BlueLine Rental Acquires Virginia-Based Area Equipment

Third Add-On Acquisition in Seven Months Further Strengthens BlueLine's Presence in Mid-Atlantic Region

HOUSTON, TX– April 03, 2015 – BlueLine Rental, a full-service equipment rental company, today announced it has acquired Area Equipment LLC, a rental company in Cheasapeake, VA that serves customers in the industrial and non-residential construction markets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Area Rental is a good strategic fit for BlueLine that will bolster our fleet and create an even stronger platform for us in the Mid-Atlantic region,” said BlueLine CEO Phil Hobson. “Area has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and customer service, which is a credit to the founders of the business and all the people who have made Area such a success.”

Hobson said Sean Jennings and JT Sutton, who founded Area in 2006, are expected to stay on with BlueLine in regional management roles.

BlueLine is owned by Platinum Equity, which acquired the business in January 2014. The Area acquisition marks the third add-on investment BlueLine has made under Platinum Equity's ownership.

“As we continue delivering on our promise to help BlueLine grow, we are also working closely with the management team to seamlessly integrate each new location into the BlueLine network,” said Platinum Equity Partner Louis Samson. “All three of the recent add-on acquisitions are very complementary, present immediate synergies, and strengthen our mix of equipment and customers.”

In September 2014 BlueLine acquired JustRuss Rental Inc., a full-service equipment rental company with three locations in Alabama, which expanded BlueLine's footprint in the Southeast United States. In February 2015, BlueLine acquired Trico Equipment, Inc., a rental company specialized in aerial lift equipment with locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Texas.

About BlueLine Rental

BlueLine Rental is one of the largest providers of rental equipment services in North America, offering comprehensive lines of earthmoving, aerial and other construction equipment to service its customer base across multiple end markets, including the industrial, energy, infrastructure, nonresidential and residential construction, and non-construction markets. For more information about BlueLine Rental, visit www.bluelinerental.com or call 888-899-8658.