INTERVIEW
19
MARCH 2014
ACCESS, LIFT & HANDLERS
January alone for the company saw a 25
percent increase over the same time last year.
In January of 2013, the company saw a 43
percent jump over the same period year before,
which Laganas attributes to the work left
behind in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
The company already has a lease signed
in Pennsauken, NJ which is just outside of
Philadelphia. The location will serve the Philly
markets. Despite the regional expansion, Able
has no plans to reach further into other areas
of the U.S.
“We’re expecting an increase in business due
to grabbing market share from a variety of the
other companies that provide certain services,”
Laganas says. “It’s the increase in the amount
of projects we see on the board. It’s grabbing
market share and also having a robust year for
construction in New York.”
Laganas says work in the Hudson Yards –
New York’s second-largest privately funded
construction project outside of Rockefeller
Center years ago– will be one of the company’s
bigger projects to supply equipment, but that
bridge and general construction work is what
keeps Able at the top.
“Our rental rates are up over last year,” he
says. “The most we were down in total rental
rates was 12 percent, which was very good
compared to probably most of the other rental
companies being down closer to 30 percent.
We were able to maintain most of our business
and while rental rates were affected, we
anticipate being able to raise our rates in 2014
a couple percentage points.”
Laganas attributes the semi-steady business
during the downturn to its focus on service.
“The way we’re growing is because of our level
of service,” he says. “New York rebounds a lot
quicker than a lot of other places. We’re the
last to fall and the first to rise.”
Outlook
For the coming year, Able will continue
to monitor growing sectors, including the
telehandler market, which the company saw a
rebound in rentals for in 2013.
“We have stepped into higher capacities,”
he says. “We have a 12,000-pound unit and a
20,000-pound unit, as well. The norm for this
market was always 10,000 pounds, but we’ve
increased capacities for some of our larger
projects and for the material handling needs of
our customers.”
Able, which has 773 aerials in its fleet
consisting of booms and scissor, says its
success is in thanks to relationships.
“We try to build relationships with
customers,” Laganas says. “Independents
have an advantage in markets like New York
mainly because we’re way more nimble than
the larger companies. Anybody who wants to
speak to either myself or anybody else that
makes decisions can get us at any time and
at any moment’s notice. New York is definitely
different than other parts of the county in
respect to response time. We respond quicker.
We have great repair capabilities. We respond
to deliveries fast. The people who work for us
are company people. They are really dedicated
to our goals.”
■
Able at a glance
While the rental company has a number of
boom and scissor lifts, it also has a growing
‘nice’ section of equipment.
TELEHANDLERS
Skyjack ZB2044
JLG G12-55A
JLG G5-18A
REACHMASTER ATRIUM LIFTS
FS95
FS105
FS138
MAEDA MINI CRAWLER CRANES
MC305
MC285
Far right: Steve Laganas, co-founder of Able.
