Cramo's Gunnar Glifberg to join the ARA Hall of Fame

Gunnar Glifberg, previously chief executive officer of Cramo, will be inducted into the American Rental Association's (ARA) Hall of Fame during the Keynote session at The Rental Show in New Orleans next year

The ARA created the Rental Hall of Fame in 2000 to foster an appreciation of the historical development of the rental industry and the leaders who have made the industry what it is today. Each year, nominations are accepted to recognise individuals who have made a substantial impact on the industry at the national or international level.

Mr Glifberg is being honoured in particular for his work at Cramo, taking the organisation based on six different companies without a common business model or culture in 1994 to one of Europe's largest equipment rental companies with close to 400 rental depots in 15 countries.

The ARA said, "At the time, equipment rental in Sweden and throughout Europe was far behind other service industries and was generally a side business for manufacturers or construction companies.

"It was Glifberg's conviction that the professionalisation of the industry required capacity and local presence to serve an international customer base and economies of scale to provide top services at competitive prices. He also was careful not to lose the entrepreneurship that characterises smaller companies.

"The concept and thinking behind the Cramo model has been followed and often explicitly referred to by other major general equipment rental companies in Europe."

Mr Glifberg was awarded the European Rental Association's Lifetime Achievement Award this year.