What Gerken does

Gerken GmbH is a privately held German industrial equipment rental company founded in 1963 and headquartered in Düsseldorf, operating under the Gerken-Gruppe umbrella alongside six subsidiaries covering cranes (GERKEN Krane), modular space (GERKEN Raumsysteme), construction site safety (GERKEN Baustellen-Absicherung), special-purpose vehicles (GERKEN Einsatzfahrzeuge), and two retained regional aerial platform brands (GS-Arbeitsbühnen, Weidler Arbeitsbühnen). The company maintains a fleet of over 12,000 rental units deployed across nearly 40 branch locations throughout Germany plus one site in Elsloo, Netherlands, with a multi-language online rental shop (German, English, Dutch, French, Polish) supporting direct bookings alongside branch-based pickup, delivery, and 24-hour support.

The core offering spans truck-mounted work platforms (LKW-Arbeitsbühnen), trailer-mounted platforms (Anhänger-Arbeitsbühnen), scissor lifts (Scheren-Arbeitsbühnen), articulating telescopic platforms (Gelenkteleskop-Arbeitsb\u00fchnen), telescopic mast platforms, and light work platforms marketed as ladder alternatives under BG BAU subsidy alignment. The product portfolio extends into forklifts (Stapler, currently under a 35% promotional campaign), mini cranes, refrigerated containers (Kühlhäuser), power generators (Stromaggregate), and modular space systems. Underlying technology is a standard rental management platform with online shop, customer accounts, and logistics tracking — no proprietary AI, telematics, or differentiated software stack was disclosed.

Gerken operates a usage-based rental revenue model with base rates covering a maximum of 8 hours per day across a 5-day Monday–Friday workweek, with overtime and weekend usage billed separately. Pricing is B2B VAT-exclusive and B2C VAT-inclusive, and customers can cap damage liability through deductible tiers of €1,000–€4,000 per claim. Go-to-market combines direct field sales via branch offices, an e-commerce rental storefront, scheduled promotional pricing (notably a 40% Friday discount on truck/trailer platforms), and digital marketing across Google AdWords, email newsletter, and Brevo livechat. The company serves construction and industrial firms (primary), logistics and warehouse operators, and private individuals, with no named enterprise anchors and a structurally diversified customer base distributed across the German and Dutch depot network.

Name

Gerken

Legal name

Gerken GmbH

Website

https://gerken-arbeitsbuehnen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gerken is a privately held German industrial equipment rental company operating a 12,000+ unit fleet of aerial work platforms, forklifts, cranes, and modular space systems across nearly 40 branches in Germany and the Netherlands, serving construction, industrial, logistics, and private customers via usage-based online and branch rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Equipment Rental

NAICS

Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241), Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53249)

SIC

Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Lifting & Hoisting Rental & Leasing (IMAHAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Construction & Industrial Equipment Rental/Leasing (Earthmoving, Material Handling, Aerial) (TLABAHAF)

Keywords

• Aerial work platforms
• Construction equipment rental
• Forklift rental services
• Industrial equipment leasing
• Mobile elevating platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices39 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Rental of aerial work platforms (LKW-Arbeitsbühnen, Anhänger-Arbeitsbühnen, Teleskopmast-Arbeitsbühnen, Scherenarbeitsbühnen), forklifts (Stapler), and related equipment. Pricing based on rental duration with maximum 8 hours/day for 5-day week (Monday-Friday). Extended hours and weekend usage subject to additional charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gerken GmbH rents aerial work platforms (truck-mounted, trailer-mounted, scissor, articulating telescopic, telescopic mast, and light platforms), forklifts, mini cranes, power generators, space containers, and cold storage containers. The company operates a fleet of over 12,000 rental units across nearly 40 branches in Germany and the Netherlands, with online ordering, delivery, pickup, and 24-hour emergency support services for both business and private customers.

Product overview

GERKEN is a German equipment rental company specializing in aerial work platforms (Arbeitsbühnen) with a diversified portfolio of over 12,000 rental units across nearly 40 locations in Germany. The core offering includes truck-mounted (LKW), trailer-mounted (Anhänger), scissor lifts (Scheren), articulating telescopic (Gelenkteleskop), and telescopic mast work platforms, complemented by forklifts (Stapler), mini cranes (Minikrane), power generators (Stromaggregate), and cold storage containers (Kühlhäuser). The GERKEN Group also encompasses related brands: GERKEN Krane for crane rentals, GERKEN Raumsysteme for modular space solutions, Weidler Arbeitsbühnen for work platforms at Heidelberg, and Baustellen-Absicherung for construction site safety. The company operates an e-commerce platform for online rental booking and maintains a presence in the Netherlands (Elsloo) and Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gerken-Gruppe: Parent group encompassing all Gerken rental divisions including cranes, room systems, site security, and special vehicles.
• Gerken-Krane
• Gerken-Raumsysteme
• Gerken-Baustellen-Absicherung
• Gerken-Einsatzfahrzeuge
• GS-Arbeitsbühnen
• Weidler Arbeitsbühnen

Products and services

• LKW-Arbeitsbühnen (Truck-Mounted Work Platforms)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and regional.

• BS PAYONE GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service provider for processing PayPal, Wero, and credit card payments. Located in Kiel, Germany.
• Creditreform Düsseldorf / NeusssupportingOthersCredit agency used for customer creditworthiness checks when offering invoice payment terms or advance payments.
• BrevosupportingTechnology or IntegrationLivechat software provider for customer support chat functionality on the website.
• Google (Analytics, AdWords, Marketing Services)supportingTechnology or IntegrationWeb analytics, online advertising, and marketing services including Google Analytics, AdWords, Conversion Tracking, DoubleClick, AdSense, Google Tag Manager, and Google Optimizer.
• Gerken GruppecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company umbrella for GERKEN group subsidiaries including Gerken GmbH (Arbeitsbühnen), Gerken Krane (cranes), Gerken Raumsysteme (space systems/containers), Gerken-Baustellen-Absicherung (construction site safety), Gerken-Einsatzfahrzeuge (service vehicles), GS-Arbeitsbühnen, and Weidler Arbeitsbühnen.
• GERKEN Hoogwerkers BVregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch subsidiary operating under 'Huur- en handelsvoorwaarden' (rental and trade conditions) for Dutch customers with Dutch invoice addresses.
• Gerken Mietservice GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated company providing rental conditions for room containers and service vehicles (Raumcontainer and Einsatzfahrzeuge).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Time Benelux: Belgian/Dutch aerial work platform rental specialist serving Benelux and parts of Germany. Direct competitor with a similar narrow focus on elevated access equipment.
• Riwal: Netherlands-based specialist in aerial work platform and telehandler rental, operating across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Direct competitor in the same aerial platform category, with similar customer base of construction and industrial end-users.
• HKL Baumaschinen: German construction and industrial equipment rental company offering aerial platforms, earthmoving equipment, and tools. Direct competitor to Gerken in Germany with a comparable branch network and customer focus.
• Mateco: German-headquartered aerial work platform rental specialist with a pan-European footprint. Closest direct competitor to Gerken, serving the same German and Benelux construction and industrial customer base with overlapping fleet categories.

Broad incumbents

• Kiloutou: Major French equipment rental group with growing presence in Germany and Benelux. Overlaps with Gerken on aerial work platforms and adjacent categories, and competes for cross-border European accounts.
• Zeppelin Rental: German equipment rental arm of the Zeppelin Group, offering aerial work platforms, construction machinery, and site equipment. Competes with Gerken in the German aerial work platform market but with a broader equipment and services portfolio.
• Boels Rental: One of Europe's largest equipment rental companies, headquartered in the Netherlands, offering aerial platforms, tools, and a wide range of construction equipment. Overlaps with Gerken on aerial work platforms but operates at significantly larger scale across many more categories and countries.

Others

• Liebherr (Rental & Used Equipment): Although primarily an OEM, Liebherr operates crane and heavy equipment rental in selected European markets and is adjacent to Gerken Krane. Acts as both potential competitor (cranes) and equipment supplier to the Gerken ecosystem.
• Teupen: German manufacturer of specialized aerial work platforms (truck-mounted, spider, and tracked lifts). Functions as an OEM partner/supplier to Gerken rather than a renter, but operates in the same equipment category and German ecosystem.

Regional players

• MSS Gerken Group competitors — Lokal: Smaller regional German aerial work platform and crane rental companies (e.g., regional players in NRW, Bavaria) compete with Gerken branch-by-branch on local availability and customer service rather than at a national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gerkengmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gerken-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gerken