Sidney Matos

A new company is capitalising on increased demand for rental equipment in Brazil. According to founder Sidney Matos, UpLoad Equipamentos operates under the lean concept, keeping fixed overheads as low as possible while focusing on customer satisfaction, well trained operators and equipment availability. Founded this year, UpLoad offers new and used forklifts and construction equipment for hire. "For the last two years, I was partner of a rental company with 450 forklifts," he tells Forkliftaction News. "Then I decided to take my own risk and implement the business type I believe is more efficient and profitable." UpLoad buys new or refurbished equipment, "avoiding fixed costs with people and buildings". Matos is working in partnership with local Yale dealer Macromaq, which supplies refurbished trucks. "For new trucks, I work with Hyster-Yale, Toyota, Still and EP," he explains. Matos' target is to keep a maximum of 100 trucks in 2020 because he also runs a construction equipment rental business, but he believes the potential is much greater.