BakerCorp’s Innovative Rental Equipment Solutions

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See what BakerCorp is bringing to the rental equipment space—including automation solutions not yet seen in the industry. 

Often in industries like oil and gas, refining, pipeline, environmental remediation, and construction, it is much more effective for a company to employ rental equipment than to purchase its own. Owning large machinery, water filtration systems, or other necessary products for the job is good in theory, but it also means the company is responsible for maintenance.

And what about the other 50 percent of the time when the company isn’t using the equipment? For many, the ROI just isn’t there.

That’s why companies like BakerCorp provide rental solutions. BakerCorp is known as an
industry leader in providing temporary containment tanks, pumps, filtration, and shoring
equipment rental solutions for a broad range of industries, including those listed above.
BakerCorp competes against many companies that just want to give the lowest price on a piece
of rental equipment, but BakerCorp offers integrated solutions and the technology to help keep
the customer’s operational efficiencies and costs in line.

This isn’t an industry that is heavily automated, and sometimes finding the right solution for a client isn’t about the newest technology, but what works best in a given situation.

Carla Rolinc, BakerCorp’s CIO, helps to make sure that when a client needs a solution, the company’s technology does what it can to make that happen.

“My job, from a back office standpoint, is a typical IT job—I do telecom, desktop, and laptop support. But when it comes to working with the customer, every day is different. The focus isn’t on the technology, but on the business. It’s about finding what your customer needs, thinking from the standpoint of the company, and delivering a solution to them.

“It’s about what I can do to move the business forward. And I like that challenge.”

But when a customer does need a technologically advanced solution, BakerCorp has them covered. You wouldn’t think there would be significant technological innovations in a marketplace thriving on tank, pump, and filtration rentals, but it turns out BakerCorp is able to stay ahead of its competitors because of its commitment to implementing processes that seek to continually improve upon and innovate its product and service offerings.

Rolinc shared information about a pilot program BakerCorp is currently working on with its customers. The new software and hardware will allow monitoring of tank levels from a tablet device, as well as an automatic collection of data that can be analyzed back at the office. Previously, tank monitoring had to take place at the tank, with visual cues located on the outside of the tank to show the current levels.

“Before we introduced this technology, everything was done manually,” she said. “On a fracking site with six water tanks, for instance, there was a worker on the ground managing the valve, and a guy on top watching the tank levels. This was imperative because the tanks can’t go dry.

“But walking between the tanks and manually checking tank levels is hazardous. So now, one person can work the valve and watch the levels from the ground. We’re excited about this technology and its potential to allow our customers’ to operate more efficiently while enhancing safe work environments—so important in the industries we work in and at BakerCorp. We’ll continue to build it out in the field and for other applications.”

The innovation doesn’t stop there. In the last few years, BakerCorp has moved its operations into the cloud to make sure there’s quicker access to information for everyone involved. Data warehouses and data dashboarding have given BakerCorp daily views of what’s happening in the business.

The company is also working on a new customer portal that will allow customers to do more detailed rental management on their own terms. This will help clients make sure they are managing their rental fleet more effectively, and everything from invoicing to rental agreements is available for review through the portal.

Rolinc also mentioned a new automation solution that just recently rolled out. Employees in the field no longer have to contend with manual entry of information and paperwork. Mobile devices are now being used on deliveries of rental equipment, and the company’s ERP system is now automatically updated when equipment is picked up.

Which can happen any day, anytime with BakerCorp. The company offers its services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Not many of its competitors offer this.

“It’s all about being a partner to our customers. If their business is jeopardized because we didn’t work after hours or on weekends, then we’re not doing the job right,” Rolinc said. “We get calls from people who aren’t our customers because their rental company isn’t open at the time they need help.”

Going forward, BakerCorp is focused on continued growth in their filtration markets. Based on innovative technologies like electrocoagulation (EC) filtration, which reduces heavy metals and suspended solid contaminants in wastewater by up to 99 percent, Baker is working to help customers reduce both wastewater disposal and transportation costs, as well as fresh water consumption.

According to Rolinc, there are two things that distinguish this company from its competitors: the people, and the great customer service the company provides.

“It all comes down to customer service and providing the turnkey solutions our customers need and want.”