Equipment Related

Construction Strength Builds Its Own Challenges: Significant 2018 Growth Could Point to a More-Moderate 2019

After achieving a 20-year high this year, the construction industry is undoubtedly thriving. But have we reached the top of the cycle? John Crum examines the factors that have fueled growth over the last five years and the indicators that the pace of expansion will slow in 2019.... read more

November/December 2018

Investing in Wind and Solar Projects

The traditional equipment financing market continuously evolves with changes in accounting rules, tax laws, equipment financed and financing structures. Many investors previously considered lessors of equipment are now exploring other specialized financing opportunities. Joe Sebik explains the basics behind the types of investments and the benefits that accrue to investors in certain alternative energy projects. ... read more

November/December 2018

Leveraging Elements of Orderly Process and Traditional Auction: Blended Sales in Commercial & Industrial Dispositions

Equipment appraisals typically assume an orderly liquidation value, which is rarely realized in the auctions that result from a distressed situation. Tiger Group’s Jeff Tanenbaum suggests a blended approach and provides two case studies demonstrating the benefits of a multi-phase liquidation process.... read more

September/October 2018

Equipment Markets 2018: The Federal Impact

Christian Klein takes a look at events in the Capitol that have affected equipment demand this year, including regulatory reform. Although federal appropriations, the president’s infrastructure plan and tax reform are currently in limbo, he expects demand in 2018 to stay at current levels no matter what happens on the Hill.... read more

November/December 2017

Construction Activity Up in 2017: Residential Upsurge Makes Up for Declines in Infrastructure Spending

Red tape may have put public construction projects on hold this year, but a surge in private spending drove an overall increase in construction activity. Wells Fargo’s John Crum examines this and other key industry observations including the rental market, new equipment sales, used equipment prices and the effects of hurricane season. Looking ahead to 2018, he predicts it could be another great year for construction if this year’s pattern holds.... read more

November/December 2017

Stuck in Traffic: Driver Shortage, Electronic Logs Make for Small Fleet Trouble

During a year when the industry took on a major role in helping rebuild from devastating natural disasters in Texas, Florida and California, overcapacity and a driver shortage continued to hamper trucking. That doesn’t mean the future doesn’t hold promise. Dan Clark, head of BMO Transportation Finance, discusses what 2017 was like for the industry and what to expect in 2018 and beyond.... read more

November/December 2017

The Cyclical Expansion Continues: Commercial Truck Industry Will Fare Well in 2018

The trucking industry continued its slow growth pattern in 2017. Steve Latin-Kasper of the National Truck Equipment Association discusses factors like the labor shortages and infrastructure delays that have hindered growth. He provides a slightly rosier outlook for 2018.... read more

November/December 2017

Safety and Technology First: GAMA Eyes Customer Expectations as Flight Hours Soar

More than a decade following the Great Recession, the general aviation industry is beginning to show signs of a full recovery, with flight activity increasing in the U.S. and Europe. GAMA’s Jens Hennig discusses the economic environment of the industry and the association’s efforts to improve the process of bringing aircraft, equipped with the safety standards and modernized technology customers desire, to market.... read more

November/December 2017

U.S. Commercial Truck Sales: Slow Growth Expected in 2017

Steve Latin-Kasper of the National Truck Equipment Association provides an overview of the U.S. commercial truck market. Although the effects of other markets, low interest rates and the slow growth of the U.S. economy have affected the market, Latin-Kasper expects the slow growth to continue at a rate under 10% in 2017.... read more

November/December 2016

Navigating Headwinds: Business Aviation Finds Optimism in Turbulence

With uncertainty once again swirling around the business aviation finance industry from both international and domestic fronts, Stonebriar’s Michael Amalfitano discusses falling asset values and an over-supply of aircraft while still finding the silver lining in the storm clouds.... read more

November/December 2016

So Long IT Equipment: Digital Alternatives Are Here to Stay

The forecast for worldwide IT spending in 2016 looks grim, but John Lovelock, Gartner’s chief forecaster, says there’s more to the story than the negative number. He shares the reasons behind the decline, a forecast for 2017 spending and discusses IT’s next big achievement — civilization infrastructure.... read more

November/December 2016

Building on Success: Wells Fargo’s Survey Shows Optimism in Construction

Despite a slight dip in the optimism quotient, Wells Fargo’s annual construction survey indicates that optimism is rampant in the industry. John Crum, the national sales manager of Wells Fargo Equipment Finance’s Construction group, took some time to discuss the survey and the meaning behind the numbers. ... read more

February 2016

Cost Effective Asset Management: Fleet Data & Analytics Improve Heavy Duty Truck Acquisition

John Flynn, founder and CEO of Fleet Advantage, gleans insights from a recent Class 8 report by research firm Frost & Sullivan, which predicts increased business in that segment over the next six years. In order to keep up with business and competition, Flynn says fleet owners need access to the newest truck technologies, which reduce maintenance costs and fuel consumption.... read more

March/April 2015

Drawing the Fine Line Between Leases & EFAs

In a mock sales Q&A, regular Monitor contributor Linda Kester describes how to approach a potential client’s question: “What’s the difference between an equipment lease agreement and an equipment finance agreement?”... read more

Jan/Feb 2015

Recent Developments in Oil & Gas Lease Markets

Technological breakthroughs have enabled domestic oil production to replace imports at a historic pace. Dana J. Pasternak, managing director and founder of Fairfield Capital, says the good news is that a lot of the equipment used in fracking is manufactured for extreme duty, has a reasonably long useful life and maintains relatively strong residual values, helping lessees mitigate their collateral risk.... read more

March 2015