Recession ruthless to equipment distributors.

By John Latta, Tina Grady Barbaccia and Tom Anderson

Just as a rising tide is said to have the power to lift all boats, the Great Recession apparently leaves no-one behind. Equipment distributors have taken a pounding.

While that’s a statement not likely to surprise anyone in the industry, the Associated Equipment Distributor’s (AED) 2010 Government Affairs Survey provides a snapshot of just how much they are hurting.

Here’s AED’s summary of the findings from the survey conducted in early April:

Since January 2007, AED members have taken difficult and painful steps to keep their companies in business, including the following:

75 percent of AED members have laid off workers;

68 percent have eliminated positions through attrition;

64 percent have reduced salaries and wages;

64 percent have sold equipment from their rental fleets at a loss;

36 percent have reduced health insurance benefits;

32 percent have suspended participation in a workforce development program (e.g., training

partnership with a local community college);

21 percent have cancelled the opening of a new facility; and