What #emergingtrends will have the biggest impact on the #construction and #rental industries in 2020? Clair Urbain, editor of Pro Contractor Rentals, shares his thoughts in his recent #DirectAccess Q&A. Q: What industry trends do you predict will gain traction in the 2020 calendar year? A: I think we’ll see more moves toward electrically powered equipment of all sizes. Recent introductions of lithium-ion-powered models are capturing interest due to no emissions, greater reliability and quieter operation. Those will show interest from rental centers and end-users alike. Milwaukee recently introduced lithium-ion-powered compact equipment, such as a jackhammer, concrete saw, core drill and other tools, that will have rental centers and end-users rethinking gasoline-powered models. Another trend is increasingly autonomous equipment. For example, Bobcat came out with a remote-controlled skid steer and compact track loader that can also be geofenced remotely, so it doesn’t cross certain ...