by Jon M. Casey

Clark Equipment Rental and Sales has come a long way since its beginning in 2005 when Adam Clark started his equipment rental business in a small one-room office at a self-storage facility on Ainsley Dr in Syracuse, New York. It was from there that he took his start up fleet of three skid steer loaders and three mini-excavators and turned it into what it is today. Now, he offers more than 60 machines; a lineup that includes dozers, backhoes, and more recently, boom lifts and telehandler forklifts. Adam recently told Hard Hat News that interestingly, Clark Equipment serves customers from Australia to Canada.

Late last year, as a move to accommodate the increasing success of Clark Equipment, Adam moved the business into its current facility at 559 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse, NY. He said the new facility features an 8,000 sq ft shop with 12 equipment bays and a 10,000 sq ft warehouse, along with outdoor display areas where customers can examine equipment before taking it to a jobsite.

“Everything we sell is jobsite ready,” said Adam. “Our lower cost machines are ANSI inspected for safety and they are jobsite ready.” He also noted that their equipment comes with power train and hydraulic system warranties that vary, depending on the unit.

“Our three full-time mechanics are busy refurbishing and prepping equipment for sale and rental,” he said. “They go over the equipment after we acquire it.They tear the machine apart and fix what needs fixing. When a customer picks it up it is ready to use. You can buy something from us and take it right to the jobsite without concern,” he said.

Over the years, Clark Equipment has built a high volume business in affordable equipment that Adam often promotes as sale items. These units sell quickly. He shares a story of how he advertised equipment in Hard Hat News when he was having difficulty selling a unit. He ran the item at a sale price, and within days of the issue arriving at subscribers’ businesses, he began receiving phone calls from prospective customers who were inquiring about that piece of equipment.

He said he has even had customers stop in the day following the arrival of HHN in their mail, requesting the equipment listed at these “clearance” prices. To his surprise, customers asked to see the designated machine because they wanted to take it to the jobsite immediately.

He recalled one time he advertised a BoMag roller that he said he inadvertently “priced too low.” When he received more than 40 phone inquiries about that machine, he kept his word and sold it at its advertised price. Adam said he is certain that contractors do indeed watch for and read his advertisements in Hard Hat News. He is certain they watch for those special sales.

Adam, who was raised in the Syracuse area, said he was happy to serve the construction industry in Upstate New York. He likes his company’s new location near the NY State Fairgrounds because it offers easy customer access. “The facility is actually at eye-level as seen from I-690 that passes by out front,” said Adam. “That makes us a lot easier to find.”

Because he understands the construction industry from the “financial” side as well as from the equipment side, customers have an advantage when shopping with Clark Equipment. Since Adam is qualified to help customers deal with lenders and financial institutions that work with the construction industry, Adam can make the transaction run more smoothly.

He said his expertise in working with contractors to help them when it comes to buying or renting equipment, reassures them that they are adding profit to their company’s bottom line. When customers need to develop a rental, sale or rental/purchase plan, he helps them come up with the best solution.There are times when he needs to buy back a piece of equipment from one of his customers. When that happens, the negotiations typically run smoothly. That is because equipment offered by Clark Equipment is priced fairly when it is sold. That gives the customer a true picture of what the unit is actually worth.

Clark said that he credits his company’s growth over the past nine years to treating customers fairly. He keeps his word and he keeps his promises. By doing business in an honest way, customers have come to trust Clark for their equipment needs. For more information about Clark Equipment, visit their new facility at 559 State Fair Blvd, Syracuse, NY or visit their website at www.clarkrents.com.