Equipment rental companies are in the business of making jobs easier. The machine in the yard does the work—but the moment a customer rents that machine and takes it to a residential property, a new problem appears that the machine can’t solve by itself.
Ground damage. Lawn ruts. Cracked driveways. Torn-up turf.
Rental customers create this damage every day on jobsites that don’t have professional ground protection. And when it happens, the customer’s job gets harder, the property owner gets upset, and the rental company often hears about it.
Adding BAM! ground protection mats to your rental inventory changes that equation. Here’s how.
The Gap Between the Machine and the Ground
When a customer rents a skid steer, a mini excavator, or a compact track loader, they’re focused on the job the machine does. Grading. Excavating. Moving material. They’re usually not thinking about what happens to the surface the machine crosses to get there.
Most rental customers aren’t professional contractors. They’re homeowners doing a project, small businesses handling their own site work, or occasional-use operators who don’t own a fleet. They don’t have a collection of ground protection mats on the truck. They haven’t thought about turf protection or driveway load ratings.
They’ve rented a machine. They’re going to use it.
Without ground protection, that use creates damage. Without ground protection available to rent, your customers have no easy way to solve the problem—even if they’re willing to pay for it.
What Happens When Damage Occurs
A rented skid steer without ground protection crosses a customer’s lawn. The ruts are 4 inches deep. The property owner—not the rental customer—demands repairs.
Now the rental customer calls you. Not to complain about the machine—but because they associate the problem with the rental. And the next time they need equipment, they might go to the competitor who offered a more complete solution.
Ground protection mats prevent this. They protect the customer’s job, the property, and the rental relationship.
The Revenue Opportunity
Adding ground protection mats to your rental inventory isn’t just about reducing complaints—it’s a direct revenue opportunity.
Mat rental as an add-on
Ground protection mats can be rented alongside equipment as an add-on. When a customer rents a skid steer for a residential job, offer mats as part of the rental package. This increases ticket size without requiring more inventory or more staff—the customer picks up mats at the same time as the machine.
Consultative selling
The conversation is natural: ‘Are you working on a lawn or driveway? We recommend our ground protection mats—they prevent the machine from rutting the turf and protect your surface from equipment weight.’ This positions the rental company as an expert, not just a machine dispenser.
Recurring demand
Contractors who rent equipment regularly will rent mats regularly too—once they know they’re available. A contractor who discovers mat rentals at your yard builds that into their standard rental routine.
How BAM! Mats Fit the Rental Business Model
Durability across many customers
Rental inventory needs to survive a variety of operators with varying levels of care. BAM! HDPE mats are built for exactly this: years of use across multiple customers, in variable conditions, with variable handling. The 3-year warranty backs the durability claim.
Easy cleaning between rentals
HDPE cleans with water and a brush or pressure washer. Between rental cycles, mats can be cleaned and returned to ready status quickly—with no special equipment or extended drying time.
Lightweight for customer loading
At 56 pounds per 4×8 panel, rental customers can load and unload mats without assistance. This is important in a rental context because customers are loading their own trucks—they need to be able to handle the product independently.
Recognizable and professional
BAM!’s Hi-Vis Safety Green color makes mats easy to inventory, easy to identify on a site, and easy to confirm return at the end of a rental period. You always know how many mats went out and how many came back.
Recommended Mat Quantities for Rental Inventory
The right starting inventory depends on your equipment mix and customer base. A general framework:
- Skid steer rentals: recommend 8 to 12 panels per rental (enough for a full access route plus staging zone)
- Mini excavator rentals: recommend 10 to 16 panels per rental (access route plus working area)
- Boom lift and aerial work platform rentals: recommend 6 to 10 panels (travel path plus outrigger zones)
- Multiple machine rentals: scale panel quantity to the total equipment footprint
Starting with 2 to 4 sets of mats in inventory allows you to run parallel rentals and test demand before expanding inventory.
Training Rental Staff on the Mat Recommendation
Ground protection mat recommendations are most effective when they’re part of the standard rental consultation—not an afterthought.
- Train staff to ask about job site surface before every equipment rental
- Create a simple decision tree: lawn or turf? → recommend mats. Driveway? → recommend mats. Gravel or hardpack? → optional.
- Provide a quick reference card at the counter showing what mat quantity is appropriate for each machine type
- Add mat rental to the standard quote for residential equipment rentals
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How should I price ground protection mat rentals?
A: Pricing varies by market. Most rental companies price mats per panel per day or per set per day, with multi-day discounts. Contact BAM! at 888-870-8158 or msheridan@alliedplastics.com to discuss rental pricing strategies and distributor pricing.
Q: What happens if a mat is damaged during a rental?
A: HDPE is durable but can be damaged by extreme misuse. Most rental companies charge a damage fee based on replacement cost if a mat is returned with structural damage beyond normal wear. This is standard rental policy for any specialty equipment.
Q: Can I become a BAM! distributor to carry mats for sale in addition to rental?
A: Yes. BAM! is actively expanding its distributor network. Visit bamgroundpro.com/become-a-distributor to apply, or call 888-870-8158 to discuss the distributor program directly.
Q: What marketing materials does BAM! provide for rental companies?
A: Contact BAM! at msheridan@alliedplastics.com to discuss co-marketing support, signage, and sales materials available for rental company partners.
Close the Gap Between the Machine and the Ground
Your equipment rental inventory solves the job. BAM! mats solve what happens to the ground in between. Together, they create a complete solution—and a rental company that customers trust to help them do the whole job right.
Become a BAM! distributor at bamgroundpro.com/become-a-distributor. Explore the product lineup at bamgroundpro.com/products. Contact us at bamgroundpro.com/contact-us, call 888-870-8158, or email msheridan@alliedplastics.com. Pro’s choose BAM!
