March is National Ladder Safety Month
March 19th, 2025
National Ladder Safety Month, observed in March and spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI), is dedicated to raising awareness of ladder safety and decreasing the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities. Each year, more than 100 people die in ladder-related accidents and thousands suffer disabling injuries, according to ALI. The organization said it believes […]
Smartstage enters Las Vegas event rental staging market
March 11th, 2025
Photo courtesy of FAME. Smartstage, Las Vegas, a venue solutions provider with more than 50 years of experience in the staging industry, is expanding its offerings to include event rental staging in Las Vegas. The company is introducing tailored rental staging solutions designed to meet the needs of the city’s surging event industry, which it […]
Mexico and Canada tariffs paused until April 2
March 6th, 2025
President Donald Trump announced March 6 that he would pause the 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from Mexico and Canada covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April 2. The president initially announced a delay in Mexico tariffs in a social media post after a conversation with President Claudia Sheinbaum March 6. Later that […]
As tariffs begin, auto industry given one-month exemption
March 5th, 2025
Imports from Canada and Mexico to U.S. automakers were given a one-month exemption to new tariffs on goods from these two countries, which began March 4. This decision by President Donald Trump comes after a March 5 conversation with three leading U.S. auto manufacturers: Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. The administration indicated this would be […]
Consumer spending fell for first time in nearly two years
March 3rd, 2025
Consumer spending in the U.S. dropped 0.2% in January—the first monthly decline since March 2023. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures spending through the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, and it decreased $30.7 billion. The bureau said that this reflected a $76.7 billion decrease in spending for goods and a $46.0 billion increase in […]
Element Event Solutions partners with Invictus Games 2025
February 27th, 2025
Canadian event and tent rental provider Element Event Solutions served as an Official Supporter for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, which took place Feb. 8-16 in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., Canada. The event is an international adaptive sports competition for wounded, injured or sick servicemen and women, and features athletes from around the world competing in various […]
Smartstage enters Las Vegas event rental staging market
February 27th, 2025
Smartstage, Las Vegas, a venue solutions provider with more than 50 years of experience in the staging industry, is expanding its offerings to include event rental staging in Las Vegas. The company is introducing tailored rental staging solutions designed to meet the needs of the city’s surging event industry, which it said saw an 18.5 […]
Public comments on trade open, tariffs begin next week
February 27th, 2025
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) opened its invitations last week for public comments on foreign trade practices and the Section 301 sanctions on China. The deadline to submit comments on foreign trade practices is March 11. The deadline to submit comments on Section 301 sanctions is March 24. USTR will hold […]
In memoriam: Michael Fitzwater
February 12th, 2025
Michael Patrick Fitzwater, 56, Suffolk, Va., died Feb. 8, 2025. Fitzwater — who served as American Rental Association (ARA) Region Two director from 2019-2022 — was founder and president of Special Events Entertainment, Portsmouth, Va. Prior to his election to serve as a member of the ARA Board of Directors, Fitzwater was part of The […]
TRD expert-led tent training
February 12th, 2025
Join us in-person for a must-attend Fire Code Officials Tent Training, focused on proper tent anchoring—essential for occupant safety. Led by TRD Board Chairman Nick Deninno, this session will equip you with expert insights into plan review, permitting, and inspection best practices to ensure safe and compliant tent installations. Take your training further by adding the TRD […]