Getting the Job Done Right with Tates Rents for 75 Years By Brooke Strickland
T
ates
Rents
has
been
helping build Idaho for the last 75 years. From small
subdivisions
and
apartment complexes to
large high-rise buildings in the middle of downtown, the tool and equipment rental company is proud to be a part of what makes Idaho such a popular place to live. Founded in 1946 by Paul Tate, the company was initially called Safway Scaffolding Company. Over the years, various ladders, liquefied gas, cable tools, and other lines were added to the inventory. In the early 1960s, Paul’s son Syd came to join the family business, which had changed names to Tate Scaffolding and Power Tool Company. Syd opened the first branch store, and in 1969, he took over as the company’s president so Paul could retire. In the early 1980s, the store was renamed Tates Rents, and the rest is history. The family continued to operate the company until last year, when it was officially sold to its employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. This decision was made to ensure the family’s legacy and the business it worked so hard to build continues to serve and be a vital part of communities around Idaho. Today, the 100-percent employeeowned company is thriving and has the largest inventory of rental equipment available. Contractors or do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiasts around the Treasure Valley know that they can find any tools or other equipment they need to get the job done right. Whether it is a forklift, an excavator, lawn and garden equipment, or something else, Tates Rents is proud to carry virtually everything people need for a construction, building, or DIY project. The company also has over 50,000 replacement parts from more than 100 suppliers, so chances are if something on a piece of equipment breaks, Tates Rents has the part to fix it.
38 BUILDING IDAHO • 2021 FALL/WINTER
