Yes, it’s all here. For rent or for sale. A one-stop shop, in one convenient location and staffed by very experienced people who have done it all, so you can count on them to understand the most complicated questions. That’s Altra Rental & Supply, on route 104 in Ontario, New York.

As Jim Pedulla will tell you, he started Altra 12 years ago because he was getting so many requests from his friends to borrow stuff, but it’s clear that helping is still in Jim’s DNA. He’ll tell you his opinion about what you’re planning to rent or buy, whether you are right or whether you should instead try something else – and why. And you’ll be smart to listen, because before Jim started Altra he was a successful contractor who had a reputation for getting things done on time and on budget.

“In my days as a contractor, I could never find a rental store that understood what we needed; in general you were lucky if they knew enough about the equipment they were renting out,” is Jim’s straightforward assessment. And the way he runs Altra you can tell that Jim is serious about giving every contractor who walks in exactly what they need. “It may not exactly be what they came in for,” laughs the owner of Altra, “But it is what’s going to save them money. Or time. Or both.”

What looks from the outside as a rather small building unfolds before your eyes as you come in. You’ll see row after row of consumables, tools and supplies neatly and very tightly packed from floor to ceiling, and in the yard, a good collection of compact equipment that includes late model CAT skid steers, wheel loaders and mini excavators.

As crowded as the store may look, there’s wisdom behind the arrangement.  “When you walk down the aisles, you’re bound to remember at least two or three other things that you needed or may soon be needing,” explains Jim, adding, “Our customers are perennially short on time, and they appreciate this memory-jogging setup!”  

When asked about his business strategy, Jim Pedulla doesn’t hesitate before naming what he considers the three basic components – focus, signature service and convenience.

 By “focus” Jim means finding out who are Altra’s core customers, and then supplying what those customers are looking for, instead of trying to be all things to all people. “Figuring out the proper mix was a crucial step – and one that took us some time,” explains the owner of the busy supply and rental store, who sees contractors, mostly masons, framers, roofers and excavators, as his core customers. “My staff and I have years of experience as contractors ourselves, and our customers can tell right away that we know what we’re talking about; we understand what contractors need and we carry all those items.”

Joining the Milton CAT Rental Alliance was another way to meet the mandate, supply what your customers need. “They like seeing the CAT brand, of course, it has a lot of prestige, for one, but it’s prestige based on real facts, quality, new equipment, reliability,” states Jim, who says he’s impressed with the people and the support he finds at his dealer, Milton CAT.

That first advantage, “focus,” ties in with Altra’s second principle, providing signature service. To explain the meaning of that statement, Jim uses an example – “Often a contractor would come looking for a certain piece of equipment, let’s say a backhoe, and ends up renting a mini excavator instead; that’s because we believe it is our responsibility to have input on the decision-making process, to put our experience to work for our customers!” 

An interesting detail Jim tells that his Milton CAT rep, Len LeClair, frequently does the same thing to him, proposing a different machine or work tool than the one Altra had ordered, using his own experience to his own customer’s benefit. At any rate, the Altra staff’s level of product knowledge and industry understanding contributes to the power of their signature service.

“Convenience” is the third component. It’s tied to the two first ones and is plain to the eye – Altra Rental & Supply is easy to access, located on a well-traveled road, open early and always staffed by people who can help. They carry full lines of all the items contractors are likely to need, from flashlights to power tools, oil to belts, augers to buckets…They rent, they sell and they help.