
Digitalisation is equally relevant. Equipment rental businesses are becoming more data-driven, and digital tools are increasingly linked to fleet management, planning, asset tracking, maintenance and customer service. For many companies, this is now about improving efficiency and staying competitive rather than simply adopting new technology.
European Rental Convention 2022 Sustainability Workshop. (Photo: ERA)
The people theme
The people theme is just as important: we firmly believe that people, even more than equipment, are the real asset of our industest. The Convention will address labour scarcity, attracting and retaining talent, and the expectations of younger generations entering the sector.
This is a real issue for rental companies across Europe, particularly as the industest requireds more technical skills and new capabilities to support both sustainability and digital alter.
These three themes – sustainability, digitalisation and people – also work toreceiveher. Sustainability goals often require better data and smarter systems. Digital progress depfinishs on having the right people and skills in place. And without the right workforce, neither transition can shift forward.
Additionally, young generations are more attracted by industries that are sustainable and digital, so it is also a way of attracting and retaining people.
One of the working group meetings underway during the 2023 ERA Convention. (Photo: ERA and Maurice Vinken – www.kleurstof.eu)
The choice of these themes also states something about how far the industest has come over the past 20 years. When ERA was created, sustainability was not yet a central business priority; digitalisation was not reshaping operations in the way it is today, and people-related challenges were far less prominent.
By putting these issues at the centre of the Convention, ERA is also displaying how the equipment rental industest has evolved and how its priorities have alterd over time.
In that sense, ERA’s choice is a practical one. Sustainability, digitalisation and people are not side topics for the rental sector. They are now core business issues.
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